At alcoholic drinks joints, several of the patrons are possessed by the toxicating spirit of alcohol. This spirit inspires songs and some staggering and hilarious dance steps. It also inspires hysterical laughter and yelling; and argument on a number of topical issues, chiefly politics and the state of the nation. Come and see how solutions are proffered to the problems besieging the country. What Nigeria used to be in the 60s, 70s and 80s also forms part of the discussion. The spirit sometimes engender strives between the patrons. And, because in the multitude of words there want not lies, lies abound in their rantings as well as discussions. Gossips are also never wanting. It's just normal to have gossips. Sometimes the operators of these joints, mostly women, are called out for abuses. In one of these circumstances, Gbenga got involved in an argument. He took every word that the drunken fellow said seriously. He couldn't behave any better. He was drunk. It didn't matter to Gbenga that he was.
Gbenga had always been adventurous and daring. He gained popularity for accomplishing feats others wouldn't even dare. That was few years ago. His deteriorating health had been of great concern to him and his wife. On the doctor's advice, she had had to force him to quit some of the things he liked doing. Now he wants to put his health, his life, on the line to prove a point.
Folorunso, mad with ego, is seen uprooting the dead trunk of a banana tree. An increasing crowd can be seen cheering him up. It is this group of people he wants to impress. He heads to the farm, behind him a trigger-happy fan base singing his praises and fanning his ego. "See, from the dead trunk of a banana tree, I will make a tether that I will use to climb the palm tree," he boasts. He made the tether at the base of the palm tree and began his attempt. Luckily he climbed the palm tree with the very fragile tether. What happened afterwards shocked none of his cheerers. A sudden bang! It was the body of Folorunso at the bottom of the palm tree. The voices cheering him earlier now mocking him: "The one God watches over attempting to ascend a palm tree with a tether made from something as fragile as a dead trunk of a banana tree. Fool! You want to try and impress us with this risky stunt. You don't know your limits. That you have the assurances of God to watch over you should not be a licence for stupidity, as you have just demonstrated. See your end." The villagers returned to the village with the news but were kind enough to take him to the village herbalist when it became obvious that he couldn't stand to his feet. He broke some of his ribs and damaged his spinal cord. He didn't recover from the fatal fall. He daily writhed in pains and remained in a state that he daily desired to die.
Gbenga needed no one to interpret this dream. He saw the resemblance between himself and Folorunso. And he clearly understood that, what he wanted to do, as a result of the challenge of his drunken friend, is similar to climbing a palm tree with a tether made from a fragile material like the dead trunk of a banana tree. He gave the suicidal challenge no second thought.
Inspired by the Yorùbá descriptive--Fọlọrunṣo to fi igi ọgẹdẹ gun ọpẹ--of someone making some daring and foolish move(s) because s/he feels God will yet keep him or her safe even if s/he chooses to be stupid.
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