A youngman who had been away from home for some years, was furious that the gate of his father’s house could not be opened for him by his youngest sister. When asked why she refused to open the gate, the young girl said: “Somebody with plenty bia-bia was talking at the gate and I could not see his mouth or recognise his face; so I was afraid and locked the gate back”. Later, when the father asked “why cultivate over-grown beards?”, the young man replied that he had to grow beards so that people would fear him. Thus the fear of beards makes the strongman! Members of the armed forces, including the police, are not meant to grow or keep beards, but those who do so, including rebel leaders, often confess that beards boost respect and ego. Bearded officers who faced Court Martial or Orderly-Room charges were more quickly exonerated and acquitted. Similarly research in the culture of masquerade indicates that wearing of masks as means of disguise provides courage and cover in the process of carrying out mischievous activities. Who would not fear “ojuju” or give in to an intruder with a mask covering his face? Your life or your money!
Bestiality in humans often demands to be expressed and exhibited from time to time, as a reminder that man is an animal afterall! In  spite of pretences and everything to the contrary, there is always the atavistic tendency for man to play the beast under various guises. Ancient Roman culture, in recognition of human atavistic tendencies, provided opportunities through festive occasions, for humans to release suppressed tendencies. A man can dress like a monster, mask his face and terrorise friends and family members, during the Ides of March, but only then!Studies in defence mechanism among animals show that some species of animals, including humans, develop astonishing strategies in making fools of ferocious and dangerous predators. While the ostrich would bury its head in the sand, to block out undesirable events, other animals would lure predators into some deadly traps and decoy that would end their lives. Among humans, women are known to be clever strategists in protecting and preserving their offsprings. For this purpose, when confronted with dangers, women use their intuition and tongues as powerful weapons. A French satirist, Voltaire, would say that “women are never at a loss, because God looks after them”.
It is true to say that behind every strong or successful man, there is usually a woman. It is also true to say that behind the fall of any strong man, there’s always a woman, especially the likes of Lady Macbeth. There are always women who would urge men: “Screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we’ll not fail”. Apart from the fact that men come into incarnation with some vow to carry out some mission on earth, somewhere along the line, women are meant to join and complement the accomplishment of such task. There must always be the “ying and yang” or positive and negative components, to bring about a complete circuit.
A Russian Theosophist, Madam Helena Blavatsky (1831-91), founder of the Theosophical Society or the Great White Brotherhood, with headquarters in the Himalayan mountains, prescribed strict discipline and austere, simple lifestyle as means of developing psychic power. Such austere lifestyle includes what is known as sublimation, involving the channelling of generative power and sexual urge into psychic development. Therefore, a physically strong man may be a weak and sickly baby in the psychic sense, a weakling! On the other hand, a really strong man, in the psychic sense, is one who has developed inner capacity such that his volition, thought and words are weapons mightier than arms. Neither is such a man really strong if he is capable of acting or using psychic power arbitrarily and without discipline or self control. What we find most common are men made strong by the instrumentality of money and positions of authority, with feet of clay, and wearing masks to inspire fear in others. Like the “ojuju” which children are afraid of, physically strong men are numerous in Nigeria.
The path leading to psychic development which accounts for the really strong man of great value, is not paved with gold, neither does it provide comfort. Those who take that path must pass through integrity, diligence, loading and screening tests along the line, which cause a greater number to drop out. Integrity test has to do with character and discipline, while diligence test is meant to bring out the strength and heroism  in the aspirant. Loading test will tempt you with money, worldly power, authority, wine and women, loaded for your take. How many great Nigerians can pass through those screening tests and not fall by the way side? Anyone may ask: what is the purpose or value going for psychic rather than money or macho power? It is true to say that individuals do not get what they do not deserve, neither would they keep and sustain what they get through fraud or force. Similarly, nations get the kind of government and leaders which they deserve. Neither would they sustain what they fake rather than make through integrity and diligence. Obtuse humanity would rarely know why pearl is not meant for swine, neither are a few people being groomed for future tasks of a transformed humanity, exposed to a madding crowd!
It is quite sad, though necessary, that when a nation is getting close to a point of transformation, the worst  excrescences of its ills and guilts get to a boiling point, prior to a transition to an era of sanity. It is however safe and pleasant that a few people being groomed to play vital roles in the new era of sanity remain protected by being blind folded and kept from vicious attacks of a madding crowd. In the transition process some stability is provided by allowing hustlers, pretenders to the throne and strong men to play around and prepare the ground for the new era. The process of amalgamation and transition demands that the old and the new must not present too wide a gap, that would constitute a threat to a smooth change.
Drama playing out in Nigeria in the past 50 years or thereabout can be best understood by individuals who are endowed with hypodermic vision. Similarly, a clear appreciation of global events would also help better, rather than look at the Nigerian situation in isolation. To knowing persons, bitterness, despondence or flexing of muscles would be unnecessary; rather, what can be sad is the obtuseness and myopia of a majority of humans. Neither is anyone allowed to see what his capacity cannot accommodate.
In politics of stomach infrastructure, the strongman syndrome represents a stage of transition, prior to the era of sanity. The strongman with feet of clay, makes demands and commands allegiance by the force of might and money; while the strong man with psychic might builds and transforms by the power of volition. Neither can a nation not mature enough for it, get such leaders whose power lies within, rather than macho might. Where Macho strong men rule, political institutions remain weak and corruption reigns.
Dr Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.