Protocol in heaven?

Eid-Fitr is a day to celebrate and commemorate the holy month of Ramadan. A month, which sole purpose was to teach us about restraint against excesses. The month also has in it the teaching of humility of all humans. We are all equal before God; no inferior, no superior. Unfortunately a lot of us seem to have forgotten the importance of that teaching, of that key importance of this holy day.

This year’s Eid Fitr was quite different for me because I got an insight to how our “esteemed” leaders participated in this day. My family and I arrived at the field quite early at about 7:00am. There was urgency and a need to be there early this time. The field was almost empty except for the other early arrivals and the civil defence officials which had been stationed there to guide and control proceedings. This first thing I noticed, were the colourful ropes which had been tied to the trees to demarcate the fields. Looking at the setting of the demarcated spaces and listening to some of the civil defence barking out “protocol” at us, I assumed it was meant to separate the “VIPs”. I guess we must not have been important enough as we were placed on the row just before the supposedly  normal or common people (according to protocols). As I sat, I wondered to myself; does sitting in this demarcated space mean I am more religious or more important to God than the people behind me? Or would sitting here ensure that I would get accepted to heaven before those behind me? I had seen this pompous and unnecessary “protocol” being observed in government functions, but that was politics, that was manmade; so of course there would be a superior and an inferior. But witnessing this same protocol being practised on a religious front was baffling. In a place where there is meant to be only equality, people are still differentiated by class. I guess their “heaven” has protocols as well.

The next incident that made this Eid further irk me occurred towards the end. Prayers were meant to begin at 9:00am (but you can always trust African time), so we had mentally prepared for 9:30am. But the time was now 10:15am, and it did not seem like they were prepared to start. People started getting irritated, shouting “Saafu!!” (meaning stand for prayer). I also was already getting tired of straining my ear to listen to the sermon erupting from the virtually inaudible speakers. Then I became even more irritated when I found out about another protocol; apparently the prayer had been delayed for the arrival of the Emir, who could not arrive without the governor’s presence. I thought, or rather said out loud I have not come here to pray to the Emir or the Governor. However my disappointment didn’t go out to the Emir or Governor (I have very little expectation of our appalling leaders), but rather I was disappointed at the Imams, the religious leaders who saw it  fit to halt the prayers because of two people who were not time conscious. These religious leaders, out of their great reverence for these normal people with pompous titles have brought back idol worshiping. How else can one describe the inconveniencing of over two hundred and fifty thousandpeople  for a specific few? Then again, it could all be brought back to protocol; The Imams could be said to be observing protocol as well. We all know that our society is plagued with status, class and inequality, but it is saddening and shocking to see this mentality creep in to the religious sphere (a gateway to spirituality). Our Imams have abandoned their preaching on equality to adopt the preaching of protocol.

Gladly, among this chaos and negatives, one positive showed through: The little revolution by the supposedly "common people". Indulge me as I pull you back a bit. As we arrived and were seated in the last row of the “VIPs”, there was the sudden sound of rapid footsteps approaching us. I turned and saw a small cloud of dust as people were rushing towards the sectioned off area. People yelling in rapid Yoruba “Awa na fe sumo si Olohun” (they also want to be closer to their God). They burst through the flimsy rope demarcations and the menacing looking civil defence (with all their guns and dark shades) were reduced to begging cadets. The people showed the ropes for what they truly are, just rope, nothing more. They showed, how ridiculous the demarcations are, as we are equal in what truly matters-it is only our mind made construct that has created something as insignificant as class and status. I am glad the people understood their power and I hope the religious leaders would learn from their followers so they also see the Emirs and governors for what they really are -just people. i also hope they will learn to abandon protocol and return back to the teachings of humility and equality.