Valentine

I am already readying myself for the occasion. This time I do not want to lose out by making a silly mistake of not joining the bandwagon. Sometimes being unconventional can cost you dearly in life, and that is why I have decided to be part and parcel of the occasion this time. I am not sure of what I will be wearing, but I am certain of the colour, it is going to be all red. Just imagine how ‘romantic’ I would be looking in that red suit, complemented by red shoes, and a cherry on top of a red hat, definitely would be looking, ‘valentine’.

I am also thinking of composing a song and poem for her just to spice up the occasion. It is unfortunate that Ratsie Setlhako and Ponatshego Mokane are no more. I would contract them to do a poem and song for me. I am also not sure of the place to take her, but I am inclined to the idea of going into the bush and sit under a jacaranda tree, watching nature and listening to melodies of birds. Is that not super romantic, what more can she ask for? That is what we call, ‘just the two of us,’ away from pressures and pretentions of city life. As for the present, I have already sought it out. It is a classic romance novel called Sebaga sa lorato by Mr. Ray Molomo. Wow! How did I come up with this one?

My friend, let me advice you, matters of the heart are sensitive, they are like power, do not take them for granted otherwise you can be very sorry for yourself, take it from me. Let me confess, I am not an enthusiast of Valentine’s Day. To be precise, I do not have the slightest idea of what it is all about except that last year my ‘chocolate’ dumped me for a ‘charma boy’ on this day just because the ‘charma boy’ took her romantic needs in to consideration. This time I am fully prepared to counter any ‘coup attempts’ by ‘charma boys’.

I have come to realise that like power, love is a reciprocal relationship. It is a mutual give and take process between stakeholders, and both parties have to sacrifice and compromise for the sake of each other. In a relationship where there is no room for reciprocity between the leader and the people, it is very easy to end up like Mr. Ben Ali, the former president of Tunisia. For a long time Ben Ali took the wishes and aspirations of the Tunisians for granted, so much for granted that he mistook Tunisia for a personal property where he was entitled to do as he wished. His regime ruled his people with fear and intimidation; he had over-arching control over the media, and used his iron fist to crush any dissenting voices. Like his most counterparts in the African continent, he tried playing the patriotic card but the trick did not hold on this time.

We should know that Ben Ali is not an oddity in Africa politics; there are many other African leaders who are still acting like him despite the consequences. I am not trying to undermine our African leaders. I am simply saying why can’t they become more accommodative of alternative opinions, and more receptive and adaptive to change? It is interesting that their resistance to change has always been their downfall but it seems they do not realise this. As we speak, there are many repressions across the African continent and many of them are going to end up in death of innocent people.

Not until we respect the wishes and aspirations of the people, we will never appreciate that presidency is not God equivalent. We do not have to be best of friends to work together, we have to respect law and order, and that our country is the responsibility of us all, then Africa will never know peace. I am certain that the Tunisian coup d’├®tat or revolution as some will like to call it is not the last, many more are coming, and many lives are still going to be lost all in the name of power. The international community is in full support of this coup, and this leaves me with this paradoxical question; when is coup d’├®tat a good coup?

As you prepare for valentine, always bear in mind that like power, love is a two way street – you give and you take, otherwise ‘charma boys’ will coup you.