Book Review: Virus Of The Century

Looking straight into the system of our society as a people without any iota of sentiment and one would see anomalies that have rendered many promising lives handicapped and many witty arms and limbs amputated of their potentials. The state of our nation and as a people is attenuating. The anomaly we see in our society today is due to the effect of a five letter word- tiny agent ‘Virus’. The amazing thing about this agent is that, it is found everywhere irrespective of the civilization. Hence the popular slogan ‘No one is truly safe until everyone is safe.’

Vacuity: Vacuity is Lack of serious thought or purpose (emptiness) Life of emptiness is a cause of crisis. A purposeless life is prone to victimization. Life that lacks purpose is programmed for social crisis such as biocrimes, bioterrorism, terrorism, hooliganism, ‘gangsterism’, suicide and other related social vices. If there is nothing to live for, there is something to die for; and if there is something to live for, there is no reason to die. When you have a purpose for living, you see every passing moment as an opportunity to invest into that purpose.

Global effects of vacuity

The effects of vacuity are more epileptic and corrosive than all the viruses of nature put together. This particular virus has made our continents inhabitable for us. It has turned the governed against the government. It has instigated unsolicited wars between citizens and the government of many nations. It has deprived and depraved many lives their rights and abilities. The effects of this virus of vacuity are on a global scale.

Corruption: In the global world today, corruption has been the caterpillar, the cankerworm and the palmer worm of our hope. It has dealt dangerously with us. Different governments across the globe invest billions in different denominations to fight corruption, but there have been no positive result. It’s just like the fairy tale of the cat policing the fish. The truth about corruption we don’t comprehend is that corruption robs our posterities of their prosperities. In an attempt to fill today’s emptiness, we empty tomorrow into today. This virus has gained grounds in many nations. Most nations of the world are combating corrupt practices in diverse capacities. The fact is‘corruption is the war the world cannot just ignore’; because behind every world government system, there is an implantation of a corrupt agent.

Suicide: When humans feel betrayed by life, they feel empty; no more hope. Their last hope seemed to be dashed and far away; when this combined with the betrayal by the society, they see life as unfair and inhabitable to live in. The next thing they think of is to end it all. No virus has killed like suicide. Virus comes and goes, but suicide remains with us. It lives in our heads and hearts. It steals our loved ones from us every moment that passes. Suicide is the sorrow our hearts notice every moment that ticks on the clock. It has infected every continent, country, states, cities and every nook and cranny of the world. It lives with us. There is no yet vaccine for its cure.

Terrorism: Terrorism is a pandemic that sends lives six feet beneath the earth. It is a virus that cuts across all continents. Terrorism is a product of unhealthy quest for fulfillment. The world recorded cases of genocide across the globe. Corruption of mind breeds terrorism. The world is too difficult for everybody to have his/her wishes and wants; but some people force theirs on others. We all have dreams but not every dream is ideal for the existence of the world. No good things can ever come out of a corrupt mind. Any execution of dreams that claims the lives of innocent people is not healthy. Killing people to make your dreams come true is treason against nature. The mass massacre and brutality of our fellow souls is an act of barbarism. Our dreams are to better the world, not to ruin the purpose of its existence. Religion with brutality is not necessary. Politics with bloodshed is not proper. Scientific reality with genocide is not worthy of existence.

 Other Related Social Crisis: These are prevalent in our common community. We experience and observe these at the nook and cranny of our streets. We see theft, burglaries, kidnapping and abduction, armed robbery, rape, cultism and other related juvenile delinquencies: all these are going on in our society unchecked. Our world is busy fighting corruption with corrupt tools. When the foundation is bad, the building is at stake.

Ignorance: The events of life have no room for ignorance. Every law and principle of life detests ignorance. This is the most virulent virus of the Century. The damages caused by this virus are immeasurable. The Holy Scripture alarms “My people are perished for lack of wisdom.” Ignorance is wicked than witches and wizards. A man once said “ignorance has slain a thousand and lack of knowledge a million.” We cannot change what we don’t know.” Ignorance is not just a disease, it is an infection. Many souls had died of this infection.

Racism: racism is the unfair treatment of people who belong to a different race; violent behavior towards them. Racism is an instrument of disunity. Racism could also be seen as the absolute expression of racial superiority and inequality. We were born free but we live together in bondage.

Un-patriotism: Un-patriotism is simply the negligence of national identity and pride. Patriotism is one of the highest civil responsibilities: the readiness to live or die for one’s nation. Patriotism is the spirit of the game of upholding national values. Almost every citizen of America wants to die as hero/heroine. We see these in their movies all the time. They don’t take the image of their nation for granted. They are proud to be Americans. They are epitomes of patriotism. But for us, Africans, we kill everything of our own; our culture, technology, politics and many more besides the selected few who still hold our flags high. 

Scandal: Scandal is simply the act of black mailing people. Scandal separates a nation and settles it with crisis. Scandal is a terrible virus. It has ruined the settlement of many continents. Scandal is commonest among the lower class and upper class. Scandal is an enemy of progress. Our society is scandal-minded. Every child in our society grows with hatred for the government. Our parents make us to see evils in the government. In every common community, if you condemn the government, you are a hero. Our citizens are scandal minded. This isn’t right.  

The Natural Herbal Cure

Others may, I cannot mentality: That everyone is doing it doesn’t make it right. That everybody is corrupt doesn’t make corruption a right thing. No matter how long a wood log logged in the ocean, it can never become a crocodile. Likewise, no matter how prevalent and popular corruption may be, it can never be a constitutional norm. 

See Hope: Lack of job or essential livelihoods should not warrant you taking your life. Suicide isn’t a good option let alone being the best option. See hope in your world. So long as there is life, there is hope.

One love: One love is the hit chorus of Bob Marley of blessed memory. One love is the slogan of Fela Anikulapo Ransom Kuti. MajekFasek sang one love before their strong souls rested in power. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in one love. The holy prophets preached one love. One love doesn’t live in the colour of our skins but resides deep in the content of our hearts.

Patriotism: “In spite of the tendency of people in power to speak about this great nation of ours there is no doubt that Nigerians are among the world’s most unpatriotic people. It is rather because patriotism, being part of an unwritten social contract between a citizen and the state, cannot exist where the state reneges on the agreement. The state undertakes to organize society in such a way that the citizens in return agree to perform his patriotic duties.” (Chinua Achebe).

Save The World: The world has been devastated by this unholy Armageddon called corruption. We all look up to the sky onto the big God to send down the saviour like the biblical Israel who was lost in their sin. The bitter truth is that, no saviour will fall from the sky again. The time of such miracle is over. In fact, no president or hero from any part of the world can help us solve our national issues; they’ve got theirs on their sleeves. If we can’t kill the old dragon, at least we can choke it eggs out of existence. Let’s make corruption uncomfortable wherever we find it.

Pray for Nigeria: Prayer is one of the undisputable social responsibility of every citizen of any nation. Prayer is a debt every Nigerian owe the nation. The Americans pray for their country every passing moment (God bless America). The situations within and without our nation calls for prayers