With Uche Nnadozie
At the weekend the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka responded the event in an airplane that dominated the both social and mainstream media. He says it was a no-event. He also says he’s not the kind of person that will “pick a wrong sit and justify it.” His statement made allusion to a possibility that he wrongly sat on the seat; therefore moved when his attention was brought to the fact. Tonye Cole, a business man turned politician had written and shared with the public the encounter in the domestic flight. He said he was having a conversation with the Soyinka while waiting on other passengers to fill up the aircraft. The Business Class section has two seats each on a row. Which means its either you sit by the aisle or by the window.
Usually people who get into an aircraft first are likely to seat by the window while awaiting his or her co-passenger.
Of course as expected the country was divided over the behaviour of the “young man” who shared the same row in the aircraft. Some people insisted that the unnamed young man was in the right as he claimed what obviously belonged to him since at the purchase of the ticket he was allotted the particular seat (by the window). This category of Nigerians believes that the scholar exhibited a sense of entitlement by going to sit on a seat that he was not allotted. They claim he cannot do this abroad and that as an old man he should set an example for younger people to follow. They also reasoned that if it were Soyinka in his younger days he will do exactly the same because he is known as a human rights advocate. Then there were a few charlatans who abused Soyinka because according to them, he supported Buhari for president in 2015.
In the first place, this incident should not have been of any consequence. But because of the usual hysteria associated with every public event and more importantly because of the fact that Tonye Cole brought it to the fore owing to his personal disappointment with the conduct of the young man the incident became a major news item. It is possible that the way he couched his disappointment made people to conclude that Soyinka usurped a seat he was not allotted in an airplane simply because he’s a renowned scholar and a senior citizen.
On my part I would have said my intervention is what I would have personally done and would not recommend to another, alas we cannot continue to live for our individual preference alone. I am not necessarily one of those who say; “live your life! Live your life is good, but it is not the best. In fact it is too selfish to contemplate. If everyone lives their lives the way they see fit, the world will surely come to an end.
Let us be serious as a country please. In every society whether we like it or not there is the crème de la crème. Not necessarily wealthy people but the thinkers, the knowledgeable, the wise, the old, the bright, the leadership (not elected or appointed). These people are like the hill, the mountain that every other person must look up to or at least by whom the society’s soul is measured. Our country has passed through a lot of turmoil. But we know where we are coming from.
In the absence of diamond we at least have gold. Wole Soyinka does not need to be a saint or god before he is worshipped. As a matter of fact he is no saint. But he is of the top echelon no matter the country he was to be born. He has brought honour and pride to this land. Some of us are in awe of him, again not because he is a saint but being a man he has made sacrifices that hold him up as an example and he has contributed to the enhancement, honour and respect of our country in the comity of nations. If young people do not recognize Soyinka’s place in history, it is probably because they do not take their country serious. Unfortunately for them, the old Prof is a global citizen. He transcends Nigeria.
On the humanitarian ground, why do we give way to pregnant women, hold doors for the disabled, stop for kids and give up our seats in buses and public places for the elderly? That is humanity right there. These things are done unconsciously not because we that do them do not have rights but it is for the advancement of communal well-being. These little courtesies matter. They build the society and make it an easy place for all of us. These courtesies define us and separate us from animals. These courtesies showcase our refinement and commonality of emotions. It is not about rights. It is not about respect either. The incident in the airplane was about our humanity, it was about our heritage, it was about honour and about pride. The young man failed in my opinion not because he exercised his right (truth be told it was not about right) because after people appealed to him, and looking at an 85-year-old-all-grey-man and standing him up because of a window seat…clearly tells a society in conflict with itself.
Even in the West the grandfathers of human rights, they still reserve some honour for their elderly. That is why they ask you to stand when an old person walks into a plane or allow their soldiers to seat.
Because they know the value, the honour these people have brought them. Here we don’t.
