Compared to the conventional motivational and controversial books of our contemporary time which avoids the real issues like a plague but rather concentrate on what society is itching to hear so as to ensure they become "best sellers" also like their counterparts. It has become a rat race of jungle crap rather than an enlightening experience in the quest for knowledge. Only until recently that I stumbled on some of Ofili's works, I was yet to see an author or at least a writer that would confidently call a cotton wool white irrespective of the repercussions and not translucent, so as to appeal to all different clans of the community interpreting things as it best suits their selfish needs.
Books have seized to speak the truth, if we don't fight for ourselves then who will, actions might speak 'louder' than words, still our words and voices are our most powerful and 'influential' tool yet. Our voices are capable of change as we can never imagine it. The greatest revolutions the world has ever known from the likes of Martin Luther King Jnr and a host of others all started with voicing out words of heart aching pain. We lose this war the moment we stop talking about the things that matter.
We live in a world filled with excruciatingly loud sounds and noises, in our homes, offices and streets, yet, the silence (concerning the things that matter) is thunderous. We need to recruit persons in the likes of Ofili to fight for and with us, side by side until this war is over. The war against immorality, war against tribalism, war against child abuse, war agains depression and a chunk of others. This war would never be over ironically, but we can manage it, curb it till the barest minimum but only if we come together and join our voices in unity for the world to hear. United against this odds that threaten to rip our community from within.
Ofili doesn't speak, he communicates, and ignites a radical change from within everyone he comes across via his books and articles. Ofili has a powerful way around words and people, that these skill sets work harmoniously, getting the attention and touching the silent heart cry of the everyday Nigerian. Today we fight, not for anyone ambitious goals but for ourselves. Talking about "ourselves", when was the last time you did something for yourself, really ??? In recent times we are so busy doing nothing, pursing things that don't matter and funny as it it, these things are never for ourselves, is it working for your salary ? (Actually its for your boss, to build his own pocket at our expense) or trading so hard just to spend the little income on rent (for your landlord), hospital bills (for the doctors that would never tell you that your are completely fine, there always a test to do or drugs to be bought). Even when we think it's for our children, an investment into our own blood to make them better than we are, it's no news that the education system is degrading while the fees are on an exponential race to the top and our children still can't solve basic real life challenges, so what can we say we are preparing them for ? Most times we don't even know how they are fairing in school because we don't have time. We leave our own blood and sweat in the care of strangers while gradually enriching the pocket of these strangers even more and not having time for them.
Soon they end up on the morning news or as the talk of the town as robbers, drug barons or a teenage pregnancy case and we wonder; how, why, when and where did we get it wrong ? How did this one change overnight !!! He never changed OVERNIGHT, it was right under your nose but you couldn't see it, too busy trying to out wealth your peer claiming it's for your children, same children you lost to the vices of the world you detest.
So then, what are we chasing and why ? Would it be worth it in the end ? Why not do something that counts, something that matters for you, for me, for us, for our children we so love dearly and fight. Fight this fight like a man with nothing to lose, then and only then would we have chased something that's worth fighting for... Let's come out openly and join Ofili in this war and win together knowing we gave it our best and not drowning in silence because I will.
