Opinion

Consciousness, Witchcraft And Literature

Published

14 years ago

April 6, 2012

Normal human beings who have slept for at least six hours will not be drowsy at work, at home and on any other occasion. If he lapses into sleep, he oscillates between the conscious and the unconscious realms. One who is awake is in his full consciousness: he sees objects and people; he hears sounds around him and meditates. He is capable of reacting to any attempts of doing him harm physically, he can refuse or accept food if offered him. He can make coherent speech on any subject. It is difficult for witchcraft to operate at this level except hypnosis is induced. Witchcraft works with the unconscious mind and sub-conscious mind. One’s mind must operate at the cognitive realm, where self is in its active powers: the ‘I’ reason with representation. It associates one thing with another and is the investigator that garners experience.

‘I’ cannot determine what is witchcraft without knowing. What is witchcraft? It is non-existent without experiencing it or, it is a narrative constructed by I-connections based on the relations between the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere of the brain. If there is an occurrence of witchcraft that ‘I’ directly experience, ‘I’ interpret it in relation to background as Lancaster avows in his work about the construction of a narrative of a patient, where the right hemisphere received the message and the left hemisphere gave it an interpretation based on previous background.

Consciousness may be compared to a theatre. Most actions are dramatised on stage but some events are reported on stage having happened previously off stage. When the mind is passive, resting from active preoccupation with social, political and academic activities, one slips into the state of sleep, where the possibility is there to interact with the spirit realm depending on the state of the individual’s consciousness. At most times, the busy person finds it difficult to transcend into the realm of pure consciousness having been worried or preoccupied by so many issues in the day. The body becomes weary.

Witchcraft operates at the level of the body’s weakest point or ineptitude which corresponds with low level of spirituality. The body is induced to sleep and, the soul is covered with or without a blind. In the case of the earlier, the soul is kept in a darkroom where it becomes impracticable to know what happens in the realm of physical reality. The individual becomes vulnerable to the witch or the wizard who comes as the unwanted guest, who metamorphosis into a commander and makes the victim do his wishes. If he is a cruel antagonist, he sends him to weed or fetch water. He does anything without his will. The blind that covers his soul does not allow him to see through the event(s). He is left with physical signs to help him decipher the occurrence of the night.

The victim whose level of consciousness is higher sees through the event(s), but is incapable of disengaging from it. He wakes up with an I-narrative which he constructs from the scenes of the occasion or experience. He may not be capable of identifying the individual, but is certain that someone has done an inauspicious act.

A higher state of consciousness is when an individual’s level of spirituality becomes higher that he struggles to wake up under the powerful influence of the oppressor. He becomes aware of his presence and contends with him. He struggles and eventually grapples with him or he escapes. The I-connections are known from the beginning to the end; the stuff of narrative, plotting the beginning, the conflict, the characters involved, the climax and the end. The I-interpreter starts with the sense of the occurrence, the reception in the mind, its establishment, its register and the interpretation.

Few examples, consider these narratives:

Narrative 1

I was sleeping one day when some unknown person came into my house through magical means and assaulted me. It continued for weeks intermittently. On every occasion, I could not wake up; I felt drowsy, overwhelmed by the spell the wizard castled on me. I found my body in an unkempt state.

The persona in our context is at the lower state of consciousness. He recollects her helpless encounter with the wizard. Her sub-conscious mind reports hours after about the tragic dramatic encounter. The I-interpreter narrates the story with cues from the dream state like a dark figure walking into the room, the feeling of some strange person lying beside her on the bed and physical signs: naked and salt-like particles around her thighs. The feeble dramatic action of turning on the bed is the struggle seen in the dream state with an unknown person.

Narrative 2

The wife advised his wife A to fast for three days in his company. The wizard came as usual through comatose and entered the house. The wife felt the impact of his entrance, she struggled to get up, waiting for the man to undress before gripping him. She succeeded and discovered that her neighbour was responsible for her illegal sex exploitation.

The unconscious mind and the subconscious mind are subdued with the elevation of her consciousness through the spiritual exercise. The event registers on her conscious mind with a prop of the I-connections from sense through reception of the entrant to registration on the memory, until the I-narrator becomes ready for the composition of the story.

Narrative 3

A wizard entered my compound. I was asleep but I felt a sensational vibration within me. I woke up and listened keenly to sounds in my environment. There were showers of rain in the background and the barking of a dog in the compound, I switched on my torch and looked at my wristwatch, it was 1.00p.m. I kept it back and lay down on my bed ready to sleep; a strange movement made me turn left, looking at the wall, I saw a gecko transforming into a human being. I took my machete from beneath my bed and chased him; he changed into a gecko, disappeared and turned into a man outside. I opened the door and saw the man few yards ahead of me. I chased him and shouted: ‘I will kill you today’. He ran away faster, fear drove him from being slaughtered. ‘I will kill you if you come back again’, I said as I gave up the chase. The wizard ran on without saying a word, keeping mute intentionally to prevent disclosure.

The I-narrator’s consciousness has been trained to live at a higher state of consciousness.

Motivation

The witchcraft is motivated by hatred which could be because of a previous quarrel or jealousy. The witch or wizard seeks to hurt an opponent who has disagreed with him on the ownership of land, stream, business deal, contest for kingship, political position, academic position, and other issues. It could be that it was not motivated by trespass or offence, but jealousy emanating from the prosperity of an individual.

I-narrator from the perspective of the witch or wizard picks an action around which the hunt is fore-grounded, whether it is an irrational rationalisation of a framed event or action. He weaves the story with hatred, the thread that knits the setting, plot, character, action and performance. It may be a tragedy that could lead to the fall of the central character or his frustration in social status, political or religious. The I-locus ends in triumph. It could end in the tragic disgrace of the tragedian: reduction in social status, political deprivation and physical damage. There are always two persons or groups in the drama of good and evil which continue to replicate itself in humanity with different narrative perspectives, blends, prospects and outcomes. It depends on individuals, their levels of consciousness, cosmology, spiritual laws, developmental level of the society and human rights.

To be continued.

Dr. Barine Sanna Ngaage, resides in Bayelsa State.

Barine Saana Ngaage

Opinion

One Attack Too Many

Published

1 hour ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Ogoniland does not need leaders competing over who can destroy another’s platform; it needs leaders competing over who can create more opportunities, empower youths and build a better future.”

The latest attack by Chief Gani Topba on the President of KAGOTE and Chief Executive Officer of Giolee Global Resources Ltd, Chief Lesi Maol, appears to have opened another troubling chapter in the politics of leadership and influence in Ogoniland. While disagreements are inevitable, the frequency and manner of attacks directed at individuals or organisations contributing to Ogoni development should concern every stakeholder. The concluded extraordinary meeting of Ogoni stakeholders in Bori was convened to deliberate on challenges confronting the people, including insecurity, farmers-herders clashes, youth disunity, education and development. It also considered harmonising the numerous youth organisations operating across Ogoniland under a strong and representative umbrella capable of giving Ogoni youths a more coordinated voice. One would have expected such an initiative to attract constructive contributions, especially from those with reservations about it.

Instead, the gathering and its organisers have come under criticism, raising a fundamental question: what exactly is wrong with Ogoni stakeholders coming together to discuss problems affecting their people? If there are legitimate concerns about the meeting, its organisers or resolutions, such concerns should be supported by facts and subjected to constructive engagement rather than personalised attacks. Leadership is demonstrated through service, sacrifice, participation and results. If Chief Gani Topba believes the stakeholders’ meeting was unnecessary or lacked legitimacy, nothing prevents him from convening another meeting and demonstrating that he can attract traditional rulers, professionals, academics, clergy and youths. Different approaches to development should therefore be allowed to compete on their merits.

The proposal for a unified youth platform should equally not be presented as an attempt to silence Ogoni youths. Rather, it should be examined against the reality of numerous organisations claiming to represent different segments of Ogoni youths. Too many competing organisations can create confusion, weaken collective bargaining power and make it difficult for genuine concerns affecting young people to receive coordinated attention. A credible umbrella body, if properly constituted and broadly accepted, could strengthen the voice of Ogoni youths and provide an organised platform for employment, education, skills acquisition, security and governance. Ogoniland has experienced enough institutional fragmentation. Its history contains painful lessons about divisions that allow personal interests, leadership struggles and competing platforms to overshadow collective objectives. The present generation should learn that destroying institutions one does not control damages society.

The question should be: who benefits when Ogoni youths remain divided and every attempt at unity is interpreted as rivalry? Against this background, KAGOTE deserves objective scrutiny rather than blanket condemnation. Any organisation with influence must be accountable, but accountability is different from a campaign aimed at delegitimising initiatives associated with its leadership. Chief Lesi Maol’s activities through KAGOTE and Giolee Global Resources Ltd have attracted attention in areas including skills development, education, youth empowerment and community support. Such interventions should be assessed on their impact and encouraged where they serve the public good. Those who believe Chief Maol is not doing enough should not stop at criticism. They should show Ogoni what they can do better. Where are the alternative skills programmes? Where are the educational interventions? Where are the youth empowerment schemes? Where are the community development initiatives?

It is easy to criticise someone who is building; it is harder to mobilise resources and sustain programmes that benefit ordinary people. This is not to suggest that Chief Maol or KAGOTE should be immune from criticism. No leader or institution should be beyond scrutiny, and legitimate questions about accountability must be welcomed. But responsible criticism should be based on facts, evidence and alternative ideas. Personal attacks and attempts to destroy initiatives simply because their leadership is not controlled by particular interests cannot provide the solutions Ogoniland needs. What is unfolding is bigger than one meeting, one statement or even two individuals. It reflects a broader contest over influence and leadership. If anyone believes KAGOTE is taking Ogoni in the wrong direction, the response is to present a better direction. If anyone believes Lesi Maol is not doing enough, the answer is to demonstrate what more can be done. Ogoni does not need leaders competing over who can destroy another’s platform; it needs leaders competing over who can create opportunities, improve education, promote security, empower youths and contribute to development.

The people are looking beyond rhetoric. They are examining records, observing programmes and measuring results. No individual owns the permanent right to speak for Ogoni or determine which organisation must survive or collapse. Ogoni must replace the politics of personal control with a culture of ideas, service, accountability and measurable achievement. Differences should produce better alternatives, not destruction. Every Ogoni leader and stakeholder should ask whether his actions are strengthening the region or deepening divisions. Ogoni needs people who can build bridges, institutions, opportunities and hope. Those who genuinely love Ogoni should support what is good, correct what is wrong and offer better alternatives. The future of Ogoni will not be secured by destroying its builders, but by encouraging more people to build.

onest people can reach different conclusions based on different experiences and information. Public debate should therefore remain respectful, evidence-based and open to correction. Truth is strengthened by honest examination, not insults, suspicion or personal attacks. The phrase “Truth has no agenda” carries a powerful message. Truth does not belong to any political party, ethnic group, religion or ideology. It cannot be permanently owned or manipulated by those in power. Governments change, institutions rise and fall, and public opinion shifts, but truth remains indifferent to popularity.The real test of character comes when speaking honestly threatens influence, privilege or personal advantage. It is easy to defend justice when there is nothing to lose. It is far more difficult when the truth may cost us something. That is when conscience must rise above convenience.

Society must therefore cultivate a culture where integrity is valued more than comfort and accountability is welcomed rather than feared. Leaders should learn to accept criticism without hostility, while citizens should express disagreement responsibly. Progress becomes difficult when honest questions are treated as acts of disloyalty. Ultimately, every society must choose the future it desires. A nation built on silence cannot sustain justice, while a community where comfort consistently outweighs conscience risks making injustice ordinary. But people committed to truth, even when inconvenient, lay the foundation for stronger institutions, trustworthy leadership and lasting progress. The call is not to condemn those who succeed or to glorify perpetual criticism. It is to remember that privilege should never silence principle, influence should never replace integrity, and personal gain should never outweigh the public good. Truth has no hidden agenda. It seeks neither applause nor favour. It simply asks to be spoken, defended and lived. When truth is silenced by comfort, everyone eventually pays the price.

By: King Onunwor

Opinion

When Comfort Silences The Truth

Published

2 hours ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Privilege should never silence principle, influence should never replace integrity, and personal gain should never outweigh the public good.”

There is an old saying that truth does not fear investigation. Genuine truth neither depends on applause nor seeks permission to exist. It remains constant whether celebrated or rejected, defended or ignored. Yet, in today’s society, truth often competes with comfort, convenience, loyalty and personal interest. This raises an important question: Can a person remain objective after beginning to benefit from the very system he once criticised? Throughout history, reform movements have been driven by courageous individuals willing to challenge injustice despite personal risks. Their commitment to truth sometimes cost them popularity, comfort, freedom and even their lives. History has also recorded instances where influential voices became quieter after receiving appointments, promotions, contracts, political favours or other advantages.

While motivations cannot always be known, such patterns remind us that personal benefit can sometimes influence public conviction. Human beings naturally seek security, stability and opportunities for themselves and their families. There is nothing wrong with success or advancement. The concern arises when personal comfort replaces public responsibility, or privilege becomes a reason to ignore problems affecting others. One of the greatest dangers facing society is not only corruption or poor governance but the normalisation of silence. Systems rarely collapse overnight. They deteriorate gradually when people who know better decide that speaking the truth is no longer worth the personal cost. Every society therefore depends on citizens willing to ask difficult questions, demand accountability and defend justice, regardless of who benefits or feels uncomfortable.

A person who benefits from a broken system may become less inclined to challenge it. This is not true of everyone, and individuals should not be judged without evidence. Many principled people continue to advocate reform while working within imperfect institutions. Nevertheless, personal interests can sometimes soften criticism, dilute conviction or redirect attention from uncomfortable realities.Perhaps the greatest threat to truth is not open opposition but quiet compromise. Censorship is easy to recognise; silence purchased through convenience is harder to detect. When people gradually stop asking questions, demanding transparency or defending principles they once considered important, society should ask whether something has changed. Perspectives may genuinely evolve with new information, but incentives can also influence what people say—or choose not to say.

This is why citizens should not place blind trust in personalities. Ideas, principles and actions should be examined independently. Loyalty to individuals must never exceed loyalty to truth. Political affiliation, professional status, financial success or social influence should not exempt anyone from accountability. A healthy democracy depends on independent thinking, not unquestioning allegiance.The responsibility to speak truth does not belong only to journalists, activists, judges, religious leaders or opposition politicians. It belongs to every citizen. The teacher who refuses to manipulate facts, the public servant who rejects corruption, the business owner who acts with integrity, the parent who teaches honesty and the young person who chooses principle over popularity all contribute to a more just society. However, defending truth also requires humility.

We must not assume that everyone who disagrees with us has been compromised.

By: Michael Abraham

Opinion

Poor Federal Roads: The Oshiomhole’s Outburst

Published

2 weeks ago

August 3, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”Although the Federal Ministry of Works is responsible for road construction and rehabilitation while the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) oversees maintenance, road maintenance has consistently taken a back seat”

The recent outburst by the lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, over the deplorable condition of federal roads in Edo and Delta states has once again drawn national attention to one of Nigeria’s most persistent infrastructure challenges. During Senate plenary last Wednesday, Oshiomhole criticized the Minister of Works, David Umahi, accusing the Federal Ministry of Works of neglecting major federal highways in Edo and Delta while prioritizing new road projects. According to him, the government should focus on rehabilitating existing roads that have become impassable before embarking on new construction. He identified the Benin-Warri, Benin-Asaba, Benin-Auchi and Auchi-Okene highways as strategic economic corridors that have deteriorated to alarming levels, making travel difficult for commuters and motorists while increasing the cost of transporting goods and services.

The senator also alleged that road projects affecting Edo and Delta states were repeatedly omitted from budgetary provisions and that some interventions were only undertaken following directives from President Bola Tinubu. Ironically, the Federal Government has consistently reiterated its commitment to reconstructing and rehabilitating federal roads across the country. The Minister of Works has repeatedly assured Nigerians that the government is deploying reinforced concrete technology to build more durable highways capable of withstanding the country’s climatic conditions. Despite these assurances, vast sections of federal road across the country remain in deplorable condition. The consequences are enormous. Federal highways serve as the backbone of the nation’s economy, carrying more than 90 per cent of passengers and freight.

They connect ports, airports, industrial centres, state capitals and agricultural belts, facilitating the movement of food, fuel, cement and manufactured goods. When these roads fail, the entire economy suffers. Although the Federal Ministry of Works is responsible for road construction and rehabilitation while the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) oversees maintenance, road maintenance has consistently taken a back seat. The result is a recurring cycle in which newly completed roads quickly deteriorate while existing ones are left to collapse. The economic consequences are severe. Bad roads increase transportation costs, contribute to food inflation, delay the movement of goods from ports to markets, increase vehicle maintenance expenses and lead to avoidable road crashes that claim countless lives every year.

To address these challenges, the Federal Government has introduced initiatives such as the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), which seeks to attract private investment into road maintenance through concessions and tolling. While the initiative holds promise, public acceptance will depend largely on visible improvements in road quality and transparent management of toll revenues. Similarly, the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme is designed to encourage companies to finance the reconstruction of strategic highways in exchange for tax credits. While the scheme has shown promise, its ability to address road infrastructure challenges equitably across the country remains to be seen. Other countries facing similar infrastructure challenges have demonstrated that sustainable road management requires a different approach.

Rwanda and Morocco, for instance, have prioritized dedicated road maintenance funds, performance-based contracts that reward quality rather than kilometers constructed, and policies that allocate a significant proportion of road budgets to maintenance instead of new construction. Nigeria can draw useful lessons from these experiences. Maintenance funding should be increased and protected because preventive maintenance is far cheaper than complete reconstruction. Public-private partnerships should be expanded with adequate safeguards, transparent tolling policies and independent monitoring. Development finance institutions should support contractors with affordable financing to minimize disruptions caused by delayed government payments. Road designs should withstand heavier rainfall and flooding, while compensation and right-of-way issues must be resolved before projects begin to avoid unnecessary delays.

FERMA should also prioritize durable, high-quality road maintenance over the shoddy repairs that have become all too common. Ultimately, Nigerians are not asking for perfect roads; they simply want roads that are safe, durable and properly maintained. While new highways are desirable, a well-maintained five-kilometer stretch is often far more valuable to road users than a much longer road that quickly falls into disrepair. The media, civil society, the National Assembly and Nigerians must continue to hold the government accountable by monitoring road projects and demanding better results. Good roads are not a privilege but a right of every citizen. With tax credit schemes, concessions and other funding mechanisms already in place, what is now required is political will, transparency and consistent implementation. However, Senator Oshiomhole’s criticism also invites legitimate public reflection.

Many Nigerians have asked what the condition of these same federal roads was during his eight-year tenure as Governor of Edo State. Several governors, including those of Rivers State at different times, undertook repairs on critical federal roads within their states and subsequently sought reimbursement from the Federal Government. It is therefore fair to ask whether similar interventions were pursued during Oshiomhole’s administration. Public officials, whether serving or former, should be judged by the same standard. Constructive criticism is essential in a democracy, but it carries greater weight when matched by a demonstrable record of action. Nigerians expect those entrusted with public office to address pressing challenges while they have the authority to do so, rather than becoming vocal critics only after leaving office