EVERY step taken is ordered from an inner stare case of conscious motivation and purpose. The source can take different forms; it could be a burning desire to clear an age long burden imposed by one’s conscience. It could also be borne out of the awareness that at the end of the day, one will be rewarded. From another angle, motivation can be linked to an individual’s stance on spiritual matters (the height his belief directs him/her to attain) etc.
One or more of these instances may have been the driving force of Mr. Suleiman Hashimu an Ibadan based Nigerian who trekked from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate Gen. Mohammadu Buhari’s victory of March 28, 2015.
Mr. Hashimu’s daring move can to a large extent be a reminder of the biblical journey of the three wise men, who upon seeing the sign, trekked a ‘thousand’ mile to pay homage to the new born king (Jesus Christ); Matthew 2:1-12.
A ride from Lagos to Abuja takes some 9 hours 45 minutes. However, a journey may be prolonged based on some circumstances like bad weather, uncontrollable traffic jam, inconsistences in woven roads, etc.
Heading for Abuja on foot may have seemed uncertain for Mr. Hashimu, yet he forged ahead not withstanding.
Like TS Eliot’s famous poem ‘The journey of the Magi, this trekker obviously encountered turbulence on the way, he may have experienced sored feet. In line with his aim, he walked from 6am to 6pm on daily basis. He reportedly wore out couple of shoes given to him in the course of his journey.
Naturally, after such a supposed encounter, his health may as well be ‘asking’ if not properly followed up. according to Gen. Buhari, “I want to congratulate you for making it. You are a young man and you are lucky that your health did not fail you.”
Although a cross section of the public doubt the authenticity of his claim, it is excusable to doubt because, according to them, some people can naturally be dubious. A case they hold firmly against Hashimu.
Despite the crystal fact that this modern day ‘magi’ did not leave substantial evidence on ground to prove his authenticity, I would say that one should look at the issue from this angle; just may be Hashimu may not have ‘left a stone in Bethel’ because all he was focused on was how and when to get to his destination.
Be it a believable story or not, the list the Nigerian magi has to worry about is what the people have to say against his mission. According to him, he has satisfied his conscience and taken the yoke of unfulfilled promise off his shoulder. He also let the people in on how he made this vow two years ago. From all indications, the only space in his heart is that which accommodates a sense of fulfillment of purpose.
He said “I made the promise two years ago. I am based in Ibadan and I started my journey from Lagos because Lagos is the most popular city in Nigeria. And I started from Berger junction in Lagos. I am not bothered about what the people say, I have made it.”
Now, this statement introduces to every beating heart, the true essence of life which is crowned by purpose and motivation. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, purpose is the intention, aim and function of something, it is the thing that something is supposed to achieve.
Motivation and purpose go hand in hand, without these factors, the latent endowment of man cannot be displayed or known.
Very well like this ordinary man cum celebrity, a man’s mission could be assessed by distant observers as odd and against normalcy. Nevertheless, it takes only the mission bearer to truly understand and trace his destination.
Self motivation puts an ordinary man on the limelight. It draws the beam of light to focus on him. Though scowled at by the uncompromising, once the spot light rests on a man of persevering motivation, it never dims for a second, thus he is endowed with the ability of having effect on others.
Among the anti-Kashimu’s, how many have had the privilege of meeting with their local government chairmen? How many have gained a community recognition for one daring deed or the other? Let me whisper this, who among them did their grand fathers shake hand with Mohammadu Buhari during his military regime?
This Nigeria ‘wise one’ did something unthinkable (trekking from Lagos to Abuja is sure unthinkable) and he got an unthinkable recognition.
At the end of his gory journey, like Eliot’s Poem ‘Journey of the Magi’ – finding the way, it was (you might say) satisfactory (line 12 of the stanza 2 of the poem).
The message is, let every man dare to be known for something that posterity will adore.