Standing on the Shoulders of Giants -By Tony Osakpamwan Agbons

In the study of human anatomy, medical and dental students are made to undergo intensive dissection of a human cadaver. Back in the days, we started with the upper and lower limbs, the thorax and abdominal region, and concluded with the head and neck over two years. A lot lies beneath the human skin which many do not see. Surely, there must be a divine hand that weaved the human body together. Speaking from an experiential perspective, the intricate, delicate arrangements of nerves, veins, arteries, tissues, and organs across the human anatomy are mind-blowing. In those days, yours sincerely had deep interests in the skeletal system – the bony structures layered in the human body. Apart from its ‘statutory’ role of mobility, the bones are the baseline structure holding it all together.

The adult human body has 206 bones. This number can vary slightly from person to person, but 206 is the standard count. The skull has 22 bones, the vertebral column has 33 vertebrae (including 5 fused sacral and 4 fused coccygeal), and the rib cage has 25 (made of 24 ribs and 1 sternum). The Upper limbs have 60 bones (consisting of 2 arms, each with 30 bones). The Lower limbs have 60 bones (made up of 2 legs, each with 30 bones). The Ossicles (ear bones) have 6 bones (3 in each ear), and lastly, the Hyoid bone (also known as the tongue-bone or lingual bone, situated in the anterior midline of the neck) has 1 bone. In children, there are around 300 bones, but some fuse together as they grow, resulting in the adult count of 206. At the base of the neck is the shoulder, which is held together by the clavicle (collarbone). The shoulder is mobile enough for a wide range of movement of the arms and hands, and is stable enough to allow for actions such as lifting, pushing, and pulling. Along with the chest and clavicle, the shoulder is a major fulcrum of the upper locomotive of the human body. Get a crack there and see how vulnerable a person would become.

A society can only flourish when its ‘shoulders’ – holding frames are in place, clearly aligned with well-defined structures and operating systems. Building on the good foundation of the hero’s past is the basis of national ascension. It is the only parameter for nations to thrive. The United States of America will always subscribe to the delicate work done by its founding fathers, like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Dr Martin Luther King amongst others. The British will never forget the enduring work done by Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher. Jamaicans recall the name Bob Marley with pride. He remains a legend. South Africans will remember Miriam Makeba and Lucky Dube with gusto. Ditto Ivorians with Alpha Blondy. Indians smile when the name Mahatma Gandhi is mentioned. In Nigeria, the efforts of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Dr Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, Prof. Ambrose Alli and Chief Gani Fawehinmi cannot go unnoticed.

Not wanting to overstretch this, let’s narrow it to something very simple. The Nigerian media space in the 1980s to late 1990s produced arguably some of the strongest journalists (print and electronic) in a generation. In the print media, the late Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, and Yakubu Mohammed held sway at Newswatch Magazine. TELL Magazine had Dele Omotunde, Onome Osifo-Whiskey, Dare Babarinsa, Ayo Akinkuotu, Ademola Oyinlola and Danlami Nmodu. At Insider Weekly were men of journalistic panache like Osa Director, George Mbah and the late Ben Charles-Obi. In literature and arts, within the African continent, giants like Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Wole Soyinka, Ngugi Wa Thiongo, Ola Rotimi, Helen Ovbiagele, and S.M.O Aka were gallant. This list goes on.

In the electronic media, greats like John Momoh, Ambrose Ezeweani, Soni Irabor, Cyril Stober, Rosaline Ogunro, Ruth Benaimesia-Opra, Sienne All-Well Brown, Cordelia Okpei, Frank Olize, Abike Dabiri, Ladi Akeredolu-Ale, and Georgina Abu stand tall. In music, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Sonny Okosun, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, Onyeka Onwenu, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Chief Osita Osadebey, Rex Lawson, IK Dairo, Emma Ogosi, Felix Liberty, Chris Okotie, et al. shone brightly. Much later, maestros like Orits Williki, Mandators, Majek Fashek, Ras Kimono, Mike Okri elevated the space. The list is not exhaustive. It goes on.

In sports, the names of Segun ‘Mathematical’ Odegbami and ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu (football), Florence Omagbemi, and Nkiru Okosieme remain indelible. Power Mike, Ben ‘Lion’ Heart (wrestling), Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey, Davidson Andeh, Obisia Nwakpa (boxing) were outstanding. In Athletics, Mary Onyeali, Chidi Imoh, Innocent Egbunike, and of course, the first Nigerian to win an Olympic gold medal, Chioma Ajunwa come to the fore. In Africa, we can herald great sons and daughters like Dr Nelson Mandela, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Capt. Thomas Sankara. The mention of their names evokes iconic memories and the legacies they left behind. Across the world, these giants go beyond political leadership and governance.

In the days yore, young people had role models to emulate in all spheres of human endeavour. There was always someone to look up to. There was someone who inspired and motivated their aspirations as they grew up from a child to a teenager and into adulthood. Yours sincerely belonged to that generation. We had distant mentors to look up to and emulate left, right, and centre. These giants span diverse fields of human endeavour – science and technology, arts, literature, music, sports, media, law, finance, academia, medicine, military, journalism, amongst others. There was motivation, inspiration, all around. What a good life! What a time it was to grow up!! No society can develop where there are no role models. A `simple example`, they say, is better than a `thousand words`.

For Nigeria, the moral compass should no longer swing like a pendulum. People cannot continue to get away with wrongdoing and justify malfeasance. There have to be consequences for actions – punishment for bad behaviour, and reward for good. The law is a living organism and must be allowed to breathe. A society that has no consequences for breaking the law can hardly make progress. Research shows the difference in development between nations is directly proportional to the level of compliance with ethics, standard principles, integrity, accountability, responsibility and respect for the rule of law. A few years ago, Nigerian award-winning rapper/singer, Erigga Agarivbie; put it succinctly: “Prostitution is now hookup, Bad character is now mood swings, Fake life (online and offline) is now packaging, Happiness now depends on drugs (Tramadol, Molly). Cultism is now the norm’s definition of real men. Morals have been thrown to the wind.” (emphasis mine).

In building a society where progress and the good of all is the gold standard, the moral barometer has to be top-notch. Young people should grow up knowing that they cannot just do what they like. Over the years, one of the most contentious arguments has been identifying the fault lines of a society. Some contend that it all lies with those in leadership. Others posit that citizens are as much culpable for the failure of society. Others advocate that the blame rests on both sides – the leaders and the led. The leaders, especially, must know that their character and lifestyle are a mirror reflecting for all to see and emulate. It can`t just be `do what I say and not what I do`. They must lead by example, shape the narrative, and drive the moral compass. The labour of our heroes past must not be in vain. Standing on the shoulders of giants should not just be a slogan, but a moral imperative for generations yet unborn. `Quod erat demonstrandum`, Q.E.D.

Tony Agbons blogs @Twin2.Org