CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: FANATICISM

CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: FANATICISM: "“In our country are evangelists and zealots of many different political, economic and religious persuasions whose fanatical conviction ..."

FANATICISM

“In our country are evangelists and zealots of many different political, economic and religious persuasions whose fanatical conviction is that all thought is divinely classified into two kinds -that which is their own and that which is false and dangerous.”

Of course, renowned US attorney, Robert H. Jackson was referring to his country at a time. But nothing suits my own country, Nigeria, today better than this expression. We have been taken over by all manner of dangerous zealotry in religion, politics, power and just anything that catches the fancy.

Only yesterday, yet another band of fanatics disrupted the peace of Niger State by eliminating the lives of innocent Nigerians who had gathered for the PDP rally.

This is even as the phantom called Boko Haram refuses to succumb to the Law. This was the situation in 1982 with the likes of Maitatsine unleashing hell on Nigerians. That situation prompted a series (The Prize of Fanaticism) in my Concord Laff column. The first in that series is served here today.

CARTOON CORNER

With the political unrest in Libya heightening every minute, I present to you an old cartoon on the stupendous wealth of Mobutu Sese Sekou who was once reported to be richer than the Queen of England at a time when his citizens were living from hand to mouth.

As we get set to select our leaders in April, please let your vote count. Africa must be redeemed. And the place to start is Nigeria.

Lest we forget…CHANGE IS HERE

CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: NIGERIAN: A WASTEFUL SPOILT MOTHER

CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: NIGERIAN: A WASTEFUL SPOILT MOTHER: "One of the clear evidences of Nigeria’s penchant for inexplicable wastefulness is our self-destruct disposition. The recurrent burning of ..."

NIGERIAN: A WASTEFUL SPOILT MOTHER

One of the clear evidences of Nigeria’s penchant for inexplicable wastefulness is our self-destruct disposition. The recurrent burning of our public structures is an example.

In 1983 alone, the nation lost the Republic Building, and the Defence House among many others. These two buildings were located within viewing distances and housing the very substances that made up the national essence. Worse still, each fire disaster was the handiwork of arsonists trying to cover up their evil machinations.

In the midst of the self-induced disasters, I put up a lamentation in my Concord Laff column on April 11, 1982, comparing the London disasters within the first half of 1600s AD with that of Nigeria at the time in question.

But if you thought the arsonists were done with their plots in 1982, the burning of the high-rise NECOM House the following year was enough to disquiet the positive mind.

THE CARTOON CORNER

Today’s cartoon also examines the deception in high places. Our media houses are saturated with citizenship awareness commercials, yet, they are hardly ever backed up with positive action.

Please examine these posts and take time out and think of how to pull Nigeria out of the doldrums.

Lest we forget…CHANGE IS HERE

CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: MAN OF THE YEAR, 1980: AYATOLLA RUHOLLA KHOMEINI

CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: MAN OF THE YEAR, 1980: AYATOLLA RUHOLLA KHOMEINI: "One of the most significant phenomena in world history was the reign of the Ayatolla Ruholla Khomeini of Iran. The Ayatollah was so driven ..."

MAN OF THE YEAR, 1980: AYATOLLA RUHOLLA KHOMEINI

One of the most significant phenomena in world history was the reign of the Ayatolla Ruholla Khomeini of Iran. The Ayatollah was so driven by his religious dogma that he banned television in Iran for a period of 10 years.

It was this same Ayatollah that unseated President Jimmy Carter with the raucous hostage crisis. At the end of that crisis, Time Magazine crowned the Ayatollah Man of the Year in the December 31, 1980 edition.

Today, I bring you my review of the man in the April 8, 1981 edition of the Daily Times.

For today’s cartoon, let us make do with that which accompanied the article.

CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: RONALD REAGAN AND THE BEIRUT HOSTAGE CRISIS

CHARLES ANYASI ...VINTAGE ARCHIVES: RONALD REAGAN AND THE BEIRUT HOSTAGE CRISIS: "About five years after Ronald Reagan got Americans to disgrace Jimmy Carter out of the white House on account of his perceived poor handli..."