Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the French philosopher (1712-1778), it was who said, “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.” This profound thought borne out of knowledge which in turn was derived from experiencing, could not have been truer today than it was more than 300 years ago when he made his postulation. Look around us. He and Socrates were on the same page in their recognition that man is inherently good. This means man was led out of his point of origin, his native land, unburdened. He was without stain. He could not but be free if he was good and without guilt. Rousseau and Mencius, the Chinese thinker, who also agreed that man is innately good, then came to the conclusion that it is the society that corrupts him. Mencius, in his words, “…and society’s influence is what causes man to acquire a bad moral character…bad through societal pressure as we grow…” Little wonder, when we left home down to this valley of matter for our development, there was rejoicing, there was waving of hands. When the sower went to sow!

Herbert Vollmann in his treasure Work, “A Gate Opens,” gives us a glimpse of what happened thus: “Many a luminous hand was raised in blessing, as though in a last greeting, and loving, kindly glances followed after them. The bells of Paradise were ringing as they departed, and even at the last moment they caught this silver-clear tone, and cherished it deep in their young hearts. Then the little points, whirling merrily, sank into the world-embracing depths…Then they were seized by a vehement urge; for they knew the sweet sound of home, and soon their strings resounded more fully, and their song grew into melody filled with longing. That was the time when planet earth still revolved in luminous orbits, and when fresh heavenly dew fell on it each day.”

That is describing how you and I left our Home above, carrying this send-off deep within our souls, even unconscious as we were.

How then can one get out of the entrapment that Rousseau spoke about? It will undoubtedly be easier to break free of it if he knows how he got into the enchainment in the first place. What is the nature of the chains in which he is everywhere? Are they psychological or are they physical? Emotional enchainment borne out of fear or a feeling of low esteem which to psychologists appear to be more prevalent especially in these times? Ill-health, too, would count as an entrapment. A man who is burdened unceasingly by impure thoughts cannot be said to be out of chains. Bad volition could also be a tool of self-enchainment.

Socrates has some idea. Said he: “The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.” Without knowledge we will be groping in the dark, we will be dealing with superficialities and non-existential issues which ultimately stretch beyond an earthly life. We will entangle ourselves in webs, arising from volition, thoughts or actions. We hardly ask: Where does my path lead me after earthly life, in life after life. Is it to the dungeon or to life, light, beauty and joy? Take the Israeli-Hamas war, for instance.

With the amount of devastation in Gaza and deaths from blind and vengeful fury, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said there would be no ceasefire until the Hamas are completely brought down to their knees. British Labour Opposition leader, Starmer, speaking in the same vein, said a ceasefire would “freeze the conflict” and embolden Hamas to carry out future attacks.

Meanwhile, the latest death figure has surpassed 10, 000, out of which 4,000 are children. In the times we are many are drained of human feelings! In time past Labour Party could be trusted to be more liberal. In consequence of Starmer’s posture, there is a spate of resignation by Labour Members of Parliament (MPs) and indeed about a dozen councillors have called it quits. There are earthly laws, the 1949 Geneva Conventions in particular which regulate wars. These are specific in the protection of civilians and soldiers who have surrendered. The conventions also cover the type of warfare used by a belligerent.

While we are at that an online report says Mr. Trump is warming us and is sweeping the ground in swing states, the same people, and the youths in particular, who said his presidency was illegitimate and his approval rating dropped to 37 per cent. Now, pollsters are showing the disapproval of Mr. Biden on the rise on account of age and policies. Public approval of his handling of the economy is below 40 per cent.

According to online reports, 46 per cent said his policies have affected them negatively; in fact, hurt them while only 17 per cent of respondents approved of the policies, saying the policies have helped them. Only eight per cent think the economy will firm up next year for a safe flight back in the White House; and 56 per cent expect the economy to weaken, even though inflation rate has come down from 9% peak to just 3.7%.

It view of the rating of Mr. Biden, it will be interesting to see how the American newspapers will view Mr. Trump’s rehearsal for a second coming. In 2020 major newspapers rose in stout opposition to his emergence. The Washington Post said: “It is beyond debate that Donald Trump is unfit to be President.” New York Times regarded Mr. Trump’s emergence as “The Republican Party’s trek in the darkness…” The Chicago Sun-Times said “the best way to avert a train wreck is to wave a warning flag as soon as possible.” Although USA Today in her own case did not explicitly endorse Hilary Clinton, all she said was: “Resist the siren song of a dangerous demagogue. By all means vote; just not for Donald Trump.”

I have recalled the positions of some of the major newspapers in my eagerness to see how the American Press will handle Mr. Trump this time should he clinch the ticket of his party with all the baggage around his neck. I have gone to this length more importantly to demonstrate the role of the Press in all free world. Editors are the modern day prophets. They are like the prophets of old: The Day of Judgment is nigh; Repent! That was their mission outcry. Editors are like artistes. When everyone is looking at skyscrapers and a mansion with clenched fists hitting the air in admiration, what an artiste does is looking at is the unwashed gutter and foul, putrid water flowing through it in front of the ornate imposing buildings. We learn in the enlightenment through higher knowledge spreading in these times that artistes are the most with the soil to receive hints of what is true and sublime. Their values differ.

The ignorant would try to push the artist to whom the skyscraper means nothing out of the way. This is what I am seeing is unfortunately the experience of the Nigerian Tribune today. There are all manner of dirt being thrown at the newspaper editors and their columnists for their position on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is too late to get the Tribune bend to anybody’s inclination, tendencies or beliefs or gag her editors. They are pressing to get Dr. Lasisi Olagunju, Suyi Ayodele and Dr. Festus Adedayo to see no evil and to hear no evil. The traducers do not want to know if the newspaper is looking at a bigger picture than they are seeing. That will be contrary to what the Nigerian Tribune stands for. They do not want to know the editorial policy of the newspaper. The Tribune is to hold views according to her own light with truth as the focus. She is to direct the gaze of her readers to what is high and noble and hold the government accountable to the people of Nigeria. And she has discharged this responsibility as bulwark of freedom and liberty creditably in her existence clocking 74 years in about a week’s time, 16 November. She has always carefully chosen her editors. Can anyone so quickly forget Ayo Ojewumi, Professor Emiola and, of course, the great and exemplary leader himself, Lateef Kayode Jakande, LKJ? Ojewumi, Jakande and Bisi Onabanjo wrote editorials from prison which were smuggled out, forwarded to Emiola deputizing for his boss, Ayo Ojewumi; fearless and brave men all. Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, the Premier of Western Region, once wrote that Tribune was the embodiment of Obafemi Awolowo spirit. Lateef Jakande wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, Kam Salem, that should his men find anything irksome in the Tribune editorials, it was he they should come for, not his editors. Jakande was Managing director/Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper. He was the ubiquitous face of the Nigerian Tribune.

Chief Awolowo once sent for me. He said to me that he would like me to join Felix Adenaike at Ibadan to screen some materials for the editorship of the Tribune. He said he trusted I was familiar with the attributes Tribune was looking for in her editors in view of what I represented while in the editorial suite myself. Adenaike was Editor-in-Chief whom we fondly called GOC. He got into the saddle in succession to Tola Adeniyi, Aba Saheed. When I got to Ibadan, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo was already seated. From here you can get my drift. The writings must be clean and the editorial, must be scholarly and when necessary trenchant, unsparing no matter whose ox is gored. Right is right and wrong is wrong; no room for cant and homburg. It is righteousness that exalts a nation. The regular contributors to the newspaper besides in-house writers were Dr. Tai Solarin, Gani Fawehinmi, and Kanmi Ishola Osobu. Ebenezer Babatope (Ebeno Topsy), Bola Ige (Uncle B), Bisi Onabanjo and occasionally Odia Ufemun later joined the galaxy of columnists.

Long before the assignment at Imalefealafia, in 1979, Chief Awolowo had sent for me. On getting to Ikenne, he told me that he had mentioned me to Chief Bola Ige to invite me to the Board of Governors (Board of Directors) of Radio O-Y-O. Foluso Opadina, a Nigerian magazine publisher in Germany, Prof. Emiola and I were the professionals on the Board. Chief Awolowo said to me that there is the temptation for a party in power not to countenance what the Opposition had to say and joyfully accept their materials to go on air. If listeners were availed government policies and programmes, how were they to make informed choices? He was certain Emiola, Opadina and I would not allow Opposition voices to be muzzled. He said O-Y-O was a successful radio station and self-financing. He told me that our success would be measured by the business flourish of the station. If the station went back to draw subvention from the Oyo State Government headed by Bola Ige, it meant we had failed. We were five on the Board with a prince of Ife being our chairman. And there was a lady lecturer from the University of Ibadan. And, of course, the General Manager, Adeleke, and secretary, Olayinka. That was the standard Chief Awolowo infused in these organisations. His vision was to make a BBC of O-Y-O, severely independent of the government of the day. Her loyalty must be to the Truth. Tribune has lived up to her billing. She is the oldest lady among the pack of private newspapers in the whole country today; where are her peers? She has remained standing because she has successfully warded off all pressures considered inimical to the interest of Nigeria, and that of the Western Region in particular which stretches passing through Benin City, Ishan, Auchi in Edo State, Warri to Asaba in Delta State and the whole of South-West. The editors have said they are not opposed to Tinubu in other to bring him down, but his activities and conduct will be subjected to strict scrutiny. I am neither for him. I must remain independent, staying clear of political murky waters. I was the first on these pages to canvas for him Muslim-Muslim ticket if he wanted to win. Since the rich basket of votes for him was in the Muslim North, his running mate could only come from the zone to maximise his harvest. I did state that Tinubu was not a religious bigot; but a city boy and I listed all his commissioners who are Christians when he was governor of Lagos State. His wife of more than 40 years attended Our Lady of Apostles, Ijebu-Ode, a Roman Catholic School, and she later, during her marriage to Tinubu, she has even become a pastor at Redeemed Christian Church and Tinubu was present at ordination. I have had cause to draw attention to his gift of head hunting. I have also written about Atiku Abubakar whom I always refer to as the Northern Star who is sufficiently exposed to lift the country to a new high. I wrote about Peter Obi, saying of him that the educational standard in Anambra State rose dramatically upon his mounting the saddle such that Anambra was leading every time in WAEC and NECO examinations. His simplicity was endearing; so was his prudent management of public funds.

What I am getting at is that the strength of South-West is in views and ideas of her people contending. If the Nigerian Tribune has reservations about anything, these will not go away by assailing the dignity of the editors and intimidation.

Where does all this leave us? What is truth? In discussions at which all manner of opinions are expressed—for or against, we seek the truth. It is either one party is right or the other is wrong. But each party holds on to its standpoint as the truth, the gospel truth. Can a man be a hero to his people and a villain to others? Is he a hero or not? It may even so happen that he is neither a hero nor a villain at the end of the day. Usually also attacked with the truth is the purveyor who may be wounded in the process, mortally wounded for that matter: Carry your truth go,” it is often said. Jakande was wont to say: “In the contest between truth and falsehood, who has ever heard the truth being worsted”? Each human being will absorb the splittings of truth streaming down from On High in accordance with his capacity and it is to that which is a measure of his inner radiance he will give expression. It is the gap in the rays of the inner lamp in one and that in the other person that often leads to disagreements, conflict, aggression and even war. The gap can then only be managed with love and understanding and where called for, firmness.

•NEXT WEEK: FULL DISCOURSE OF THE MAGESTY OF TRUTH.