A group of mice lived in constant fear of a marauding cat. They knew they could never know peace or attain any level of development as long as the cat roam ed their environment . Recognizing the imminent destruction that awaited them , they understood that without some cautionary measure or something more definitive, they would remain helpless and unfortunate in a kingdom overseen by the fierce cat.
After thorough deliberations , they decided to han g a bell around the cat’s neck so that whenever it move d , the bells would ji n gle and announce the presence of their mortal enemy. But then, hanging a bell around the neck of a marauding cat is not a simple task ; it is , in fact , an act of “ seppuku, ” the Japanese term for ritualistic suicide. The group of mice knew they had a problem, but recognizing a problem and devising the appropriate solution are two different things.
Inasmuch as the mice were smart enough to come up with a solution, they also needed the courage to execute it. This reflects the nature of existence and evolution. In fact, the mice’s dilemma gave rise to the ancient expression, “ W ho will bell the cat ? ” The above analogy describes Nigerians and , by extension , Africans and the challenges they face .
Like the mice , Nigerians understand that the arrival of any politician signals imminent problems. The good thing is that they did not come to this conclusion through hasty generalizations but from decades of experiences under the same politic.