The ephemeral nature of power, human achievements
Asuku S. Audu
The rise and fall of human fortunes are a timeless tale, poignantly captured by Shakespeare thus: “Out, out, brief candle. Lives but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
Throughout history, this fleeting nature of human achievement has played out in the lives of leaders, nations, and empires. From the legendary Alexander the Great to the ill-fated Napoleon Bonaparte, from the mighty Roman Empire to the sprawling British Empire, the arc of rise and fall has been a recurring theme.
Other notable examples include:
– The Egyptian Pharaohs, whose grandeur and pyramids once seemed invincible, but now lie in ruins.
– The Mongol Empire, which once stretched from China to Eastern Europe, but eventually fragmented and disappeared.
– The Mayan Civilization, whose advanced knowledge and cities were lost to the jungle.
– The Soviet Union, which rose as a superpower but collapsed under its own weight.
– Closer to home, the pioneering figures of our beloved nation, Nigeria, serve as poignant examples of the rise and fall narrative. Visionaries like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Sir Ahmadu Bello, who played instrumental roles in shaping our country’s destiny, are a testament to the fleeting nature of human achievement. Their legacies, once towering and influential, now serve as reminders of the transience of human greatness. Their stories underscore the importance of humility, wisdom, and collective progress, serving as a reminder that even the most remarkable achievements can fade like the morning dew.
It’s therefore amusing to see individuals in positions of political power act as if they are omnipotent, forgetting the fleeting nature of human existence. They seem to overlook that their time in the spotlight is short-lived and that their legacy is not eternal.
Those who wielded power some decades ago, as mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, are now nothing more than a distant memory, relegated to the footnotes of history. Their names, once synonymous with authority and influence, have faded into obscurity.
We are all bound by the constraints of time, and our moments of triumph are but brief flickers in the grand tapestry of human experience. The present is all we have, and it will soon give way to the future.
Remember, the baton of power is not yours to keep forever; it will inevitably be passed to others. The cycle of rise and fall is inexorable, and no one is immune to its forces.
Let this humbling truth temper your actions and decisions, that you may use your time in power wisely and with compassion. For when your moment has passed, it will be the impact of your legacy, not the length of your tenure, that will be remembered.
These cautionary tales remind us that even the greatest achievements are transitory, and that the forces of history can swiftly erase even the most seemingly indelible marks.
