At a get together organised from young professionals at 35 Adeola Hopewell, Victoria Island( same address for the Pan African University), I was again reminded of the state of affairs at the United Nations organisation, which was flared in Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s song Beasts of No Nation(1986). The UN seems to be a tool in the hands of the western powers for promoting their domination by forcing the implementation of ideals and policies that favour the rest of the world. Sonnie Ekwowusi, Nigerian delegate at the United Nations intrigued us with tales of deliberations and the style for passing resolutions there. We got an insight into how meritorious issues like women’s rights (as discussed at the Beijing Conference) could be hijacked by smaller groups like the feminists and gay rights groups, etc. Women’s rights became an opportunity for lesbians to seek for rights to legalise same-sex marriage in all the nations under the UN; women’s health issues suddenly got trumped up to include the right to have an abortion when one wished, or condoms for prostitutes! I didn’t envy Mr Ekwowusi, one of the over 200 Nigerian delegates to the UN. He kept standing up to protest certain clauses that ran counter to his pro-life thinking mind; instead of just going off shopping like most of his fellow delegates who seemed to have given up on the undemocratic structure of voting and passage of resolutions at the United Nations. Of course, he had the occasional pleasure of triumph in striking out a few clauses while other delegates from other nations sleepily or happily approved every resolution brought before them. The people that sponsored these resolutions had a way of bringing the more serious issues to the floor either deep in the middle of the night( when delegates were sleepy, hungry or just plain tired), and there were few members present at the reading. Are the resolutions of the United Nations passed democratically, and transparently? How come one member’s vote can veto the decision of the majority? Why should the entire African continent have only one vote? At the United Nations, the fact of the population and diverse groupings and cultural differences count for nothing when they look at Africa. A certain form of myopia comes on their eyes when it turns to Africa, as if the efforts and contributions of manpower and resources made by countries like Nigeria is a small thing. When many objections are raised to resolutions, the person making such objections could be reprimanded in private for using non-UN language, or worse, be gagged by the chairman of the UN committee who will come out of a fifteen minutes break to thank all delegates for approving all resolutions, all without even having been given their opportunity to speak! Then the drama continues with the sponsors( countries like the USA, France, Italy, Spain, Canada etc.) singing praises for the passage of such resolutions on one hand, and the other side- African countries, Malta, Iran etc., all expressing displeasure at the undemocratic way in which the resolutions were passed, and at not having a chance to voice their opinions
.
Our Civics and Social Studies teachers lied to me about what Democracy truly means, and about the true objectives of the United Nations organisatin. I was not told that their agenda is to rob some nations of their sovereignty, while giving more power to the so-called Super nations. Pro-abortionists, same-sex marriage exponents, anti-religious crowds which gather around the United Nations building in New York seem to be having their say and day. If one man is allowed to express his sexual inclinations openly, why should anyone who feels repulsed by his action is gagged by the State from showing such repulsion? Is there a law for one and a different law for others? Freedom, human rights, liberty of the human being all are words that they speak about. And yet you are forbidden to make the sign of the cross in a public place, or to wear a cross to work! They seem to rejoice at democracy, and yet they have ‘chosen’ lifestyles for their people to be more ‘civilised’. Anyone who thinks contrary is labelled ‘primitive, timid, and ostracised’. There are the British Councils, UNICEFs of this world, all with their hidden agenda of recolonialisation, and neo-colonialisation, and the propagation of western ideals. What is the future of Man-what world will I leave behind for my son Chukwudinma? So much has fallen off the shelf. The fight is against liberalism and arrogant deification of Man, Man as the sole actor in his own future, selfishness and other anti-life vices. Will my son tomorrow choose to be called Chidinma (a female variant of the name), or just decide that my marriage to his mother is archaic? Is there true justice and liberty in a society where one can only express one view, and another sued for speaking against the same view? Where is the First Amendment in God’s own country? _ Sonnie Ekwowusi The meeting with Sonnie Ekwowusi introduced me to his NGO Project for Human Development, a pro-life group with offices in Lagos State; and to the writings of Dr. Douglas Farrow, a Canadian professor. Dr. Farrow wrote the book Nation of Bastards, Essays on the end of marriage, selling now on Amazon. He gives a humanist argument that draws on reason to support his pro-life ideas on issues of same-sex marriage, abortion, etc. The whole institution of Man is under siege, the survival of the species is being endangered, and this ‘uprising will bring out the beast in us’. Nations like Nigeria have clauses in their constitution that allows them to either or reject UN resolutions. Unfortunately, the West can strike back at Nigeria by refusing them aid because they (Nigeria) are not complying with United Nations resolutions. There was the day the British government declared it will withdraw aid to countries that refused to pass the same-sex marriage bill into their law. Nigeria’s economic over-dependence on the West totally weakens its resolve to fight the attacks at its sovereignty; at its people’s cultural leanings. One lesson from the get together with Mr Ekwowusi was clear- one must continue to address the inequalities, the irregularities, and other vices in his society, using social media and the press. There is a chance for success, however slim. There is also the satisfaction of speaking your mind, from a well-formed conscience. We must shout it out, yes, tell them. Rest in peace, Prophet Fela Kuti.
Comments