It will be a year in a few weeks since Russia stormed Ukraine in a war Ukraine did not want and for which it was least prepared. And when you would think calm was around the corner, as in the nature of all storms, the Russian storm began to rise and escalate. From usually a small almost inconsequential beginning, a storm gathers strength as it develops. The core storm and the supporting subsidiary winds are gathered into one force. Driven and thrown up. Empty drums are driven, first rolling at a terrific speed and noise, and like an aeroplane shot into the air. Sands and pebbles are blown in a blinding rage and demoniac velocity. Waters are muddied and polluted. Trees are shaken if not felled, and ripe as well as unripe fruits fall.

The picture of a natural phenomenon called storm in a desert or hurricane in the temperate region is the same as the seemingly artificially induced storm called war—in the present time Russia-Ukraine War: meetings and resolutions; war machine which includes propaganda, and the operation itself—soldiers armed to the teeth in war fatigue, and bombardment, destruction, casualties and fleeing into safety for dear lives, all encapsulated euphemistically described as campaign raids!

Let’s recall, Russia-Ukraine hostilities began when trigger-happy and ruthless war monger Mr. Putin massed 100,000 troops to Ukraine borders. He told the alarmed world that the troops were there only for drilling and he was going to call them back to their barracks. To the chagrin of the world, but more to the uninitiated, within a few days later, Russian tanks were driven into Ukraine with Putin giving all kinds of unconvincing reasons to fair-minded observers for the invasion.

I have been following the Russian-Ukraine War very closely and how I wished the protagonists knew what burden of guilt they have been heaping on themselves and the dire consequences awaiting the aggressors and their supporters. Threads of retributive justice bind all until every guilt is atoned for and the minutest dust is severed. In the operation of the self-enforcing Law of Reciprocal Action each person, or collectively as a nation in multiple measure of each party’s contribution, here or hereafter, in the dark region of the beyond or when back here on earth, pays severely for his part.

The airwaves and other media portals have been filled with stories of seeming gathering of powerful weapons of destruction to take on Russia in the defence of Ukraine. The United States and its allies sent heavy weapons to Ukraine. The US has $16.8 billion in weapons and other aids. With its allies, Canada and Australia, the US planned to send what they term ‘advanced M777’ howitzers which have longer range than Russia’s similar gun. On Tuesday it was reported that Germany was sending Leopard 2 tanks; the United Kingdom was deploying 12 Challenger 2 heavy tanks, its own brand of Germany’s Leopard. Dutch and Polish leaders have announced plans to do the same—the assembling of weapons undoubtedly signaling the pathway to the possibility of a Third World War. What with the times in which we are bringing to bear on her characteristics of acceleration and intensification of events, an unprecedented awakening pressure on and separation among mankind even in opinions. According to the enlightenment of these times, the unique Star, The Great Comet riding under the wings of the Holy Spirit, the Justice Arm of the Most High, is descending with its purification gale to sweep through the entire earth, the consequences of which will change the face of the world.

The frightening state of the world has been brought about by the often mentioned aberrant conduct of mankind. How can anyone hope to pass with the mindless destruction of property and lives being inflicted on Ukraine and in our own land remorseless killings, kidnapping and banditry. Since the behaviour of man has not changed a jot to the extent of being filled with utter disgust for the aberrations, respite may not be foreseen in the horizon. The scenario can be likened to the predicament of a man who is flung off a conveyor belt. Provided he makes every effort to regain his balance he will continue to be thrown off and will be harmed to the extent of breaking his arm, leg or back depending on the depth of the fall and the point of impact—that is unless he behaves himself on that belt; unless he cooperates with the conveyor belt by learning and adjusting to its rules. The conveyor belt will not be stopped on account of any person who ought to sit balanced on it and in cooperation with it, but chooses to disregard its rules. And pleading is not the answer. Ignorance of what is required, that is of the law, as lawyers would say, is not an excuse.

We are familiar with the workings of a conveyor belt at airports and belts in mills or plants. However, a majority of us do not recognize this in mechanism of life and we elect not to do so. Otherwise, how can we see our world as one without rules except those drawn up by us which in a majority of cases do not accord with the conveyor belt rules of life? The conveyor belt rules are permanent. They are points of reference; the yardstick by which all other rules must be judged. They are accessible; they are simple. In contrast, the rules we fashion are impermanent, subject to changes and amendments. They are inaccessible and complex, products of limited understanding. The rules are made for a world of which they are not its makers, and there is the assumption that its Maker has no need to draw up rules on how He expects His work to function. He is accorded less wisdom than the auto-maker who prints manuals to guide users of his automobiles.

In the Russia-Ukraine War as in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) we may not know enough and so it will be hard to apportion blame as such. Only observations can be made and these are even skin-deep observations. To be able to apportion blame, there must be a standard against which all happenings are gauged, a standard that is changeless; a standard that is universal and accessible, that is beyond the reach of political and economic changes, revolutions, upheavals, earthquakes or drought; it is absolute standard for all times. That the world is divided on what is right and who was wrong even if unequally, is proof that the world has not come to the recognition of that standard, and where it may have been recognized certainly by an insignificant handful, it has not been met. The standard has existed in all ages—eternally. It is the Truth Itself. Truth comes only from Above. Thus standards, virtues come only from Above. They cannot go from below up. They cannot emanate from mankind. Human beings can only receive virtues, recognize them, adapt them as their standards.

They cannot receive standards with their brains but their being, the true being, the true being within them, the ability they carry deep within them, ability which goes beyond the confines of this world, not being of this world. Man himself, is the animating core. This is why, because our schools and colleges are principally to develop the brains to impart skills to fend for oneself, these colleges cannot teach the truth. It can be recognized there as elsewhere because it is universal and accessible to all, including those outside colleges. Any wonder we are struck by deep and refreshing wisdom from even farm hands that never saw the walls of these colleges. The point being made is that since many a human being has neglected to grapple with truth, he has deviated from it, and is lacking in virtues. Consequently, he is brutalized, and unfeeling. So, he goes to war; he resorts to killings, kidnapping, terrorism and banditry. Since his misconduct even when expressed is attached to him, he is burdened by seeds of continual misbehaviour—wrong concepts, actions and statements. These, hitherto inactive in him, are now being driven into activity. All that is dead shall be awakened, it is said. That is, all that slumbers in a person shall be animated, unhinged so that its author can experience the consequences of his wrong actions and opinions. The experiences may bring him pains, sorrow, war, and when he does not, any longer, enjoy the experiences, he moves away from them, from the causes out of disgust. Will the Ukraine victims of the Russia-Ukraine War or the war in DRC (Democratic Republic Of Congo) not wish that an end be put to the hostilities in their lands not a day longer?

With our brains, we arrange, put together and elucidate what is discovered. What is discovered is already in existence. It is only uncovered. We may use the intellect to arrange, say through manufacturing, fashioning to facilitate our lives in what we call technologies. But technologies in themselves do not make man nor do they improve his character or quality of his worth. Thus technology without character leads to destruction, to a feeling of might being right. And we can read this from the arrogant conduct of Putin’s Russia. It brandishes its arsenals to exhibit might, and to destroy in apparent pursuit of expansionism. The only facility equipped to recognize what is right, what is noble and virtuous is the animating core of each of us—which recognition comes to it by its nature and relayed through the intuition, its voice. As this core is developed, it gains in clarity of recognition.

The stages of development are marked by epochs during which we are permitted new and higher revelations and recognitions of the truths of life. That core is man himself and is to direct our lives, itself the receptacle for guidance from On High. Our intellect being its instrument is to be directed by it. The reverse is the case today. Thus the primordial ordinance has been disarranged by we human beings and the intuition is no longer allowed its role; it has been cut off and with it its guidance. Consequently, mankind are wholly dependent on themselves and their limitations.

The whole world is standing in a new epoch, epoch of knowledge and one in which through the power of the Holy Spirit and its Messenger, The Great Comet, it is an epoch in which judgment is being released, in which cycles are closing, the end going back to the beginning. When frayed nerves are calmed and there is stock-taking, the magnitude of the devastation that is taking place will dawn on the world, particularly in Ukraine, the country most hit and which has a rebuilding to do. It is a pity! It is a pity–a great pity!

George Okoro and Ayo Olukotun
Two great men whose paths I had the fortune of crossing and who were very dear to me and to whom I owe a huge debt of grateful thankfulness have departed earthly life. They are George Okoro and Professor Ayo Olukotun. George Okoro was my teacher my boss while Ayo Olukotun was my close colleague. When I was publisher of National Compass, Olukotun was chairman of the Editorial Board. It was not at the Compass that our paths first crossed; it was in the Sunday Times at Kakawa Street. He was our reporter in Ibadan and I was a sub-editor, with Dipo Ajayi from Lagos Weekend in the saddle, holding fort for Gbolabo Ogunsanwo who was on vacation. Since I had the responsibility to gather stories in addition to my normal schedule of cleaning up copies and prepare them for the works, we had no choice but to relate very closely, sometimes with shouting from me. It was a short spell. So when we met at Compass we were no strangers to ourselves. That was where our interactions became enriching and impactful. Prof. Olukotun as is demanded of us by the profession, read voraciously, and this was reflected in his language. One could not but be struck by the freshness of his language and robustness of his thoughts. Never for him a tired word. He was cerebral. And he had those sunshine smiles to beam and could laugh effortlessly, the later an area in which we shared credentials and so drew closer still.

(Full tributes to both men next week as I had the deadline signal ticking).