© Numero Unoma
I have resisted commenting on the Russia-Ukraine war, mostly because analysing the bad news (as I call news) is not my ambit, but also because in and on principle, I do not endorse the concept of war in any circumstances, much as I understand that each side feels justified in their feelings of injury, and in the passionate conviction of their actions. This is not unlike like with lovers during a tiff. I refused to write about the Ukraine because I have my own convictions about this conflict, but believed ultimately, that expressing them will do me no favours. Similar to getting mixed up in a marital quarrel, I think one will only end up being the enemy of both partners in that marriage.
But then yesterday I had coffee with the sister of a French friend of mine whom I have not seen in nearly twenty years. Said sister and I had run into each other quite by chance in a public place last week, and I had only asked the charismatic stranger if she knew my friend because she too was French. I have not seen my friend in nearly two decades, and she, his sister, had not been to the place in which I met her, for a similar length of time. Not being one who believes in coincidence, but also because my friend’s sister is exquisitely interesting, I invited her to coffee at my place. I found also that I still had a vintage skirt by her fashion label in my wardrobe, and we were both totally astounded. I mean, what are the chances!
I am finding her to be a woman of great taste, and one with a certain eye. She keenly took in many of the quirky things lying around in my space, most especially the African artefacts and books. One of the things she picked up and took a look at was an old newspaper insert with a portrait of Chimamanda on it, titled “How to be a Nigerian” It wasn’t that she knew the face, but it was actually the title that had caught her eye. We spoke about many different things, and she told me about a book her friend had just finished reading and had recommended. She said it was about the Biafran war, and I told her that I was Igbo. She couldn’t remember the title of the book, and much later in the evening, Whatsapp’d me a photo of her Kindle. It was “L’autre moitié du soleil”, ‘the other half of the sun’. I pointed out that the photo she had seen earlier was the author of that book. Another coincidence? I was reminded, (and I told my new friend this) how the French had been supportive of Biafrans, and that MSF, Médecins Sans Frontières had been birthed in consequence of the starvation visited upon Biafran children. I avoided the politics of the subject, and the fact that apparently France only did this in exchange for oil, and then withdrew their assistance once they realised that Biafra was not going to realise their ambitions of secession.
This got me wondering about why I was avoiding airing my opinion on war and wars, after all, anyone who knows me will tell you that I am passionate about expressing and sharing my opinion on any given subject. Maybe it is because I hate war movies, I thought to myself. It is depressing even on screen to see such violence and destruction, and for that matter such undiluted evil. It is demoralising to recognise what humans are capable of doing to each other, despite our intellect and the supposed compassion that we should have, if indeed we are good Christians, Muslims or fill in the gap. Moreover, given that I understand how men love to war (negative kudos to women like one former US Secratary of State, who for me embodies every a-maternal sinister, ignoble and nefarious quality one could possibly find rolled up in a single woman), I acknowledge that there are things our military personnel sign up for when they take that career path in times of peace, that can only be properly understood once they are in an IRT war scenario.
So it was that, much to the chagrin of fellow Igbos, I once found myself defending Gen Murtala Mohammed, whose daughter opened her home to me many years ago. What was an officer supposed to do, faced with the situation MM had on his hands? Not only had the Biafran ‘rebels’ crossed the River Niger and made it as far as Benin City, but they had now even reached Ore, on the eastern border of Yorubaland. It was not a situation in which one could just say “my friend, abeg dress back small”. It was one that required decisive and unmistakable demonstration of tolerating no nonsense. Just like, if you ask me, it was with Putin in the Ukraine scenario.
We have all watched the videos from several years ago doing the rounds, of US political scientist John Mearscheimer, calling out US hypocrisy, predicting the wrecking of Ukraine, and recommending neutralising the country as a solution. There was retired US Lt Col Alexander Vindman who warned US decision-makers about understating or overlooking the potential and real consequences of their actions. Even UK political Nigel Farage chimed in many years ago, warning NATO about not poking the Russian bear. These men all understood that presenting Putin (or any leader) with a particular convergence of circumstances, would force their hand and push them to war. Territories like the US and the UK have not even needed legitimate reasons for war themselves, and have been proven to have fabricated stories in order to send their soldiers and those whom they would fight against to an almost certain death in wars across the globe.
Furthermore, Jonathan Pike speaking to (and for) The New York Times, questioned the intimate involvement of the UK establishment in numerous extremely lucrative business liaisons with Russian oligarchs. So while as a POC I am outraged at the fact that the properties of Russian oligarch are being ‘confiscated’ as though a teacher found a pupil with pornography in class, when these same countries only very recently courted the inflow of questionable Russian wealth, and cavorted merrily with the oligarchs, ultimately I understand one fundamental rule very well now that I am older. All is fair in love and war and also in business.
Case in point: In the days when places like Switzerland and Liechtenstein obscured many wealthy people’s financial acrobatics, those territories profiteered from what they are now calling corruption. However, when countries with brown populations such as tiny Caribbean nations, with not enough land to directly earn revenue from, offer offshore financial services, Western countries cut them off and label it ‘de-risking’. The ‘risk ‘is that these countries may gain wealth, educate their populations, and get ‘too big for their boots’. This might mean that white supremacy cannot retain its stranglehold on the real estate, natural resources and most lucrative businesses in brown countries and regions.
As an aside, I would ask people to kindly use their brains from time to time, and stop knocking all Nigerians for being dodgy or corrupt. The so-called West…aka the Industrialised North is never guilty of corruption, undemocratic behaviour or dictatorship even when they have consistently committed all manner of historically documented hypocrisies, atrocities and frauds. Why then do they get so sore when a minority of ‘others’ sometimes out-do them at their own game?
Let’s be clear about one thing, life is not fair. But it is fairer for some than for others. Those for whom it is less fair are not stupid, and they have every human right to feel indignation, and to take umbrage at the unlevelled playing field that seems set forever to undermine their progress. Perhaps Boko Haram too will justify the bloodshed and violence they mete out with this argument.
All is fair in love and war, remember? Who even said that, anyway? It is attributed to John Lyly in his 16th Century work ‘Euphues – the anatomy of wit’. Five hundred, yes five hundred years later, we still find men too often using it to justify cheating and killing.
I don’t know if the new and very apt version of the quote can be accurately attributed to a young Indian man named Viraj Phalke, but he quotes himself as having added “and business” Trés 21st Century, if you ask me. In any case, it’s true, so who cares whether he said it first or not.
Another more recent perspective comes from Charles de Leusse, a contemporary French writer, who says “loves is winning the war without starting the war”.
How romantic…trust a Frenchman, huh! I get him though. Like I said before, I am a lover, so I hate war.
Are we ready to rethink our intellectual, moral and spiritual responsibility toward replacing or getting rid of such ancient and necessarily obsolete maxim, as the title of this piece? Or do we feel the need to keep an excuse up our sleeves, in the event of our behaving badly somewhere down the line?