What can words do?

What can words do? This is a question not as trouble-free as it looks on the surface, it has stratum upon strata. To answer it, you must peel off these layers one by one, to get to the depth where the answer rests. Well, let’s fast forward a bit, and assume that I have peeled the onion off its veils.

The pen is mightier than the sword they say, but the pen is only mighty because it wields out words and not blood, as it’s the case with the sword. It is because of the power of words that intellectuals are now ascribing muscle to the pen. But in truth, the homage they pay is to words. Words, whether spoken or written, is the most strongest weapon ever known to man, it has won wars, dethroned Kings, enthroned kings, won hearts that worship at its alter, change a civilization, won a civilization and even stolen a civilization. The world has proved that he, who has the strongest and most prevailing words, owns it. This is the means by which the strong men of the world keep all that power.

Someone once said; I don’t know who, that it takes a single writer to change a civilization. The wisdom here is that, only knowledge can actually free a man, only when a man is enlightened by the illuminating lens of knowledge, that he can completely understand not only himself, but the society that he populates. So if you want to rule over your fellow men, shutdown those lenses and keep it in a place where only you can access. Of course, that is a selfish POV, but unfortunately, both our intellectuals and leaders have kept the masses on the fringes, using this inhumane tactics.

We as writers and intellectuals, should burden ourselves with not only being the sole eye of the society, but must open more eyes that will help us spread the gospel of sensitization and enlightenment. We owe this to our society!

 By:  SADDIQ, Dzukogi