SILAS OLAOYIN ABAYOMI

SILAS OLAOYIN ABAYOMI

MAHATMA MOHANDAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI.

Every day, in the same dhoti-

he appeared,

in a small and frail body-

with compassionate disposition-

his steel heart resided.

Gandhi-the continental voice of

the voiceless,

shield to the weak, poor, and

the vulnerable-

the hope of the “un-touchable”;

the one, women without rights,

looked upon to fight their cause.

With messages of freedom,

equality, liberty and swaraj, or

self-rule that resonated

from Indian Ocean to Atlantic,

Gandhi became “Mahatmas”-

“high souled or venerable.”

Yes, for his fatherly role,

he became “Bapu”;

a “father or papa” to a people

who needed a unifying and

national figure in a culturally and

linguistically divided society.

Without bagh nakh, or tiger claws,

without lathi khela, or stick fighting,

without chackram, he instilled

into Indians non-violent culture;

through messages and means

of communication,

he made oppressors and aggressors

guilty

He became the center of

Indian nationalism-

the anchor and the soul of

Indian nation;

the conscience of the nation,

the barometer to gauge

British centuries of-

Indian’s occupation,

a powerful moral force in

conduct and in action.

Tugboat that pulled together-

multi-culture and complex

religious systems into a

symphony of unity.

A man of vision, who saw

India beyond a collection

tribes, ethnics, and religious

formations;

a man who defined

India’s new roles within the

framework of political engineering-

the roles Indians have surpassed,

now aiming higher.

He made India a force to

reckon with, from whom,

other nations with similar

experience learned lessons.

Bombay now Mumbai and

Calcutta,

he made India’s version of-

ancient Greek city of Athens-

center of arts, learning,

philosophy, and

political fraternization,

through his political sagacity.

Indians, he led in one of the

famous marches in history-

Dandi Salt March of 1930’s;

from Ahmedabad to Arabia Sea-

a journey of 1,480 kilometers or

(925 miles) he covered-

over sixty-thousand

protesters arrested-

including himself.

Severally, he gave himself

to the services of fatherland-

expects nothing in return,

made Indians believed and

trusted in themselves;

evoked Indians’ past memories

to inspire Indians for tomorrow’s

greatness-

inventor of zero and,

the land of mathematics-

bedrock of modern science.

Mahatmas’ powerfully crafted

seven-point-epigram-

has become a political capsule-

though, not a therapy,

but a catechism recited everyday,

by concerned individual,

no matter political ideology

or belief;

the seven deadly sins of man

which are valid as, if said today.

Humankind, he gave indestructible

knowledge that gives freedom,

freedom that leads man to

meaningful life;

his ideals, even death  have

continued to resonate-

forever, today’s world and

tomorrow’s shall always

treasure his contribution to

making the world free.

SILAS OLAOYIN ABAYOMI