[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen you are complaining against oppression and victimization by a high handed leader, they pretend not to hear your complaints or understand what the complaints are all about. But when you decide that enough is enough and start fighting back, the same oppressor would cry to them acting as the victim.
The cowards that think themselves as peace-makers would start telling you to take it easy and that you are over-reacting. Ironicallly, they would forget the story of the chameleon and the hawk. The hawk, thinking that chameleon is an easy prey grabbed the chameleon from the ground, where the poor reptile was minding his own business.
The crowd cheered as the ‘victorious’ hawk captured his prey. The chameleon warned the hawk that not every animal is an easy prey or even edible. He also warned the hawk that: “uzu tulu n’ani, ga-emesia tuo n’enu”-the cheering that happened on the grown would repeat itself in the sky. The hungry hawk disregarded the warning and kept on flying to his nest where he would devour his captive. Midway he started doing ‘inyanga’, to show his skills to the world and to make the reptile feel dizzy.
The chameleon then unleashed his claws on the hawk’s two eyes, and seized one of the wings of the hawk. The crown cheered! The hawk then started begging the chameleon to release him. “Didn’t I tell you that the cheering on the ground would repeat itself on air?”, the chameleon reminded him.
The ‘peace-makers’ then exited from their fox-holes begging the chameleon to please release the hawk. They obviously didn’t hear the cheering ‘on the ground’ when the ‘heroic’ hawk captured the chameleon.
The world is full of fake peace-makers! When the oppressor is their friend or someone they are afraid of; or someone they always go to, for favor; they would make “eyes-right” when injustice is being perpetuated. But when it is convenient to them, they ask for peace.
Real peace-makers are fearless. They don’t care whose ox is gored. They speak the truth irrespective of who is involved in the controvesry. A true peacemaker looks for peace, but is not blinded by any personal or pecuniary considerations. If a party is wrong, they tell him to his face. They look for common ground and bring both parties to the table. They do not hide or double speak in order to retain a friendship.
Fake peace-makers are the problem of this world! Shame on you if you fall within this category.
Chukwudi Nwokoye is a lawyer (LL.M.) and a former United States Marine who hails from Anambra State of Nigeria. He is on Facebook and can be emailed at [email protected].
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
