By Fr Pat Amobi Chukwuma
There are three drives that are innate in every human being. They are hunger drive, thirst drive and sex drive. Each of them has it peculiarity. It will be disastrous if the three of them operate simultaneously. We should act as conductors, when any of the three drives is behind the wheels. As conductors, we ought to control their movements. If we allow them to control us, then we shall end up in immoral gully. Indeed, the end will be fatalistic. Self-control is the watch-word here.
Today, I want to concentrate on hunger drive. Hunger is a biological desire to eat. It is good to be hungry. Lack of hunger is sickness itself. There is a peculiar prayer that is said before meal, which runs thus: “Lord, I thank you that I am hungry and have food to eat. Some are hungry but have no food to eat.
Some have food but are not hungry. You have made me hungry and provided food for me. Thank You for your benevolence. Bless this food and bless me about to partake of it through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen!
Loss of appetite is a sign that something is intrinsically wrong. Sickness can be one of the causes. When you lose appetite during illness, food looks like poison to you. But when you recover, you will be dreaming of those delicious delicacies you missed and this leads to salivating for nothing. Bad news can also bring about loss of appetite. In Germany during meals, well-wishers and friends say to you: “Guten Appetit.”
This means ‘I wish you good appetite.’ In Igbo land, we invite others to come and partake of our meal. If someone is invited to come and eat, and such a person washes two hands, should the owner of the food take bath? This is often stated as a proverb. Its literal meaning is ridiculous. Those from Onitsha area while eating would say to you: “Ka m mee ka i mere.” (Let me do as you have done). It is funny. How certain is he or she that you have eaten?
It is dangerous when one is hungry and has no food to eat. This can compel someone to either go begging or steal from others, if such a hungry person loses his senses. When someone is desperate, he or she can go to any length of action. It is an ugly condition that makes the crayfish to bend. My people maintain that a beggar is better than a thief.
It is the onerous duty of the government to provide for the masses. This provision must not be direct always. It can be done indirectly in many ways. Giving employment opportunities is one of the ways. It is better to teach someone how to catch fish instead of giving fish to the person.
A popular adage says that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. The devil has spiritual, moral, psychological and physical workshops. He can do and undo. Encouragement of the citizens to delve into agriculture is another way of providing. Through farming, we get enough to eat. My Igbo People say, “Aka abughi aja aja, onu agaghi abu mmanu mmanu.”
This means that if the hand does not toil, then the stomach will surely go hungry. The state and federal governments should give Agricultural loans to farmers. Above all, the government should secure the lives of farmers in these precarious days of insecurity. It is only the living that can farm. Terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements have occupied most forests and farmlands nationwide. Thus farmers are afraid to go to their farms.
The insensitivity of the government to come to the aid of her poor masses is worrisome. Public funds and tax payers’ money are often diverted for selfish reasons while the citizenry wallow in abject poverty. If you push someone to the wall, then there must be some physical reactions. You cannot beat a baby and forbid it to cry. It is a clear impossibility.
The dividends of democracy have eluded ordinary Nigerians for a long time. There is hunger and anger in the land. Indeed, a hungry man or woman is an angry person. Hunger leads to anger, and vice versa. Are you hungry or angry? Are you both hungry and angry? This is disastrous and can lead to temporal madness. A mad person loses control of his senses.
In these days of economic hardship in a country divinely blessed with natural and human resources, many Nigerians are desperate. Excessive hunger has driven them to do the unthinkable. In many places, especially in the North, people waylay trucks carrying food items on the way. They quickly hijack the edibles here and there.
They also go into hotels to scoop food from the pots on fire. It is a risk to move these days as food vendors. Hungry Nigerians will just hijack the food. How did we get here? The answer is bad governance. We are suffering from the consequences of “It is my turn to rule.” Billions of Naira was squandered in the kangaroo Presidential Election of 2023.
Thus, the poor masses are languishing in the midst of plenty. Nigeria remains the Capital of global poverty. We have become a laughing stock worldwide.
The cost of governance has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigerian economic existence. The Executive, Legislative and Executive Arms of government, live in paradise while the poor masses live in hell. The diversion of public funds reigns supreme among the three arms of government.
They drive expensive cars worth billions of Naira each. Their residential houses and offices are adorned with gold. Why should not hunger mesmerize the millions of the masses who voted them into power? Thus, “monkey dey work, baboon dey chop.” The rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer.
Many people from some of the geographical regions have begun protesting directly or indirectly against the economic hardship and excessive hunger in the land. Some wonder why the South-East Region is quiet. Why should they protest when they are excluded from meaningful federal governance? If a baby cries without anyone to console him, he would be compelled to keep quiet. If you are used to hot weather, why should you complain when the sun shines intensively?
The Federal Government should look inwards for the solution to the hunger in the land. Cutting down the cost of governance is a step in the right direction. It is a bad omen to see the leaders live in opulence while the led are dying in penury. What the masses need now is security of their lives and sufficient food on their tables.
Nigerians are sleeping with two eyes open and also suffering from excessive hunger. Insecurity and hunger lead to imminent death. The casket market is now booming with daily sales. The makers and sellers are smiling to the banks on daily basis. Millions of Nigerians no longer go to toilet because they have nothing to excrete.
Only air comes out from the anus. It is a disaster to die hungry. A hungry dead body is a curse to the termites in the grave. Also, a person who died hungry, may not rise quickly on the Resurrection Day. Hunger plus anger give rise to desperation.
