In times like this, many issues compete for attention. It makes one not really knowing which one to pay attention to. It is worse when these events that recur with dizzying regularity all concern us in one way or the other. They just have a way of evoking human interest.

While one was bent on considering the absence of president Muhammadu Buhari from work and the internecine crises rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the darts that former president, Olusegun Obasanjo who just turned 80, has been directing mercilessly at the once dominant party in Nigeria, you are confronted with an issue that one should ordinarily treat with a wave of the hand or at best look the other way and ignore same while taking up the posture of aloofness. Something like “wetin concern me’’ accompanied by a teary eye arising from my struggle to swallow a ball of well prepared eba.

How about the visit of Acting president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to the state the other day that nearly turned out to be a battle of wits between the APC and PDP? How about the case of Senator Godswill Akpabio turning a platform to advance the course of the state into a comedy show steeped in sarcasm having aimed a dig at the duo of Ita Enang and Ita Awak?

How about celebrating the meteoric rise of Ime Bishop Umoh popularly known in this part as Okon Lagos? Wouldn’t it make a good read? Wouldn’t his recent feat in the make-belief world spur the young and enterprising but poorly fed and groomed young boy, girl in the dark and interior trenches of the hinterland take their innate talents seriously and know that if they pay attention to what they are doing, someday, they, like Ime, will be heralded as heroes and heroines? All considered, let me beam my searchlight here and the trending tale of Kemen and his painful fate and disqualification from BBNaija.

Okon Lagos, many of us know, rose from nothing to something. From nowhere, he has been lumped to the front seat not just in the Nigerian Movie Industry but in almost every sector that matters today in Nigeria. Just by jesting around and about, turning sense into nonsense, capped off by his now famous iyammi; he has breezed his way into the consciousness of the world from the proverbial grace-to-grass tale.

In far away Lagos State, Nigeria, Ime Bishop stepped up to the rostrum and collected his well-deserved gong as the Best Male Actor in comedy (TV series) organised by Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) recently. On grabbing the microphone shortly after collecting his award, he let out his trademark line, iyammi in his usual comical and genteel voice. The packed hall was awed as he went on to recite some lines in the dakkada creed. In a way, Okon retold the world that Akwa Ibom State is no longer an enclave for the recruitment of ‘maiguards.’ This course, one could recall, was championed and fought vehemently by ex-governor Akpabio.

So, for the state, it was an occasion one of its sons shone like a million stars while one, almost on the brink of adding to the state’s rising profile, dashed all hopes and got himself either by design or a twist of bad fate, threw away his impending glory for a story and sorry. His downfall was caused by no other thing but the same ‘pit’ and ditch that have brought down men of power, wisdom and great destinies. We read it in the biblical story of Adam and Eve; same tale is copiously espoused in the story of Samson and Delilah. Here, one will not also forget Solomon, a man blessed stupendously by God but messed himself up in the ancient but same ‘hole’ of voluptuous and ever tempting women.

Many issues have been raised since Kemen was shown the exit door in the house. As usual, there have been unrestrained and off-the-cuff fulminations on the social media. Some have cast stones at Kemen for failing to control his nuzzle in public. Others have queried why he should even be evicted in the first place when the show is all about the crass exhibition of sexuality and all its accoutrements. Many others have remained benign and considerate in their analysis of the cruel fate that has befallen Kemen, arguing in his support on the grounds that anybody would have done same if not worse were they in Kemen’s shoes. Yours truly is not a follower of the Big Brother Show. I only take a passing glance at it when armed with my remote control.

If I did follow the show, perhaps I would have known or seen firsthand what prompted Kemen to desire Tboss’ honey pot.

What was her position while sleeping that Kemen could not take his eyes off her waistline? What was Tboss’ wearing? Lingerie, see-through mini night gown many newly-wedded wives wear on their wedding nights? (Don’t ask if I’m married). While sleeping on that better-to-be-forgotten night, how did Tboss’ handle her body? Was she rolling her ‘thing’ with reckless disregard just to entice our Kemen? If it is so, why did Kemen not look the other way? What, on earth, took him to where Tboss’ lay? Why was Kemen not also asleep? Was he suffering from insomnia? Too many issues to really look at here. But can’t we just consider the above

But can’t we just consider the above posers and also situate Kemen’s ouster in the context of his manliness and human nature? All those casting these stones, how clean are there in issues of this manner? That the biblical Joseph overcame the tempting and immoral invitation from Potiphar’s wife does not mean Kemen or any of those casting stones would have kept their ‘staffs of office’ in check on sighting the luscious lips and bewitching body of Tboss’ lying unguarded on a well arranged bed. Faced with such opportunity, not a few of us would have pounced on Potiphar’s wife in a manner never done before by Potiphar. But here we are, blaming Kemen anyhow without any scintilla of pity. Sad.

While his ‘tenure’ lasted in the house especially as evictions intensified, we were all asked to vote as much as we can for our own. For many, not that the BBNaija set in South Africa (yes, the same xenophobic enclave) is really what they would have loved to devote their time and attention to. No. Some glued to their screens just for fraternal and filial reasons. He is our brother, let’s vote him, they said. Billboards flooded the state showing the hefty and heavily built Kemen standing with shoulders raised aloft as if prepared for a title fight. At Oron Road just before Gibbs’ Street, an imposing signpost shows Kemen with solicitations that we should support and vote a son of the soil to ensure he emerges winner of the house. His victory, the organisers said would fetch him a princely sum of N25M plus other perks.

As expected, in this part, many hearkened to the rallying call to vote Kemen, even while questioning the morality of the show. Others simply ignored it all. To these ones, they have nothing to do with a Reality TV Series that promotes nothing but immorality and scant debasement of the moral fibre of an average Akwa Ibom indigenous person nay Nigeria. So, the arguments raged on. People were divided. Some persons, it was reported, turned it all into an ethic war. Which part of the state he comes from became a topic rather than the vote that was badly needed.

While all the arguments in support of the show or against it raged on, other housemates whose countrymen and women have long weaned themselves of bigotry and other petty biases, voted en masse for their own. Here, we bickered.
The matter, sadly, has been politicised too. Many have queried the party Kemen belongs to. Some say he is of the APC, others insist he’s PDP. Imagine.

Away from all these blames and counter blames, the raw truth is that Kemen left substance and chased shadows. Whether he did what he has been accused of or not, it must be said that he should have done himself a world of good by avoiding that destructive occasion. In the Catholic Church, we are told to keep off sin by avoiding its occasion. Perhaps he was to prove the lady wrong whom I learnt accused Kemen of not being romantic hence his decision to go into her to ostensibly prove her wrong. But how disastrous that has turned out.
In matters of destiny, a man should be wary of the alluring looks of a woman. Some may come for good, others may be agents sent to decimate destinies. Had Kemen been a little more discerning, he would have known. But how would one be spiritually sound and survive in such an atmosphere of pervasive and unrestrained sexual showiness? Your guess is as good as mine.

All we can do for Kemen now is to empathise and not draw him down the nadir more. He is down already so needless to further drag him there. But the truth must be told and lessons learnt from his ouster. You don’t go chasing rats when your house is on fire. In the race of destiny, distractions will always rear their heads. The Holy Book tells us of how Satan tempted Jesus with all the powers and glories of the world after He (Jesus) fasted for forty days and nights. Lessons such as this should not be taken with a pinch of salt by those who aim for the top in what they do. It will always come.

Many have suggested that Kemen takes his case to the court to appeal his eviction. This is laughable to say the least. What will he say in court? That you were looking at a woman that was asleep and got evicted from BBNaija house? The likely retort from the judge who will even have time for such infantile case will be: “why, what were you looking at?’’ Will that not end the matter? You tell me. My humble advice for Kemen is to pack his bags and come home. We’ll surely welcome him. A true Akwa Ibom person is not known to throw away the baby with the bath water. After all, one is not a failure when defeated, he is when he chooses to stay there, says a philosopher.

On the whole, it was a week of two diverse tales for the state. While Okon Lagos hoisted the state’s flag aloft in Lagos, Kemen drew it down in far away South Africa. Indeed, it is different strokes for different folks. Congrats, Bishop Ime, better luck next time, Kemen.

The post GAIN AND PAIN (Okon Lagos and Kemen) BY KENNETH JUDE appeared first on The Killer Punch News.