Christian Andersen’s famed tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” published more than a thousand years ago is evergreen. It paints a picture which illustrates how the human mind can be manipulated into thinking and believing in fallacies, a quality which makes the story a classic.
This tale tells of a very powerful Emperor who struts about in what he called his new clothes but was actually naked. One astonishing thing is that the Emperor was so feared that anyone who pointed out the obvious was labeled stupid and incompetent by his sycophants. So everybody kept mum and admired the Emperor’s new clothes.
This situation is currently what’s happening at the White House in Washington DC. An astute businessman, President Donald Trump preyed on intrinsic human emotions to rise to power. He divided America along many lines, promised to deport immigrants and proclaimed to “make America great again,” a slogan which is now the watchword of violent xenophobic extremists.
This fear, that foreigners, or strange looking people have come into your own house to take all your valuables was what led Britain to vote BREXIT. It is what opportunistic people prey on to be chosen as leaders. Hitler utilized it to lead Germany into one of its darkest point in its history and it is what France’s Marie Le Pen is banking on to push her to France’s number one spot. Russia’s Vladmir Putin also supports to this rule and it’s the same feeling that makes South Africans kill foreigners amongst them.
Xenophobia also made Nigerians unashamedly drive their West African neighbors, Ghana, out of their country, with the term “Ghana must go” trailing them. However, looking critically at things begs the question - what has been the gain?
The Holocaust is a big dark period in the history of Germany and will forever remain so. Nigeria now battles economic recession, South Africa is still struggling and those who voted BREXIT are now regretting their actions. The division of Sudan till today is yet to yield something positive.
The world is a global village and humanity can only move forward if nations embrace each other and unite as one. There is hardly progress in division but sadly that’s how many leaders get to power. Donald Trump has already been elected US President and is now the most powerful man in the world. Like the Emperor in Anderson’s famed fable, Mr. Trump is now surrounded by people who adore him too much that they indulge in his catastrophic ideals and world leaders who have decided not to address the elephant in the room.
During Trump’s inauguration, world leaders lined up to smile up at him and pat his back, singing his praises in an ear whisper. Those absent at his inauguration paid their respect via phone calls. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “nice” phone conversations with him. Not to be outdone, African leaders- Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, also scrambled to pay their homage through phone calls, all in a bid to get his attention. Everyone deliberately agreed that the Emperor’s new clothes are made of the finest fabrics when they shouldn’t.
Donald Trump’s goals clearly conflicts with world peace and unashamedly favors the persecution of the minority, a thing which will never benefit anyone. He has promised to build a wall to isolate America and has ordered that people with roots from certain parts of the world be denied entry into God’s own land irrespective of their tremendous contribution to USA’s development.
It is time for Americans, and the world to take the bull by the horns. Like the little girl in Andersen’s fable pointed out, Donald Trump should be made aware that he’s naked and that he must put on clothes or remain in his room. His policies, and that of other right minded extremists if put in place, will plunge the earth into its darkest period.
It’s been more than half a century since the last world war. The freedom we enjoy now should not be taken for granted. We don’t have to experience war again to understand peace. Humanity has no color or race and will only move forward if everyone unites amicably.
By Emmanuel Oke
This tale tells of a very powerful Emperor who struts about in what he called his new clothes but was actually naked. One astonishing thing is that the Emperor was so feared that anyone who pointed out the obvious was labeled stupid and incompetent by his sycophants. So everybody kept mum and admired the Emperor’s new clothes.
This situation is currently what’s happening at the White House in Washington DC. An astute businessman, President Donald Trump preyed on intrinsic human emotions to rise to power. He divided America along many lines, promised to deport immigrants and proclaimed to “make America great again,” a slogan which is now the watchword of violent xenophobic extremists.
This fear, that foreigners, or strange looking people have come into your own house to take all your valuables was what led Britain to vote BREXIT. It is what opportunistic people prey on to be chosen as leaders. Hitler utilized it to lead Germany into one of its darkest point in its history and it is what France’s Marie Le Pen is banking on to push her to France’s number one spot. Russia’s Vladmir Putin also supports to this rule and it’s the same feeling that makes South Africans kill foreigners amongst them.
Xenophobia also made Nigerians unashamedly drive their West African neighbors, Ghana, out of their country, with the term “Ghana must go” trailing them. However, looking critically at things begs the question - what has been the gain?
The Holocaust is a big dark period in the history of Germany and will forever remain so. Nigeria now battles economic recession, South Africa is still struggling and those who voted BREXIT are now regretting their actions. The division of Sudan till today is yet to yield something positive.
The world is a global village and humanity can only move forward if nations embrace each other and unite as one. There is hardly progress in division but sadly that’s how many leaders get to power. Donald Trump has already been elected US President and is now the most powerful man in the world. Like the Emperor in Anderson’s famed fable, Mr. Trump is now surrounded by people who adore him too much that they indulge in his catastrophic ideals and world leaders who have decided not to address the elephant in the room.
During Trump’s inauguration, world leaders lined up to smile up at him and pat his back, singing his praises in an ear whisper. Those absent at his inauguration paid their respect via phone calls. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “nice” phone conversations with him. Not to be outdone, African leaders- Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, also scrambled to pay their homage through phone calls, all in a bid to get his attention. Everyone deliberately agreed that the Emperor’s new clothes are made of the finest fabrics when they shouldn’t.
Donald Trump’s goals clearly conflicts with world peace and unashamedly favors the persecution of the minority, a thing which will never benefit anyone. He has promised to build a wall to isolate America and has ordered that people with roots from certain parts of the world be denied entry into God’s own land irrespective of their tremendous contribution to USA’s development.
It is time for Americans, and the world to take the bull by the horns. Like the little girl in Andersen’s fable pointed out, Donald Trump should be made aware that he’s naked and that he must put on clothes or remain in his room. His policies, and that of other right minded extremists if put in place, will plunge the earth into its darkest period.
It’s been more than half a century since the last world war. The freedom we enjoy now should not be taken for granted. We don’t have to experience war again to understand peace. Humanity has no color or race and will only move forward if everyone unites amicably.
By Emmanuel Oke
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