The Concourse
By Soney Antai
(Multiple times winner of NUJ Columnist of the Year Award)
When addition is also subtraction
Life is a mosaic of mixed and at times confusing incidents, experiences and activities. Sometimes what gave us joy yesterday becomes the source or cause of our sorrows today. At other times our current condition makes us thank our Creator that we didn’t succumb to the suicidal thoughts we nursed yesterday. Why? Our today is much better than yesterday, as life ceases being a bugbear to us by today. This justifies the saying of Oron people that we die and leave troubles but troubles remain. In other words, we are not to allow troubles kill us, for if we do, those troubles will still remain while we are no more.
If and when we ponder over life, its joys, sadness, valleys, bumps, hurdles, hills, plain surfaces, and you name it, then we get inclined to agree with Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard that, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
Now, would you ordinarily imagine one word to have two opposite meanings? Incredulous? Sanction is one such word. Another is badass. Similarly, words could change meanings in their connotative and denotative renderings. And so, one could be said to be smart in both positive and negative ways. How does one in such situations know what meanings of such words should apply? it is the context of the content that conveys the user’s intent. Return to the title of this piece, and you will get my drift.
The Gregorian year 2025 has just started. Some who were born within its early days have celebrated their birthdays. Depending on the celebrator’s world view, age and wherewithal, as the case may be, they elected to make the celebration simple, high class or middle class. However it was celebrated, the fact remains that each birthday celebration signals a reduction in the number of birthdays yet to be celebrated. In other words, the more birthdays we have the fewer birthdays we have left. That is a reality we most times do not seem to realise. We are happy about how old we are, and that’s okay; but every birthday is an addition at one end, and a subtraction at the other end. It’s like ink in a pen: the longer the use, the less what is left to be used.
Well, many birthdays are products of self-driven rebirths. There are genuine cases of those without records of their birthdays. They just don’t know because nobody has given them that information. The honest ones among this category of folks often ask questions from people they believe could be of help. In the villages where there are age groups, they may access information on this, though it may not necessarily be exact, from mothers – hardly from fathers – who had their babies at about the same time they were born. You may have heard non-literate mums refer to some landmark events that took place when their children were born. They also often recall which other women had their babies around the period they themselves had theirs.
Similarly, mothers in this class would recall which farming area was cultivated when their babies were born. From there they calculate how many times since the birth of the children the community has cultivated farms in that area.
On the other hand, some create their nativity days cutting off years, to be seen as being younger. And this is often found among those in the public service, especially civil servants and politicians. The thinking is that the younger they present themselves to be, the more respect they will attract for attaining political heights at relatively young age, or they will stay longer in office. This is vanity because every passing day, we draw closer to where we will close our eyes in hopeless submission to the Grim Reaper. It is also vanity because the longer we live, the shorter our days on earth become. This is where addition is also subtraction.
As I punch the keyboard putting this piece together, I am compelled to wear reading glasses. This was not the case 30 years ago. But I watch US President Donald Trump reading without eye glasses. I see his successor, Joe Biden, reading without glasses. These men are in the twilight of their ages. Biden is 82 snd Trump is 78. I see the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Moses Ekpo, reading without glasses. But one man beats them all. He is an Akwa Ibom reverred chief. I learnt he is (take a deep breath and read it slowly) 115 years old! He reads without reading glasses, walks without a walking stick.
When the MC at a public event in Abak said so on 12 January, I started wondering if the centenarian could tell the world the secret of his longevity. He was right there inside that Catholic Church building; and looking at his face and hearing him talk, gave no inkling of him as being as old as that. His name? No, I didn’t forget to mention it – is Obong Michael Akpan Afangide of Essien Udim LGA.
One thing is certain: these men, who are so hugely blessed with longevity, now have far fewer years to continue here. That means that the more added years they, like many of us, have enjoyed, the fewer years they have left on earth. That, concoursites, is where addition is also subtraction.
As we go on in the year as our Creator shows us mercy, we should, among others, be guided by the saying by Etienne de Grellet, “I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
* Published 22.01.2025
