Voice! One of the things that makes us human. Quite unique, not everyone has same voice. It might sound same, especially from those that share same paternity, but surely there is always a differentiating slant to it. Just like one’s finger print is different, so also our voices.
Voice! One thing that gives one the platform to express in an unambiguous manner, the thoughts, the vision, the satisfaction and disaffection of ones experiences.
The dumb lost it, as much as they try they can only make a sound which without being aided by gesticulations remains a sound, meaningless to all but him that made the sound.
Have you tried to voice out your displeasure or dissatisfaction over issues, but couldn’t because of voice challenge? Not even the next person standing within ear shot could hear you, no matter how hard you try,? Such can be frustrating.
Frustrating, seeing things one could possibly address by speaking up, but couldn’t because of voice challenge .
The worse that can happen to someone is being able to talk, not hampered by any defect but couldn’t because of the very system that gags and muffles voices, keeping them voiceless for personal interest.
Give me my voice and then take my life, for once the world would have known the very injustices, humiliation, persecution and deprivation suffered in your hand.
What then is life without a voice? Of what essence and relevance is life without a voice?
Standing on a platform, surrounded by the voiceless mammoth of black Americans, enslaved and deprived, humanised and frustrated, pained and scourged, Martin Luther King jnr gave millions of them voice but lost his life in the process.
He gave them a voice of liberation, he never gave room for his voice to be suppressed. Like a trumpet he bellowed it, even when it was obvious that his life would go in exchange, he pressed on, speaking truth to power loud and clear.
What is life without a voice? What is humanity without a voice?
What is man’s dignity without a voice? No life is worth living without a voice.
A voice that would in clear terms say what needs to be said not cowed, defend values and escalate the very bad deeds set out to overwhelm a system.
Speak! Voice it!! Make it known, don’t eclipse it , bare it , let it be known . To the good and value driven events speak. To the very decaying and despicable acts, Speak too.
Speak! Not In the usual flowery political correctness .
Speak! Not In a very prevalent flattery manner of ego massaging.
Speak! Not In a very ingratiating manner in the garment of diplomacy to avoid feather ruffling.
Speak in the manner of Martin Luther King jnr.
Speak with the courage of John Chrysostom.
Speak like John De Baptist, condemning evil in royalty
Let your voice be heard uncensored! Let your voice be the very balm that will bring healing to the voiceless.
*We are in an era when the voice of the masses have remained voiceless. An era that goes for voices that are deliberate and calculatively punchy to regime, system and thoughts that are very thing but fair and just. An era when the small group people equiped with power and authority would Lord it over others for personal interest*.
Allow our voices to be heard in our space, allow our voices to ventilate their choices. Give room for each voice that wants to speak to speak. *Don’t gag! Don’t intimidate!! Don’t use your privileged position to take a stand and shove it down our throat. Remember we still have voices that should be heard* .
No voice is better to be the very channel for others to ventilate their voice. Let us all speak our nonsense, let us talk about our senseless concerns, we may not all agree on one single vision, but at least let the minority have their say and the majority their way however good or bad.
2023 is a year of voice enhancement! A year for the liberation of the caged voices of the masses. It a year when the voices of the masses would no more be an ancillary but the main deal. Neglect their voices at your peril, try to muffle them, at your peril too. At best listen to them and dance to the tunes or be ready to collect wotowoto
This Wotowoto is for all persons, groups associations, organisations, pressure or religious groups that would one way or the other try to superimpose their self interests over and above the voices of people. WOTOWOTO!!
#Echefukwala, #Echezola. . “Because our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” Martin Luther King jnr.
Jarlath Opara
