Yanpvuo Yanfo Kikon: A REALITY CHECK - Is Nagaland headed towards becoming like Switzerland, South Korea or Republic of Congo?
Meaning of Congo Dandies - "There are people in the Republic of the Congo who proudly strut down dirty slums and hutted streets in designer clothes. They even sell their property and spend it on luxuries. They live in poverty but wear expensive luxuries. They are called the Congo Dandies."
Everyone of us at least know that one guy or girl we all try to avoid right? The one who dresses up like a millionaire but is infamous for asking for BAAKI from every dukan and person he knows. He never repays anybody but yet continues to spend all the money he gets into making himself look like a Naga Dandy. His house is in tatters and almost collapsing, the roads he walks on is all mud and the little money he gets, he doesn't invest or save. He doesn't like to study nor work but all the money he takes baaki, he spends it on buying new clothes, shoes and gadgets that makes him look expensive. He/she is called a Dandy boy/girl.
Reflecting the analogy of a Naga Dandy onto our State:
Nagaland is one of the oldest spoiled brat adopted son of India. He is over 50 years old but still depends on his parents for pocket money and goes around begging for money to anyone he meets.
His parents gave him seeds to plant which if nurtured properly will grow into a tree, bear fruits. The fruits which he can enjoy with his children and also share the surplus with his neighbours. But this Naga Dandy even ATE THE SEEDS! GULP!! And now he wants more seeds to eat even from older brother Japan and other people who he is trying to 'hand-shake' so that he can tell them "Pleaseee paaraa baaki olop de na.. olop solop RASTA banawo laage ho.." Back of their minds, these rich and matured countries know his reputation. They know that this dandy boy aint' gonna build no roads....
For over 50 years, the spoiled brat son has spent all his years celebrating festivals, events, jubilees after jubilees, merry-making, talking all day about politics that don't matter and singing songs of cowboys from a bygone era...
For over 50 years, he has managed to buy himself all the luxury he desires, the coolest gadgets, cars, suits and fancy lifestyle from the first world but in reality WE LIVE IN A THIRD WORLD -
1. Disease infested where even a dreaded disease like DENGUE has become a common disease in our commercial hub of Dimapur.
2. Illegal Immigrant infested where the worst people are entering the state freely,
3. Educated and Unemployed infested - We dandies would rather have holes in our pockets and maintain the Pradhan Mantri Yojna Zero Bank Balance instead of shoving off our ego, laziness to work and even earn a little to ease the burden on our parents. An educated man is never unemployed. If an educated man is unemployed in a place like Nagaland, let us be blunt to ourselves - We are only lazy! Why are people from far as Rajasthan and Bangladesh coming to Nagaland and becoming Crorepattis? Because there are tons of jobs and employment opportunities for people who want to work hard and earn. Let us always think twice and look around us before we complain about UNEMPLOYMENT again!
There is GREAT PRIDE & SATISFACTION in WORKING HARD AND EARNING ON YOUR OWN! No matter what job it is as long as your are working and earning honestly without stealing or dandying around.
4. CORRUPTION INFESTED - From Government to Naga Political Groups, local bodies, association and even church bodies are now infested with the disease of CORRUPTION where the VISION, IDEAS, VALUES of being SELFLESS and putting our people and our community first have been washed away by our selfish greed and personal interests instead of PUBLIC INTEREST.
COLLAPSED Infrastructure, Government, Values and Ethics - Even the most basic infrastructures such as Roads, Electricity, Transportation, Education and Healthcare have all collapsed.
Let us not point our fingers at our Dandy Government and our Dandy Politicians. Who elected them? You and Me. Our Government is our Reflection. We created them, they did not create themselves.
THIS COMING ELECTION is the TIME FOR CHANGE. The power to bring REVOLUTION is literally at our FINGER TIPS. If we really want change, then change starts from you and me to be selfless and vote for the one who will bring change to our society.
If we are selfish and would instead vote for the one who will give you the backdoor job, give you pocket money or satisfy your Naga dandy lifestyle then be rest assured, that if this election we do not REVIVE OURSELVES TO VOTE FOR CHANGE, we are doomed and will definitely head towards becoming the next REPUBLIC OF CONGO with our potholed dirty streets, unplanned/unregulated cities and towns filled with Naga dandies.
Angam Niumai: We Nagas are a talented lot, potentially speaking but Big Zero when it comes to discipline, determination, persistence etc. with career/studies, hence.
We love to spend (generous), show-off with designer clothes and hairdos (not impressed at all) and are foodies.
Our politicians; thieves and robbers and getting richer and we don't condemn them during elections by voting the way we do, always. A failed state we are, as a Naga Nation. Budget says so, fiscal deficit.
Unemployment will rise.
Dandy Naga boys, dandy Naga girls.
We need to look at our wise neighbours, like the Meiteis and Mizos. They control everything in their state, be it business, jobs and all other opportunities to counter unemployment. But Dimapur where outsiders come and rule us in our own town. Sad, height of stupidity and laughter in front of our neighbours.
Taliyanger Walling: Just imagine what sort of wealth Nagas of the yore had, at the most three to four granaries of paddy and that also only three to four families in a village having such level of wealth and they were the one who provided community feasts and enjoyed their status which was some notch above the commoners. Those were the days, with the advent of Christianity and education and later on the political metamorphosis, 99% of the Nagas were reduced to the same level. From the ashes a new breed of first generation educated Nagas emerged and dovetailed with the babus from mainland India in all spheres of activities concerning Nagas. The corruption magic was rubbed on to this innocent Nagas and now we have created a niche of our own regarding corruption. The remodeled generation of today are mostly the seeds of our mostly corrupted (first timer) generation. It has become very difficult for a common young Naga to remove the shackles but smoothly glide into the shoes of their parents. This is what I called the vicious cycle of corruption. To come out of the shackles of corruption is utopian and next to impossible. Every Naga mind is directed towards a life full of personal gratification and greed. I am an optimist but very difficult to swallow the idea that persons of high moral integrity and selfless sacrifice for the betterment of Naga society shall come forward to serve the society. If there is any individual trying to serve the Naga people interest than well and good.
The articles in this column are compiled by The Naga Blog administrators.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Naga Blog.
