By Emmanuel Gandu
THE ROMAN EMPIRE ‘IDES OF MARCH’
The Ides of March is the 74th day of the year on the Roman calendar, corresponding to 15 March.
It was marked by several pagan religious observance, and was a deadline for settling debts in Rome.
In 44 BC, it became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caeser, the then Roman Emperor, which made the ‘Ides of March’ a turning point in the Roman history.
The concept of ‘Ides of March’ is famously and succinctly captured and dramatized in William Shakespeare’s tragedy book ‘Julius Caeser.’
As the climax of the play –
(1) Julius Caeser’s wife had dreamed and told him about his impending assassination but Caesar brushed it off with the wave of the hand calling it “woman talk.”
(2) Caesar is warned by the soothsayer to be ware of the ‘Ides of March’.
(3) Caesar had refused to heed the warning not to come out on that March 15 date.
(4) On the fateful day Caesar met the soothsayer and joked that, “well, the ‘Ides of MARCH’ are come” implying that the prophesy had not been fulfilled, to which the seer replied “Aye, they are come, but they are not gone”
(5) As predictably warned, Caesar was stabbed severally to death at a meeting of the Senate. As many as 60 conspirators led by Brutus and Cassius were involved in the plot and assassination.
(6) Caesar laying on the floor described Brutus’ stab as the “most unkindest cut of all”. With his last breath Caesar uttered his last three words – “Even you Brutus” (Etu Brute)?
IMPLICATION OF THE EVENTS OF ‘IDES OF MARCH’ TO THE ROMAN EMPIRE
(1) Caesar was ultimately assassinated on the ‘Ides of March’, which unfortunately, opened the final chapter in the crisis of the Roman Republic.
(2) His death triggered a series of further Roman civil wars that would finally result in the rise to sole power of his adopted heir, Octavian.
(3) In 27 BC, Octavian was raised to be emperor Augustus, and thus he finally terminated the Roman Republic.
(4) On the 4th anniversary of Caesar’s death, Octavian executed 300 Senators who had fought against him under Lucius Antonius, the brother of Mark Antony.
(5) This executions were one of a series of actions taken by Octavian to avenge Julius Caesar’s death.
WHO IS JULIUS CAESAR?
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman General who led the Roman armies in wars, defeating his political rival Pompay in a civil war. He subsequently became dictatorial from 49 BC until his assassination on 15 March 44 BC.
He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.
NIGERIA’S ‘IDES OF MARCH’
Nigeria’s economic, security, corruption, religious, tribal/nepotism, and all other social problems are driving the country to the brink of extinction. The level of suffering, killing, hunger, unemployment, and abject poverty is becoming unbearable.
Successive leaders especially Muhammadu Buhari have so badly dehumanized the person called “Nigeria” that he is just a “standing dead horse.”
They have succeeded in putting a knife on the things that held Nigerians together and we’ve fallen apart.
Just like Julius Caesar’s wife and the soothsayer in the Roman ‘Ides of March’, good spirited Nigerians have been warning our leaders of an impending catastrophe but these insensitive, corrupt and selfish leaders have refused to heed the warnings.
The ‘Ides of March’ will soon come to Nigeria. The storm is building up, the handwriting is on the wall.
THIS IS NIGERIA’S ‘IDES OF MARCH’ :
√ Nigeria’s politicians on horsebacks have ridden into the national coffers and have staged a relentless Robin Hood and Cowboy style evacuation of the resources of this country.
√ Militant terrorist marauders groups in the name of Fulani heardsmen, bandits, kidnappers, and gunmen have overrun Nigeria, thus making the county’s military a lame toothless bulldog.
√ Universities and Labour Union’s have been embarking on endless strikes for increase in wages and take-home pay that have not and would never take them home.
√ The entire country is warming up for the Mother of all Revolution such that the Arab Spring revolution may likely be a child’s play.
√ The leadership have employed divisive tendencies of religion and tribal bigotry to prevent the coming together for a revolution.
But hunger which has no respect for religion and tribe is going to lead from the front in the Nigeria’s ‘Ides of March’
CONCLUDING REMARKS
√ Julius Caesar was full of pride by refusing to head the warnings from his wife and the soothsayer.
√ It’s only the stubborn fly that follows the corpse in the casket into the grave.
√ As Nigeria approaches and gets deeper and closer to the brink of a failed state, President Tinubu and his insensitive legion of looters would do well to “BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH” as the ghost of an uncertain national destiny hovers.
