Nigerians and mystification

At the mention of death and divorce, Nigerians turn to Pastors/Prophets.

Everything else is a waste of our Christianity.

On the story of the young couple who died together last weekend, all you see human beings who should have a head on their shoulder typing is “it’s not my portion”.

Including the Yahoo boy whose left hand is on a small tortoise and his right hand is typing a new message to his “mugu”.

The girl who visits different “prayer houses” for “favour” also turns evangelist when confronted with those two issues.

Today I don’t want to talk about our lack of integrity, that’s an insurmountable topic and we have established that our integrity is actually nonexistent or simply waiting for the right price.

My focus is on our over-mystification of things.

What is death? If not a part of the cycle of life. Was it not the Holy Book which said it is better to go to a house of mourning than of rejoicing?

In other words, when you get an I.V for a wedding and a funeral, The Bible says you should choose the funeral. Why?

Probably because it’s an opportunity to show empathy, to be bonded over our shared humanity or maybe it’s because death gives you an opportunity to reflect and retrospect.

However our natural lack of empathy makes this a rather Herculean task as does our ability to mystify everything. Why we do it, I cannot for the life of me comprehend.

Let me tell you the problem with mystification:

1. It stunts your opportunity for growth and development.

In developed Nations, autopsy is performed for most deaths to determine and learn from the cause of death. It was them who discovered that obesity could kill you and so could high blood pressure.

Over here, many young people below 50 are dropping like flies and no one is asking any serious questions because we are too busy rejecting it via “it’s not my portion”. As a result, you see men with very large stomachs and almost zero physical activity “unwind” every weekend with tons of alcohol, cigarette smoke and fresh tickets to the grave.

2. It gives room for repeat of past failures because history unlearned is bound to repeat itself.

3. It puts you at risk.

You’re a Nigerian girl, you shudder daily at the number of rape stories saturating our media space. All you keep shouting is “God forbid” at every turn. Get a pepper spray, no. Get basic knowledge on how to defend yourself. No. Learn to be mentally alert incase danger comes lurking, “God forbid.”

Go abroad, almost every woman has a pepper spray yet their security is way better than what’s obtainable here to the average citizen.

We like everything being spiritual and unexplainable, “life is spiritual and everything happens first in the realm of the spirit.” That is why most of us have become prey for charlatans in Pastors clothing. We don’t even consider the fact that less spiritual Nations are doing way better than us.

Mystifying everything gives us an opportunity to be lazy, releases us from the gruelling task of thinking and research. Marriage fails, you mystify it. Partner’s behaving badly, you spiritualize it. Sickness or death comes, you turn mystery police. How do you hope to thrive with such stagnated thought patterns?

By jove! It would seem the black brain is only good for repetitive exercises with little or no greater meaning. Eat, sleep, have sex and we’ll be fine. SMH

I’m a Christian, I believe in the power and efficacy of God’s Word. I believe in miracles.

But I also believe in knowledge, in critical and analytical thinking, and in learning/unlearning. I live for demystification and finding reason for occurrences. I love logic more because it gives me the opportunity to be responsible for my own cause and effect.

The term “God forbid” has cost many people their lives. We cannot be too careful or know it all, yes. But please, don’t become another hare-brained Nigerian turned statistic, who has refused to learn or grow because every bad thing is “not his/her portion.”