I take you to class, precisely to form two and we are having a lesson on basic Algebra. Algebra – that branch of Mathematics in which letters and other general symbols represent quantities and numbers. While the sum of two and eight mangoes is ten, Algebra decides to represent mango by ‘m’ so that it reads: 2m + 8m = 10m
The teacher has just asked the students to find the sum of three bananas and four bananas algebraically…Then she has realised that she needs more chalk. She asks the students to discuss among themselves as she goes to the staffroom to get the chalk.
In her absence the class goes wild with excited noise. Some scream, others just shout, others whistle and still others distract others in diverse ways. With some difficulty, the class prefect manages to give the class a sense of direction. He brings the class to the discussion initiated by the teacher and gradually almost everyone cues in. Some students say that ‘banana’ should be represented by ‘a’, their explanation being that ‘a’ occurs the highest number of times in the spelling of banana. Others prefer ‘b’ or ‘n’ since to them consonants are masculine or the skeletal frame of words. Still others prefer ‘x’ or ‘y’, these being hermaphroditic as it were. They have their ways of conceiving a male and a female letter! The class prefect chooses ‘x’ for several reasons, including the fact that it is rarely used in spellings and that it is popular in Mathematics. That does not end the row though, for the noise starts to return to chaos.
The Mathematics teacher is no stranger to the scenario. While the kids talk on, the teacher returns and remains unnoticed by the door, watching them talk. A minute or two run by and, despite the rowdiness, she is satisfied with what she has seen and heard. She gets in and soon instills order by a little psychological trick.
Teacher: Together, let us decide. Any of the letters you have mentioned, a, b, n, x and y can be used to represent a banana, but ‘b’ is preferable.
Most Students: Why, Madam?
Teacher: (Takes a deep breath and then calmly explains) It is what best describes the situation. It is important to take the concept of imagery into consideration. (More elaborate explanation).
Students: (Silence and reflection)
Kamala: Understood, Madam. (Other students nod consent).
Teacher: Good. So, we have: 3b + 4b = 7b
From a, b, n, x, y one symbol only is chosen: ‘b’. The choice may well have been from any letters, even d, f, i, u. And what if the said letters represented decentralisation, federation, independence and the unitary? Actually, none of them is bad, but circumstances decide. The one that best suits us is our choice. That’s logical. We just need to base our choice on issues like the convenience, utility and applicability of our choice. And of course, history, law, culture and the feasibility of progress within our choice should matter. Neither the process of choosing nor the choice should mean hate speech, lies, demagoguery, or still less, war, if you ask me.
The one good thing that stands out is that we have the liberty to choose and that one of our choices happens to be exactly what we need. If we sincerely and at close range examine our options, nothing will stop us from arriving at that tailored choice.
Mere assumptions or street talk is far from the algebraic way out. And if we do not systematically pick out the strands of ideas to get to the end of the problem, then we may well wait for it to come up again not long from now. That is when we would go back to overheated talks and bloodbaths and criminality and then call ourselves back to table for talks.
That is how our silly mistakes will be doing their merry-go-round of unpardonable fumbling and crumbling of our values. Whereas, cards on the table, we should now hear each other out sincerely, remembering that no one knows it all and no one has heard it all. But if we put reason to cool-headed work, we would navigate to the moment and time when the crisis would be dead.
Aye Brandon Kiven
October 22, 2019
ayebrandonkiven@gmail.com