DEATH 101

Call it your most dreaded course in the ‘University of Life’ and be sure you have a plethora of course mates who share your sentiment. In fact, they (course mates) would rather it were an elective. Wait a minute…. why do I say ‘they’? It includes me!

Death 101 is a compulsory course we all registered for the moment we gained admission into the University of Life. The moment we are born, we unconsciously fill a course form where death is a compulsory course.

Who is the lecturer? When is the lecture? Where is the lecture venue? When is the exam holding? What do you have to score to make a pass in the enigmatic course called Death 101? Some might even ask how May I fail? Hoping that failure would mean immortality. These are perhaps few of the several questions running through your mind. Guess I am obliged to provide answers.

The lecturer is Mr Death. You may do away with the title ‘Mr’ to register your hatred for his guts like we do back in the days. We call unpopular lecturer by their first names. You often hear of Adeyemi, Mr Akerele, Olowe, Mr Ige, Onabule, Mr Cracker amongst students. If you had ever wondered what makes the difference, wonder no more.

The lecture holds everyday and everywhere in the globe. Each passing day we hear of the passing away of a soul, a lecture is taking place. The news of the death of a friend, neighbour, colleague, course mate is nothing but a lecture delivered! It provides a platform to re-affirm our priorities in the University of Life.

There is a great lesson in death but its message is simple! Death acquaints us with the evanescent disposition of life. Life of this world is but temporary. A place of illusion. It’s so easy and convenient to think life is a going concern concept, but it isn’t. Is it?

Often times you look at the problem of this world and you realise that quite a number of people are skipping Death 101 class. How so? When they live life as though there is no tomorrow. When all they ever care about is the life of this world.

One is propelled to name names of people who lived recklessly as though life of this world is permanent but I choose to exercise restraint else it be taken that I make jest of them. Abundant examples abound in the Nigerian Political industry of warlords. Alas, they didn’t win the war against Mr Death!

Here is a clarion call… let that man who would stop at nothing to get to power know that one day he shall go six feet under. Remind that man who imports fake drug about a day when all the ill gotten wealth of his will be useless. Tell that man who is in the business of kidnapping and ritual (for Nigerian readers only) to remember that he shall breath his last someday, perhaps soon.

Tell that man who is in the business of oppression, who thinketh that all men are not created equal know that we shall all be equal sometimes later, When the ‘common denominator’ comes calling .Trust me; the £1m pound gold casket makes no difference.

If only we could show some bravery, let us picture ourselves when we become ‘inactive’ and make an attempt to juxtapose our excessiveness in journey of life with the reality to come someday.

When we all realise that life is transient, perhaps we may learn to live in harmony with our neighbour. Perhaps we may begin to take life the easy way. Perhaps we may learn to shrug off certain wrong done to us. I particularly recall the story of a naval officer who ordered a fellow man to open his mouth and fed him with bullets for bashing his car. Ask me what model….Benz 190. The fear of God is drying up everywhere.

The remembrance of God in human lives is on the verge of extinction while some do not even believe in him, needless ask that he be feared! I choose not to talk about judgement day for earlier stated reason so that we can be on the same page with our atheist brothers and sisters.

We hate Mr Death. He is ugly. He shatters dreams.
You could hate Mr Death all you want. Be sure to remember there is a lesson in his course. You could hate Mr Death with every fibre of your strength; your hatred will not stop you from meeting him someday. His course is compulsory. He is an uninvited guest who would come at the appointed time.

Come to think of it, death is the reason we treasure life. It is the reason we strive to make meaning out of life. You often hear people say ‘life has no duplicate; life comes but once, make the most of it’. It is the reason we have some good people who ‘fear’ the day they cease to exist.

I guess I can’t make a case for Mr Death. He has probably snatched a friend, a colleague, spouse etc but I can make a case for his lectures.

Let all men acknowledge that a day will come when they shall be no more!