The Intellectuals vs Ideologues -By Micheal A. Adeniyi

Micheal A. Adeniyi

Whenever I am introducing myself nowadays I say ” My names are Micheal Adebola Adeniyi, I belong to the Intellectual class and from the virtuous state of Osun I belong to nobody but to everybody” some people always take this for brag whenever I say these things, No its not! Intellectuals are generally humble people. Actually nobody will say he is not brainy, but brainy people comes in two sizes, small and large. The small ones are the ideologues who live off politics and long for the centre stage. The large sized ones are the intellectuals who engage with society, but choose to stay at the margins.

An activist may be actively involved in politics, engage with events of the day, but should never join a party or canvass for one. This isn’t as easy as it sounds for it is very tempting to get that quick gratification from being a spitfire ideologue. Why, people even begin to acclaim such individuals as being socially committed and rooted. The best intellectuals, however, know this is one apple they should never bite.

The actual separation between intellectuals and ideologues happens on the ground rather spontaneously. A natural weeding out process takes place because politicians instinctively distinguish between somebody who will be their tub-thumper and a person who will not, despite all inducements. It is hard for an ideologue to turn intellectual, but rather easy for an intellectual to slide down the slippery slope. And every time an intellectual slithers and becomes an ideologue, a certain party rejoices. Re-entering low life is now clearly at a premium, you have subscribed!.

Intellectuals not only offend the powers of the day with what they say, but also because they refuse political shelter and patronage. It is perhaps the latter that upsets the establishment the most, which is why they get hammered left and right, It is then a test of an intellectual stamina to hold steadfast to the calling and excel in a chosen field. Such a person might also opt to spend additional time in communicating a difficult subject to a larger audience.

Intellectuals happily take sides in the open sun only when their very existence faces death on the vine. Democracy is oxygen for them and when that is sucked up and vacuumed out, they have no choice but to protest.

It is not surprising then that some of the brightest minds in modern times, from Gani Fawehinmi, Alfa Belgore and Festus Keyamo have staked their reputation to uphold democracy.

Why do intellectuals behave so strangely? Actually, it is not intellectuals alone, but members of a few selected professions who act in the same way as well. One would hardly expect an army chief to be a party propagandist; nor, for that matter, a priest, a policeman; or a judge.

This is simply because, at the very core, these professions are more pastoral than self oriented. The well-being of the institutions they serve is more important to them than their personal health. This goes against the laws of the market where the “survival of the fittest” determines individual rewards.
Hardly a brain teaser then why members of these professions never end up with fat salaries. Is there a sum you can actually calculate to justly reward a person who is ready to die to protect the lives of others? How much money can you give somebody for saving your soul? An intellectual, likewise, adds to knowledge that lives through generations; can one give this service a market price?

Don’t even think of it; you can never pay such people the money they deserve. Nor can such professionals be persuaded by money’s cousin, political power. Party affiliations make the mind inflexible and reluctant to accept contrary facts. Even so, there are still some true soldiers, priests and, yes, intellectuals in our times.

They have all made their mark by surviving against the fittest.

Its really good to be an intellectual, at least neutral, undiluted and unsentimental thinkers would ever exist in our land.