Knowledge is Power

I’ve always been told that knowledge is power. The sorta power didn’t matter. Power na power abi? I’m sure just like me a number of you have heard that same line but believe me when I say whoever told you that “lied” to you. Hopefully, after my narrative, you’ll agree with me.
I’ve got a degree in Political Science from some nice school here in Nigeria. I guess that’s something to show that I have a bit of knowledge? No? Oh well. I like to think I’m a little smart. A little book smart, more people smart, but don’t bring numbers close to me, you’ll just be humiliating yourself. Anyways, you get the picture. I have a bit of knowledge.
It was a Friday afternoon and I was somewhere around Wuse. I was walking towards the bus stop just opposite that zone 3 junction when I spotted him; a nice madman walking in my direction. I knew he was mad. Tattered clothes, disheveled hair, crazed eyes… And a stick in his hand. I kept walking. Why should a mad man scare me, a sane person? It turned out to be a wrong choice actually. He quickened his pace as we approached each other and began waving his stick threateningly at me. I didn’t need anyone to tell me to run. The way I even crossed the road sef, I was lucky not to get hit by a car. Then I got to the other side of the road and some clown had the audacity to laugh at me. Mtscheew. Like he wouldn’t have run if he’d been in my shoes.
Anyways, let me just say, I learnt that day that knowledge really isn’t power. If it was, why did a mad man wield more power than myself? My degree didn’t automatically turn into some shiny gold sword for me to defend myself with. Neither did it transform me into superman like the picture above. A madman had more power than me simply because he was mad; not in his senses. And mind you, it wasn’t the first time I would be ‘attacked’ by a madman. And it wasn’t about the stick he was holding, so don’t tell me it’s cause he had a stick and I didn’t. The first time a madman attacked me, I was jejely passing by on my way to the market in Zaria. I saw him and didn’t make eye contact. I just passed. Next thing I knew, someone was charging at me. The way I screamed the “Jesus” that day ehn, I’m surprised the host of heaven didn’t come down in chariots of fire.
Anyways, to make a little sense out of all the madness here, get this, knowledge really isn’t power, madness is. But madness here isn’t the tattered clothes, unkempt hair, no-wits-about-you kinda madness but the kinda madness that has you dreaming big and planning outrageous stuff that has everyone else asking you “are you mad?” It’s important that you dream big and never give up on your dreams. Dream of something crazy but realistic. Realistic in the sense that with the right amount of time, dedication and determination, you can achieve it; not something mad that won’t require any input from you. And let your madness change your world and make a positive difference. I’m sure when the Wright brothers started out someone must have asked them “are you mad?”
Knowledge is power? Yeah right!
Have a mad weekend.
Yours always,
Yougeecash