August 1, 2007

Unam andiyem idang me ekpe, ase akong udok ekpo (The animal that wants to mate with the lion must die for love).

The lion as the king in the animal kingdom is a favorite theme not only among the Annang but among others also around the world. The lions ferocious nature and strength makes it an animal to be feared. Any animal that overlooks such danger and seeks to mate with the lion risks death. The ancient used the saying to warn that when an obvious danger is overlooked for convenience or pleasure, one equally risks harm. In a way, the implicit message is that disobedience and venturing outside the norm are not expected traits in a society that values group welfare over that of the individual. Power, by this understanding, must be respected above all else for those who disobey risk harm and death.
In our post-modern world, the tyranny of power and obedience has been studied scientifically thanks to the work of Dr. Stanley Milgram. In the 1960s, Prof. Stanley of Yale University taught the world that situations have the ability to affect human conscience. No matter our moral background or beliefs, we stand at the mercy of situations as they present themselves. The Lessons in Obedience study as it is known now clearly shows that with the presence of authority individuals would do what they ordinarily would not do. When those who have power dictate the rules of behavior, ordinary people are bound to follow even though they may disagree or have moral qualms about it. This is the reason dictators kill and maim their citizens even though they may not fire a single bullet themselves. They simply give the order and it is carried out and such order has the ability to overpower the conscience of the aides. It is possible to see todays saying as a means of controlling behavior in a society that prized group welfare over the individual, but it is also clear that our forebears were using this as a tool to teach self-control and care. Obviously, no one ignores the signs of danger and risk harm for pleasure. For example, in an age of HIV/AIDS a risky sexual behavior could result in tragedy. Driving drunk could endanger ones life as well as others who share the road.
William Shakespeare wrote in the sixteenth century that oftentimes we have the remedies to our problems in our hands but we ignore such close ways of helping ourselves and look upwards to the sky. Many times we look up instead of looking around us. Like the proverbial animal that pursues the lion for mating with no regard for its own safety, it is possible to engage in risky behavior while being oblivious to the inherent dangers. While the thrill is on, it can be difficult to think beyond the immediate present. What are those things that you do that may harbor some dangers for you? Do you tend to drink a little too much? Do you smoke? Do you share cups at a palmy joint at a time that Africa is experiencing resurgence in tuberculosis because of the AIDS epidemic? Do you gamble and bet on games that you know nothing about in the scam that is called Coupon or Football Pool in Nigeria? We all stand under the laws of the universe that require us to take reasonable risk and care but without living in fear. Some times what happens to us in this world is a direct consequence of our behavior. Whether you are sick or remain healthy may depend on what you eat, who you associate with and whether you exercise or not. When you become aware of your actions and possible consequences, you gain control of your life. May the gates of life be opened for you today and may the power that never fails be your guide.

Full Version

Annang Wisdom is an inspirational letter produced as a service of the Annang Heritage Preservation Project. No part of this publication may be transmitted, forwarded, copied, stored or recorded without the permission of the Annang Heritage Preservation Inc. Please send all comments and requests to ancientwisdom@annangheritage.org.