As we host AYGs let us remember our abducted girls in Nigeria
Dumi Mmualefe | Monday May 19, 2014 13:27
Botswana ke Botho and imbedded in Botho is the spirit of self-love, love for the neighbour, and willingness to go all the way to embrace a stranger. Thus a stranger ceases to be a stranger as one becomes moagisanyi.
Moagisanyi has as it root aga which means to build or to construct. More importantly, imbedded in moagisanyi is kagiso which is peace in English and shalom in the Hebrew language.
Imbedded in Shalom is shalem, the latter denotes wellbeing and good health. In Setswana my wellness depends on that of the family and the community within which I exist. One is never well alone: I am, therefore, ‘well-with’ and never well-alone. This is how interconnected we are. This is not just a simple interconnectedness but a more radical organic one.
Among those we will be hosting are those from trouble-torn countries whose stay among us should give a glimmer of hope that life is not and should not necessarily be what they are used to.
Some cannot imagine life without gun-wielding soldiers and rolling military vehicles playing guard over games especially of this magnitude. Some will be coming from very poor countries and would even marvel at what we have as a people. Yet, others will be from more developed countries or equally developed Africa. All these are our neighbours whose being strangers should cease the moment they disembark and touch our shores.
The greatest disappointment at the moment is that our streets do not reflect those of a country that will be playing host to an elite sporting community. It is still business as usual when it is supposed to be business unusual.
We have not even seen any visibility of the actual hosts being the athletes! One would have expected billboards advertising the event and other events especially in host towns and city to sensitize Batswana about the imminent continental activity. All we have been seeing are boardroom officials receiving millions of Pula for the event but we have not seen part of what the millions are and will be put to use for!
This is definitely not the way to show hospitality. When a visitor is expected, traditionally, one would see activity. The homestead is cleaned and decorated. This is a time when children would be clean and put on good clothes. Besides these, good food is prepared. One does not have to ask but see events that herald coming of an important visitor.
As we welcome our children to Botswana, Baagisanyi, those with whom we build peaceful coexistence, let us remember that we cannot be at peace when they are not at peace! But the reality is most of them live in conflict infested countries! His Excellency President Ian Khama upon welcoming King Letsie III of Lesotho drew our attention to the situation in Nigeria.
We should join His Excellency in condemning the haram acts of Boko Haram. Indeed, your Excellency, these acts “can never be justified for whatever cause, and must receive our strongest condemnation and contempt.” There is everything haram about the inhuman and atrocious acts of this haram organisation.
Let us be mindful that the abductions, tortures and killings by Boko Haram do not reflect what Islam as a way of life stands for. Islam teaches most radically that “None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself” (Hadith). None of the captors of the girl-citizens of our world who are under unlawful and criminal custody of Boko Haram could wish the same act on themselves or their daughters. Boko Haram militia do not truly believe in Allah!
That they can call themselves a name with haram says a lot. Haram in Islamic jurisprudence denotes any act forbidden by Allah. The word itself is Arabic meaning sinful. While they thought their name rubbished Western education; the joke fell on them! God is a loving God. A good Muslim (not that I can imagine a bad one) knows and calls Allah “The All-Merciful, the Most Merciful!” Those who do not show the acts of mercy cannot be of an All-Merciful God. Mind you we are not talking of “merciful” but “ALL-Merciful, Most Merciful” God! Allah is the “Most Compassionate.” These manifestations of the Lord must show in those who are servants of Allah who should show acts consistent with such manifestations!
As a Christian I confess that God is not only a loving God but that “God is Love” (1 John 4:8). This God whom the Muslims call Allah is righteous, that is, a Just God who calls us to a life of love and justice, whose Kingdom is a Kingdom of Justice. One cannot be committed to this God while not being committed to justice. If we are created in God’s image, as we hold, we should reflect the one in whose image we have been created: Love!
As we host these young athletes, let us constantly remind ourselves of the young girls who cannot enjoy the same hospitality and interactions our athletes at the African Youth games will enjoy. Let us use his event to sensitise the youth to stand up for their future and to refuse to let us destroy it for them. Let us teach our athletes at this time that we all are, only when we relate, that “what affects one directly affects all indirectly” (Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr).
Finally: “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:1-2). To God be the glory!