The Broken Shackles

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Break the shackles that block your way to destination. - Sheetal Patidar

The President of Nigeria Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is known for the insigna on his cap, of course, some part of Africa have a culture use of caps to complement their dress, Nigeria is one of such countries, President Tinubu in his own regard advance the beauty in the use of cap by adding a touch of taste to it, in the way of using the symbol of what he termed the 'Broken Shackles' - which can be likened to the infinity sign. 

Away from the infinity sign, the broken schackle symbol as used by Tinubu is a symbol of or interconnection as a people, the African people. Our connection goes beyond our colours, it extend to our food, our currency, our way of life, tradition, religion and a lot more.

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As our Leader Late Muammar Gaddafi will put it, " Nations whose nationalism is destroyed are subject to ruin", Africa has over the years sustain the beauty in their uniqueness through, the above listed, particularly - culture, which is held in the highest regards. What more can the yet unborn generation seek to enjoy if not the culture passed on to them? We as a people are wired to follow the path of the people who have gone before us.

The Shackles

* Travel: an integral part of the shackles is travel. Travelling is one of the best form of our interconnected life. I do remember in 2018, I decided to travel alongside others to Northern Nigeria from the Southwest, a trip which may be fiercely challenged and stepped down if I had inform my parents. Yes, I did travel during the festive period of December to five (5) states namely, Niger, Benue, Nassarawa, Kaduna, and Plateau states respectively. The trip helped me foster the unity I wished for in my country, and moreso enthrenching the beauty of our interconnected world. 

While on the journey my Dad called if I won't be coming home for the festive periods, just to eat the regular Christmas rice and have some father to son talk like we use to do long before I went to tertiary school, I told him No, Why, he asked, I said because I am a bit far away, I told him where I was, he screamed, and said in our local language "Omo a se ru e fun e" - "your child will do same for you" - I smiled, and told him, I learnt travelling from him, as he loves to travel too, he laughed. I do understand the feeling of enjoying the holidays with people you missed so much. 

This trip was one of the event of my life I will never forget. - The purpose of life is to learn from others; their culture, food and religion, I did learn the beauty in our brokeness in this singular trip.

*  Relationships: sometimes they say, friends that travel together stay together, this can only be true. The beauty of our interconnected world is the gift it shares, of such gifts is friendship. Study shows over 10% of the people in rural areas are now heading to the Urban centers in other to make ends meet, greener pastures as many called it. 

The beauty of some of this steps is the meeting of new people, who you share hearts and pains with and most times end together as couples. I have over the years in each of my many sojourns meet new people, new faces, and share in the many traditions I have encountered in my continued sojourn. I have dated accross ethnic lines, I have loved beyond religious affliations and many constraints. This is the broken chackles. 

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I do remember dating a Muslim lady from a core Northern state, we did met on a dating app, of course some of the actions on dating app is not solely on finding love, on most occassion, it is to while away the time and whereas meeting new people along the line, which is by far different to the new believe people have towards dating app of hookups and sexual contents only; I am a true advocate of dating app and Facebook love. This certain lady can be called the encyclopedia of true love, friendship and concerns. Though now married, but she still hold a large part of my heart.

* Culture Bonds: one of the advantage of brokeness is the beauty it brings to make human respect the culture of others. When an Ugandan travel to Nigeria, he has little or no choice than to love the culture of his/her landlord, vis-a-vis when a Nigerian travcel to Zimbabwe, he need respect their culture of 'Loadshedding' - smiles (this is me begging African Leaders to prioritze sustained distribution of electricity in our lands), by so doing it shows a sign of respect, and helping to improve the situation qualify you as a good neigbour. 

We all have different culture, in respecting this cultures lies the hope of a better world, and a sustained journey, we are bound as a people to embrace our cultural bonds in the spirit of the broken shackles.

* Entertainment: another form of our connectivity is in our entertainment industry. I am glad today as to where it is and where it is still leading. Anytime I speak with my friends across the African nations and we speak about the entertainment industry it is funny how they know some names in my country, while I know little or none in theirs. And when I speak with others, they find it amusing when I sing thier local songs, while they know one or two in mine. One of such is when I sing the beautiful music in 'For Ever' by Franco & Sam Mangwana, while they flow easily with Legendary Burna Boy and co, or with comedians too.

When I go to watch Youtube nd I see the love African countries put up to embrace each other, I can only conclude, we must encourage the art of the Broken Shackles, we are people connected together in hope.

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* Social Interaction: when two or more people meet, they create a sociual bond which on the long run help to foster unity and more of love for the African state. I for a person met most of my African neigbours on social media like Clubhouse, Twitter, Facebook among others, than the travels I have made. Today, if I land in Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Kenya, and more, I am sure to connect with people who have me at heart, to which I can refer to them as my brother and my sister.

We are people connected in hope, progress, and peaceful co-existence. In the nearest future, what if these persons are the leaders of their nations while I held mine, the sustained friendship will surely leads to the shared growth of our people. 

Photo Credit: Nairaland news

My friend and I was at the Abuja Children's Park & Zoo sometimes around 2021, and I met two lovers, the guy from Zambia and the lady from Liberia, they came to Nigeria as tourist with the hope of also getting residency. While we discuss, I was open to many facts, one of which was the inter-marriage between Nigerians and Liberians, with no hitch whatsoever. These Nigerians for the sake of love, travel down to start a new life in Liberia, and vice-versa. This is the beauty of our interconnected world - The broken shackles.

We can as a people copy the act and art in the choice of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insigna, embracing the beauty in our intertwined connection as a people, bearing in mind the love, the relationships, the culture bonds, and other advantage our interconnectivity brings. This is the starting of a new Africa, the view of hope in our bonds. The Broken Shackles is the unity of the African people.

 Africa unite! Eh Soweto Eh Africa!! Mama Africa!!! - The Broken Shackles.