Staying Focused On Issues That Matter
In Secondary School, I was Lakunle in THE LION and the JEWEL by Soyinka. After memorizing that play, one scene has refused to go. It was the response of Lakunle when Sidi asked him to pay the dowry.
Lakunle was not rich but was vast with grammar. Instead of dealing with the issue of the price, he focused on attacking the tradition. Sidi, brilliantly waited, retorting "Just pay the price".
How many times have we acted like Lakunle, wasting efforts on things we have no control [Buhari, Goodluck, Trump, etc] over pursuing practical solutions?
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SIDI: ...That I was forced to sell my shame
And marry you without a price.
LAKUNLE: A savage custom, barbaric, out-dated,
Rejected, denounced, accursed,
Excommunicated, archaic, degrading,
Humiliating, unspeakable, redundant.
Retrogressive, remarkable, unpalatable.
SIDI: Is the bag empty? Why did you stop?
LAKUNLE: I own only the Shorter Companion
Dictionary, but I have ordered
The Longer One -- you wait!
SIDI: Just pay the price
