By GHK Lall- ‘Fearing no one but god.’ The words are a crescendo that crashes on the ear. Suddenly, it is crowded. The space occupied. Lonely, it was. I welcome Mr. Azruddin Mohamed, he of WIN. No one can lose when a man of god. When only God Almighty is feared. Fear is healthy. It is spiritual also. Do thy damnedest. I shall persevere and prevail.
It is why I recommend the same to Pres Ali and Dr. Jagdeo, good friends of mine. In a secular paper, the preference is not to go too deep into this business about being god fearing. But it aids in self-examination. Helps with self-adjustment. Out of regard for the presidency, I erased using self-correction. Self-adjustment will have to do.
It seems that WIN Mohamed has crossed that Rubicon. He is now a proud citizen, who entered god fearing territory. Congratulations extended to another brother. Welcome, also. Now for a dash of the sobering, a cautionary note. Only a dash, like a sprinkling of black pepper. To my fellow citizens, Christians or otherwise: behold those who quote scripture. And, who has done so for his or her own purposes.
I have a special fondness for men and women of god. But I must be clear. Not the god of money. Not the god of oil. Definitely, not the god of darkness and variegated debaucheries. It is why I am so bewitched by that god fearing brother, Pres Ali. He is forever in some house of worship, isn’t he? The spirit has taken over him.
The only questions are: which one and of what kind. The same two questions apply to some government ministers and members of the opposition. The same inquiries have even more relevance, more weight and more bearing, to many ministers of religion. Pick a denomination. Then pick any of their prophets who double as a performer.
Recall excellence in leadership. The god fearing spoke. I tremble. I seek cover. Recall those who gave themselves impressive titles that make lesser men swoon, women croon. When the god fearing is into dancing and gyrating for objectives other than the spiritual, now there is a stadium overrun by scorpions. In taking a survey across Guyana’s numerous religious denominations, I must be the only pagan, a confirmed hardhearted, stiff-necked agnostic. Fearing god, but going my own way. Following another star here and there.
I hear Azruddin Mohamed. What is there to fear in mere mortal men? All they have are their bulldozers, their bulldogs, their bullies, and their bushwhackers. He has to have some knowledge of those, when I consider the company that he once held dear. For the education of fellow Guyanese, a “bushwhacker” is Texas talk for those who lie in ambush to shoot others in the back.
See, how much of a reformed sinner I am! I spare my brother, Mr. Alistair Routledge, the trouble of holding a press engagement and having to do some more explaining. This is my joy. To use the call of a writer to be a messenger and a teacher, a washer of feet. If there is any one in Guyana, who should know about a messenger, it is Mr. Mohamed. Out of the sands of Mecca in Arabia, there came one. There has since been a long line of imitators.
Though many may disagree, it is good to hear god mentioned, given some space, a little publicity. Regardless of the source. Notwithstanding the press of circumstances. Noting also the curious contexts from which all this light now shines on this great and grim (and often grotesque) republic of oil. Is Attorney General Anil Nandlall absorbing, considering the Kshatriya he is acclaimed to be! Another great son of god. A man of goodness and the spillage of graciousness. I’m still struggling with the definition for those.
From America’s Franklin D. Roosevelt to Guyana’s Azruddin “WIN” Mohamed. The only thing to fear is fear itself. Today, Mr. WIN did FDR one better: the only one to fear is god. I’m left in awe.
