Football & biblical time-lines?
A favourite quote of mine from Shakespeare is a statement by Julius Caesar on the “Ides of March,” (15th Mar 44 BC) in the tragedy Julius Caesar.
Having been advised by his wife Calphurnia not to go out that day because of a premonition stemming from a dream she had that night about his death, Julius Caesar replied as follows:
“Cowards die many times before their death.
The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the things I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that, men should fear, seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.”
Later that day, Julius Caesar would be stabbed 23 times to death by a group of senators, including his best friend Brutus, hence his question, “et tu Brute,” (and you too, Brutus?
He was pained at Brutus’ betrayal.
So, why would a police inspector, into whose hands trust and confidence have been reposed by the State for our safety, betray Ghanaians by leading an armed robbery gang?
As I thought about this, I found my mind momentarily wandering about two Ghanaian passions: church-going and football (soccer).
Even though football had not been invented in biblical times, I found an interesting correlation between biblical and football timelines.
Indeed, if football had been invented, perhaps we would have heard club names in Israel like “Galilee Galaxies,” “Canaan Cornerstones” and “Haifa Highlanders.”
Others could be the “Jericho Sycamore-Stars,” “Tel-Aviv Trailblazers” and “Abednego United.”
Maybe, nearby Egypt would have had “Pharaoh Mighty Warriors” and “Potiphar Rangers.”
Psalm 90, Verse 10 (King James Version) states, “The days of our years are three score and ten: And if by reason of strength they be four score years.
Yet is their strength labour and sorrow.
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
In football, Regulation Time is 90 minutes. Where there is a deadlock, an additional 30 minutes of two halves of 15 minutes each is played, bringing the total to 120 minutes. If there is still a deadlock, there is a penalty shootout!
From the statements above, it can be opined that man’s initial expected three-score and ten (70) years life, can be equated to the initial ninety minutes in regulation time of football.
Psalm 90, 10’s statement that, “And if by reason of strength they be four-score,” may be equated with extra time in football to 120 minutes.
Even though the Bible does not categorically state what happens after “four-score” with all its problems of infirmity, one can infer that man dies and goes to meet his maker.
So life after 80 may be equated to a penalty shootout, which ends all proceedings.
After all these permutations, one may ask; so what?
Greed
Greed has so drowned man that people grab everything in sight as if they will live on earth forever. Sometimes, figures mentioned as having been stolen by Ghanaians are simply dizzying.
Stories of siblings’ inhumanity to siblings over property bequeathed them by parents are heartrending. Do they forget that, even Methuselah who lived for 969 years eventually died, and that we all as mere mortals have a regulation-time of 90 minutes, that is, 70 years?
In my October 2010 article titled “Animals are not greedy,” I stated that:
The General’s education reminded me of a play I watched in school in the mid-1960s.
The Pardoner’s Tale in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was titled “Radix malorum est cupiditas” (“greed is the root of all evil”).
In the play, three friends chanced on a vault of gold in the countryside.
After the initial excitement, they decided to guard the gold till nightfall, when they would carry their booty home without any interference.
While two guarded the gold, the third was sent to go to the nearest village to buy food.
As soon as the food buyer left, the two guards plotted to kill him on arrival so they would share the gold.
As he went, he thought of having all the gold to himself. He decided to kill his two friends. Having bought the food, he ate his and laced the rest with poison.
Although I watched this play about fifty years ago, I vstill have a vivid mental picture of all three friends dead on the stage. Greed!
Many years ago, the song of the year was “Sika y3 mogya” (money is blood/life).
Unfortunately, some Ghanaians do not put in the hard work needed to make money legitimately.
Ghanaian society respects rich people irrespective of how they came by the money.
Therefore, people steal fearlessly.
Conclusion
Greed has been the bane of many societies, including ours.
It is the foundation on which corruption is built, with the evil fruits of despicable language, stealing, bribery and corruption, violence and murders.
The accompanying arrogance is amazing.
To our leaders and also followers, remember Chaucer’s quote that “greed is the root of all evil.”
Perhaps, we must learn from animals.
Remember, we are ordinary mortals whose lives will end someday. So, why the greed?
To develop as a nation, we must exorcise greed and be content with what we work hard for legitimately.
*****
Summary
Between the Bible and football, we see how transient life is.
Why then do we live greedily as if we shall never die and leave all the loot?
Why should a Police Inspector lead a gang of armed robbers?
Why the perception/reality among university undergraduates that the fastest way of making money is to go into politics, and not through genuine hard work in farming, production and business?
For parents, let us give our children the best of education, which will guarantee a good future, and not bequeath them with property, over which a future family feud is guaranteed.
For those entrusted with our security, please do not turn your weapons, meant to protect us, against us like the inspector did!
For the untouchable and never-named galamsey-kingpins killing Ghanaians slowly with cyanide, arsenic, lead and mercury, remember death awaits you too in 90-minutes of Regulation time (70-years), 120 minutes extra time (80 years,) or penalty shoot-out (over 80 years).
Even Methuselah died at 969 years!
As the popular dictum says, “we came with nothing, and we shall go with nothing?” Let us live in peace, not war!
Leaders, lead by example/integrity/humility! Fellow Ghanaians, wake up!
The writer is a former CEO, African Peace Support Trainers Association Nairobi, Kenya; Council Chairman, Family Health University, Teshie, Accra.
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