The Naga Society today cannot observe, commemorate or celebrate any event without the inclusion of a Chief Guest, be it in any serious official occasion or some fanfare activity. When or how did this Chief Guest culture started in our society maybe hard to trace back with definite conclusion but one certain assumption that can be argued is that it may have started when the Indian officials visiting the Naga Hills before or during the inception of Statehood were showered and honored with rich traditional gifts and by displaying our rich cultural pageantry. They sure were welcomed and treated with great pomp and splendor .While some are of the opinion that it must have originated when our brave warriors during the headhunting days of yore were welcomed back with much ado and bustle with their trophies and spoils of pillage and plunders. Any ceremony sans the Chief Guest seems to be incomplete and flavorless today. It’s like a meat without salt, as some would put it. From Official events like inaugurations, anniversaries, inductions, installations, investitures etc. to opening of new shops, hotels, malls, gracing a sporting events etc. a Chief Guest seems to be the most important person at the happening moment and a necessity for the affair. Whether it’s in a governmental functions or an event of some private enterprise he/she seems to be the ‘Hero/Heroine of the Hour ’. Even the student conferences and the church programs are no exceptions.
But in the midst of all this, are we missing something out? In the recent scenario Power, Fame and Money seems to be the three most important criteria in the selection of the Chief Guest and the last one among the three seems to be the most important factor for the majority of the Nagas, so that the most asked question after the function is ‘Well, how much did our Chief Guest donated?’ which now has become the catchword and not ‘What, why or how’ did the Chief Guest speak about. I would never say inviting a chief guest to be a part of us in any event is wrong but shouldn’t our motive and objective be clear and well-defined too? To bring the matter straight home, how can a thief preach about honesty and decent earning of livelihood? How can an alcoholic preach about Prohibition or to be a teetotaler? How can a person of loose morals advise others on HIV/AIDS or sexual morality? How can someone who shoot, kill and savor wild animals and birds, preach about preserving flora and fauna of our land? How can someone who steals public funds through his pen talk against extortion by guns? How can someone who receives money under the table talk about equal opportunity for all or transparency and accountability? How can someone who is never regular, sincere and honest in his official assignments preach about the dignity of labor, dedication, obedience and success? How can someone who encroaches government land harp on right conduct of others? The list is endless.
Before inviting anyone for any event why don’t we examine or investigate the person’s integrity and credibility? I once overheard when some youths who happen to be from our same church and also working in some local and regional student bodies about inviting tainted politicians, bureaucrats and public leaders. Though I am not against anyone of them yet many of them with a questionable personality and dubious reputations are invited to speak on public platforms on various issues ranging from moral issues on God Himself o and they do so such impunity. If it so happens to be his/her particular department and he/she being its head and at its realm , it can’t be helped when that person is the ‘Guest ‘but it is mostly during the Student Conferences, Churches, Public Forums etc. that those nefarious persons talking high rhetoric about every good thing of this world when they fail to understand that they, a leader ,should be the first one to change ,the best self-example, the first one to reform themselves before talking about changing or reforming the world. Before shouting in the streets why not set their house in order first? Before pointing the dirt inside other’s compound why not clean up their own closets first? To be very frank, most of these leaders talk about change and reforming our society when they cannot change themselves. Most of them talk about value of hard work and simple living when they live like kings. They talk against corruption and nepotism but they themselves are on the spree of back-door appointments, illegal cash transactions, showing favoritism, siphoning public funds meant for developments, misusing govt. properties, etc. They talk high on peace, development and prosperity but use every type of anti-social elements for their selfish gains, so how there can be peace in the society? When they divert all public funds in their coffers and how can there be development for the people? And without the former and the latter, prosperity seems to be just a misnomer. Their deeds speak otherwise and aye, our actions speak louder than our words.
As they say ‘Imitation is the greatest form of flattery’. Nowadays most of the PS/PAs of our politicians substitute for their bosses and be their emissaries when their boss cannot make themselves available in these functions where they are invited. But as long as the hosts rake in the moolah, who cares? The famous rock super star Jon Bon Jovi has aptly sang in one of his hit numbers ‘No one wants to be themselves these days’. It sure is. For many, only money matters today and when the money-spinners consent to be their guest, it is like hitting the jackpot lottery. This culture of inviting chief guests has become another way of minting money. Do we bother to ask ourselves where all this generously donated amount comes from? Ultimately, the guest has to recover or reimburse from some government fund so in the end the loser being the common people. We no longer hold the right to rue about bad roads, erratic power supply, unemployment, water scarcity etc.
Many host organizations goes even to the extent of including the assumed amount to be donated by the Chief Guest in their expenditure list to be incurred. They indeed do shower praises when some handsome amount is donated but grumble when the donated amount seems to be less than they had expected. Slyly and sheepishly, these days most of the tag of the Guests are categorized or compartmentalized into different ‘Chief, Special or Honour’ according to their official designation or money-value. One senior citizen mockingly lamented that inviting these chief guests makes them feel like Cheap Guests. But is the money the only factor and reason of inviting them? If it is so, then we need to carefully analyze ourselves before we all fall in to the abyss of money-pit. Money, though is an important agent to run any organizations, yet is transitory because money comes and money goes, as the saying goes ‘ Money is a good servant but a bad master.’ And there are still many things like which money can never buy like Integrity, Honor, Courage, Wisdom and Virtue which cost and goes longer even when the greens have been over and done with. Money can temporarily buy human emotions but is not a permanent panacea for human values.
It is not that everybody or every organization solely invite these Chief Guests for some monetary benefits or personal profits only. Yes, there are still some who calls on them without any intention of financial gain but only for their revered presence , oratory skills, unquestionable reputation, extreme insight, ,amazing talents, awesome accomplishments or in-depth knowledge. The presence of a persons like Sir Thepfhoulvi Solo and Sir Khekiye Sema at the ACAUT rally and at a Student Conference a few days back to exhort the young minds and the people was indeed a blessed moment no amount of money can buy. Or the invitation of Pastor Colo Mero as a Special Guest by the Xelhozhe Youths at their cricket tourney for his prayers last year is indeed some illustrations and cases which others must follow suit.
Today at the crossroads, the young Naga generation needs honest, dedicated, bold and God-fearing leaders to inspire, ignite and instill them with a mission, with a vision for purposeful and a meaningful life. We need leaders of integrity, leaders who practice what they preach, leaders who can go the extra-mile, leaders who think out-of-the-box. Efficient, pragmatic and visionary leaders who works and plans meticulously and diligently for the well being of the society with money as only a secondary means to help and not for appeasement or enticement for future political mileage or personal gains.
A notable and a distinct example to be appreciated was of our honorable state Road and Bridges Minister, Mr Azo who as a chief guest at the Western Chakhesang Youth Organisation sports week recently, reprimanded some public leaders who took time-out and took on the dais, made a public request to the minister to repair their village road and tried to bestow him by showering gifts. Instead the straight-forward minister reproved of such gesture and said there are certain government protocols and guidelines to be followed and how can he accept such gift when the rest of the people present go empty handed? Can our other leaders beat that? Moreover, the young dynamic and the energetic leader is proving all his critics wrong showing that he is as man of his words bringing much relief to the people by repairing the depilated roads condition and by being there himself at the place and time,as his portfolio suggests, the roads.
Leaders, both the hosts as well as the invited must always remember that they do not own this world, they have borrowed it from our children. The trend they are setting today will be adapted by our children tomorrow. And together we should be answerable to them tomorrow for whatever we all do today.
The Dimapur Sumi Baptist Church, last year during its ‘Youth Fest’ invited some young fine examples of successful individuals and as the nomenclature of the fest suggested, three dynamic youths, self-made youths who worked their way to success by the din of their own sweat and hard work in business, competitive exam and financial investment to inspire and instill the spirit of hardwork and diginity of labour to the youths. An exemplary instance is that of the Mishikito Student’s Union, Dimapur, who returned back the amount donated by the Chief Guest. It is an example, I believe, we should all emulate. Can we do that?
