Why should I repair a failing world?

The topic we are called upon to address today is not as direct as it appears to be. Rhetorical questions tend to be that way, especially where it elicits a discussion instead of an answer.

This puts it in the realm of a philosophical discuss which makes it even more interesting. The first criticism springs from the word ‘failing’, as it is a word capable of suggesting possibility of failure. The truth is that a repairer is only needed when a thing, system or process has failed, otherwise there will be no need for a fixer. So folks, let us now interrogate this failure(s) together. It is only after this that we can talk of the repairer to approach, and the remedy to administer.

The world
Whenever we say the word, “world”, what we have in mind is the sum total of all the realities that made up not only our existence, but also the phenomenon that represents the realm we live in. According to Plato, the world is represented by two phenomena, the world of forms and the world of reality. To him the manifestation of the realities of the sensible world or real world is a shadow or representation of the realities in the world of forms.

The world as seen from the point of view of religiosity is quite different. Most of the major religions of the world see the concept of “the world” as the platform for our spiritual existence here on earth only as against that of the world to come. These major religions view it as a transient destination where we craft our ultimate and eternal destination. As for the scientific world, it has its own complexities with colourful concepts like cosmology, atoms, and the ‘Gig Bang’.

Now to failing!
It is important to look at the meaning of the word failing at this point. Grammatically, there are two literally ways of achieving this. First is that ‘failing’ connotes weakness or fault. The second is that it means unsuccessful or lack of success. While the first meaning implies intrinsic failure, the latter implies extrinsic. It may also be said that the former deals with omission while the latter deals more with commission. Failing is not in itself bad or inhuman; it is in our human nature to experience what we call human frailties or human errors. It is how we approach it that matters.

An important global citizen, Mr. Bill Gates once said that it is fine to celebrate success, but is more important to heed the lessons of failure. This is exactly what we are here to interrogate today.

Wise people learn more from their mistakes than their successes while foolish people often neglect to learn from it which is what turn them into a failure. To learn from our failings and failures we must take responsibility for our actions and be accountable for it.

It is important we must know how to adopt what is known as SWAT analysis which means strength, weakness, opportunity and threats. We must know how to seek help and from where to seek it. Lastly we must always draw up our plans. A failing therefore is repeated and constant let-down or disappointment.

Is the world really failing?
The world experienced many ages over time and they all tell a story of their own failures. The first was the geologic period which starts several billions of years ago to about three million years ago. I am concern with the last three million years, which is about the period science suggested that humans surfaced on earth.

From that period we had the prehistory period comprising of Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods terminating at the Stone Age which ended around the 4th – 5th BC. Thomas Hobbes already tells us most of what we need to know about these eras. It was a period when life was nasty, brutish and short. The next is the Bronze Age which covers between 5000 BC. – 500 BC. There is the Classical-age which is the period between 500 B.C. – 500 A.D. The next is the Middle-Ages this is the period between 1500 AD. – 1800 AD. The last is the Modern Age which covers the last 200+ years.

The essence of the above chronological order is to show the rise and fall of several past empires, rulers, leaders, kingdoms and powers that dominates each of those eras. The failings and failures of those past worlds were as a result of their inability to read the text of times and learn from its failings.

The most critical failings were orchestrated by their inordinate ambitions, their vanities, greed, man inhumanity to man and wars. There are other factors which are more than mere habitual tendencies.

They are more political in nature such as fascisms, nepotism, despotism and all the other negative isms one can think of. However, the world that was able to innovate and learn from most of its weaknesses and failures were able to emerge from the ruins of one age into the next.

Once again we find ourselves in a broken world and a broken age again. Some call it déjà vu, while the good book explains to us that there is no new thing under the sun. This so-called modern age might be the shortest of the ages so far. Already we have seen the jet-age, the nuclear-age and the computer-age age all in a short period of time with new ones fast emerging. Some of the failings in our current world are the fluctuating world economy, vengeful climate, broken world/international order, nuclear proliferation with dangerous rhetoric, degenerative civilisation Once again we find ourselves once again in a broken world and a broken age again.

Some call it déjà vu, while the good book explains to us that there is no new thing under the sun. This so-called modern age might be the shortest of the ages so far. Already we have seen the jet-age, the nuclear-age and the computer-age age all in a short period of time with new ones fast emerging.

Some of the failings in our current world are the (1.) fluctuating world economy, (2.) vengeful climate, (3.) broken world/international order, (4.) nuclear proliferation with dangerous rhetoric, (5.) degenerative civilisation, (6.) vanishing wildlife, (7.) regressive cultures, (8.) fascist regimes, (9.) distorted physical/mental health, and a host of other aspect of existential threats including artificial intelligence. The world continues to spiral down the lane of failure basically because we are all failing our world. The score card by all parameters shows failing grades on all sides.

Once again we find ourselves in a broken world and a broken age. Some call it déjà vu, while the good book explains to us that there is no new thing under the sun.

This so-called modern age might be the shortest of the ages so far. Already we have seen the jet-age, the nuclear-age and the computer-age age all in a short period of time with new ones fast emerging.

Some of the failings in our current world are the fluctuating world economy, vengeful climate, broken world/international order, nuclear proliferation with dangerous rhetoric, degenerative civilisation, vanishing wildlife, regressive cultures, fascist regimes, distorted physical/mental health, and a host of other aspect of existential threats including artificial intelligence.

The world continues to spiral down the lane of failure basically because we are all failing our world. The score card by all parameters shows failing grades on all sides.

I dare say with all seriousness that our world is in need of an urgent CPR, serious treatment and possible surgery.

Atayese Health Network should be supported with the right equipment to play its little role in doing its own bit in the fixing of this ailing world of ours and so should each one of us.

Who is a repairer?
We cannot talk of a repair without a repairer. A repairer is a skilled or competent worker, handyman, technician, or fixer who mends or fixes broken things. There are basically three major types of repairs. We have emergency repair, maintenance or routine repair, and complete or total repair. It is important to know our capacity and resources at our disposal before embarking on a repair so as to achieve effective result.

A repairer that fails to appreciate his strength and weaknesses will most likely burnout midway. It is also important to mention that repairers are often born than made see Gal 1:15 and 1 Cor. 15:10. He or she must be a person that has clothed himself in garment of love.
We cannot talk of a repair without a repairer.

A repairer is a skilled or competent worker, handyman, technician, or fixer who mends or fixes broken things. There are basically three major types of repairs. We have emergency repair, maintenance or routine repair, and complete or total repair. It is important to know our capacity and resources at our disposal before embarking on a repair so as to achieve effective result.

A repairer that fails to appreciate his strength and weaknesses will most likely burnout midway. It is also important to mention that a repairer is often born than made see Gal 1:15 and 1 Cor. 15:10. He or she must be a person that has clothed himself in garment of love.

Why me?
Why me or “I” is often an expression of sorrow, shock, indignation, surprise and astonishment. There are different scenarios to it. Consider Job’s why me, to Moses’s, and to Saul’s who later became Paul? The simple answer is why not me or why not you? Dr. Adeolu Adeniyi Olusodo accepted the poser on his own by saying why not me. The nomenclature of his network ‘Atayese’ demonstrates his resolve. Maybe that is why he named himself Malakkhiyah, who knows.

Why not me or why not you should from now on be a reawakening, a radical and transformational shift in our thinking and psyche. Why not me mentality transform us into a change advocates and agents. It makes us a factor and not a reactor. I therefore urge all of us to make it our watchword going forward.

Stewardship
Stewardship is the protection and expansion of assets and responsibilities imposed or assumed by a person in the most effective and accountable manner. A repairer must be a good steward. He must be one that is ready to be of service and selfless.

The story of Adam and Eve is a classical account on stewardship. The story teaches that stewardship attracts expectations, accountability, result and consequences.
It is also instructive for a repairer to develop Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDGs is a call to action against failures and retrogression in various aspect of societal and human life especially against such ills like poverty, injustice, inequality, corruption and threat to mental and physical health.

Atayese Health Network started some eleven years ago in 2013 at Apapa Road Ebute Metta. I was an eye witness to star clinic metamorphosing into Atayese Health Club and network. It spread to Ikorodu and environs before making inroad into Ijebuland starting from Odogbolu, Ijebu Ode and Isonyin with the headquarters in Odogbolu. There is also an attempt at getting into Ibadan, Oyo State. Dr. Olusodo’s restiveness and desire for change drove him into partisan politics. He established the Society for Love and Social Justice (SLSJ) for the elderly which ultimately drove the desire to become an Atayese.

He was one of the youngest crusader with Campaign for Democracy (CD) in Ebute-Metta during the June 12 Era. He is a philanthropist and a thinker right from a young age. So, Yes it has to be you, yes it has to be, especially you and we all now know why!

Fayemi wrote from Lagos.