A CALL FOR INTELLECTUAL HYGIENE AMONG THE INTELLIGENTSIA 

{An abridged version of Abuta Ogeto's latest paper}
 


Life can be a very hard nut to crack if you create a gap between your life and wisdom. But in my interaction, schooling or listening, I realize that the most that the most important thing in life is to make a decision, and for that case a very good decision. A decision you will stand by even if the world went against you. The question is, have you made that decision. Again, have you made that decision(s)?

the tragedy is that in Africa, people refuse to think. And that is why most decision are made by the West and soon by the East. and we complain saying that they have enslaved us and they are dictatorial. The only strength they have capitalized on is THINKING and for that matter, thinking right and powerful!!

Listen good people. When Joshua was faced with a tough decision when leading the people deviant former slaves to Canaan. As is recorded in Joshua 24:15, He said, " As for me and my family, we shall worship the Lord, and indeed, he stood by his decision. When Jesus was faced with the reality of his crucifixion, it was painful but he said, "If it is your wish that I go through all this, hen let it be so". And indeed, he endured he painful whips and nailing to save the world.

Mother Teresa asked people not to complain when in a dark room. "Let each one light a candle and the room will soon be consumed in light".

I am a practising Catholic and when I read the doctrine of the church, I read about the Benedictine order where Monks have to undergo Conversatio Morum (Latin for complete change). Its a hard decision but when you make it, you must be ready to stand by it.
But as young Angolan Economist, Dampisa Moyo, explains in his book, "Dede", Africa is home to a theatre of researches courtesy of foreign organizations like world Bank and IMF. But what decisions have Africans made by themselves. You can now understand why we demonize saints and canonize the corrupt. That's why we honour fools with unschooled opinions and give them standing ovations when they pour their "wisdom" (or lack of) upon us. But when an intellectual and moral citizen gives his/her opinion, we jeer them. But what irk me is when intellectual endorse fools!! They cow down upon people who are out to satisfy their egocentric ambitions. The questions is, if the intelligentsia have dirtified their minds, where do we go from there??
Education is for life, not livelihood!! If you think I am wrong, why are there adverts telling us "wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands", we take education for livelihood instead of life, where livelihood is part.

A time will come when we have to make a decision. we may postpone it but it will just cause more worry, suffering and loss. Lets avoid so much empty talk. The spirit is only powerful if the decision is solid. MAKE A DECISION!! If Socrates or John Stuart Mill was alive, he could have wondered how petty the intellectuals have become. He could have wished to swiftly switch back to his grave.

When developed civilizations are talking about superior technology, we are talking about removing jiggers and washing hands. When the TRUE intellectuals are standing out and tall, our mediocre intellectuals are worshiping money and power and soon, they are ousted out of office.

I have to say that the problem is so worse that it has gotten into the Church as well. And very few clergymen can stand by the true word in the Christian's Bible, the Islam's Koran, Bhagavad Gita or Vedas of the Hindus.

Just as the Catholics say, Mea culpa, Mea culpa, Mea Maxi Maculpa, we ought to accept the fault and Make a decision. We have to be clean. And clean indeed we must be.

Therefore, I wish that we think clean and act as so. Let us act and live to the true meaning of our creed. and I repeat, if intellectuals have refused to think, what else can you expect.....DISASTER!!! Period!!

Abuta is an Actuarial Science Student, Author and personal Development Consultant at The Ignition Talks (Inc)