Why the Dirge?

Prelude:”I saw a post of yours’ on the group’s platform, it captivated me--------your composition is matured”.

-----------------------------The Culture--------------------
The prelude statement might have sound simple and small to most(including you reading this, perhaps) but it was the starting point for me, or better said, it was the turning point, every goal chaser and self believers must have had that moment in their life when the summing up of event(s) or circumstance(s) to make it really in their own chosen way was showcased, if there was anything like that for me, it is most definitely that message! It was like a ray of hope in a cloudy sky, a beam of light in a confusing fog, like a compass, in a strange wood. Naturally, the feeling was elation and inner pleasure, to know that you are actually making sense somehow, somewhere. The fact the sender of this message was a total stranger at that time was even more wonderful, for it took my sense of resolve to a higher altitude. The inspiration for this piece came the last time I thought about that wonderful man. 90% of us bottle such things up, probably (or definitely) to say it when the person is out of breath. Yes we all flood the media with vehemence to publish different kind of inspiring eulogies in name of the dead, most times in a melancholy mood and inconsolable state of mind. But, let us pause here, who are we appreciating with our praises? No, I don’t think the dead world has access to social media and our news outlets. Praising someone’s good deed when they are out of this world breeds no good whatsoever. Some people might argue that it is to encourage the living ones to walk in their footstep, but it is this culture of ours that actually dissuade most people from living the good life. What essence is it if I am only to be celebrated after I am gone? When there is nothing that can give the selfless people amongst man determination and resilience like our occasional words of encouragement. If that man hadn’t been so kind to have send that message, I might still be writing today, but my enthusiasm wouldn’t have been this high.
The irritation that rise deep inside me whenever I see people spending and celebrating the dead(most of the times those who had been deserving, but had not receive such attention in their lifetime) knows no bound. It is so out of reason that we only have heroes in death while we have villain in living. Yes, we celebrate our oppressors while they are still alive; with praises and adoration (probably why we will never be rid of them in our midst) we look onto the good ones amongst us with utter disdain. What a culture! What a people. This might arise from been a haughty set of people or we are just feeling insecure, or in fact both. But I have never seen someone in a higher level of conscientious maturity than someone that appreciate good and disregard evil.
I can still remember a passage in my Secondary school English text, the writer pointed out the absurdity of our culture concerning the dead. out of various research analyzed in that passage, one would realize that some news outlet make more money from publishing obituary than any other means. We can never see a good friend appreciating the good communal work of a colleague, but let the man die, he will be the first to go media. Unreasonable! Its time for the world (and most especially, Africans)to start appreciating their living heroes. This culture can even be seen affecting the youngsters, most of them just ‘wanna’ be like Wizkid, Olamide, Banky W, Dbanj and the likes ,of course its their name flooding the media, nothing is wrong with these guys, but what is actually wrong is when everybody want to be like them, you can be sure to have a society of nonentities later. There are more selfless people contributing to the development of mankind in more inspiring ways that we only get to know after they are gone.
Sincere and unstrained praise does wonder, it makes the person to never want to give up. Thereby making the society a better place through their God given abilities. So many people have surrendered to frustration out of lack of external encouragement, and the people that drive on irrespective of it will surely do better in the presence of it.
Special thanks to that best friend that believes I could do it. You are one big reason I always want to do more. You are love. You are life. Remember that day when you said “wow (kniht uoy detaeper siht ekil 10 semit) this is so professional” I will never forget that comment coming from a fantastic writer of your stand. Thanks for always been there.