LEGACY ,OUR PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE by Olusegun M. Lawal

LEGACY ,OUR PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE by Olusegun M. Lawal 

Going through the  Legacy lane, it is catchy-phrase that has existence in what has been handed down by our predecessors or ancestors and its opposite has a thin line which is memory. Definition-wise ,LEGACY according to the Longman dictionary is something that happens or exists as a result of things that happened at an earlier time.

Etymologically, Legacy in a Latin word means (Legatia) which means Law.

From time immemorial, humans have tried to understand why memory must not be lost. It is an important part of what truly makes us human and yet it is one of the most elusive and highly misunderstood aspect of human attributes. We see ourselves as beings who capture space and time, making, creating and reshaping human history. The quality time we spent together with our loved ones, the trials and tribulations in the face of adversity and how we are able to sustain this planet to the way it is today.

Frankly speaking, legacy has been something which we only live for, which is believed to be the purpose of our very own existence, what you have and the way you have bequeathed into someone's life that will determine how people will talk about you later in life. Our legacy creates something great. It tells us how the nation continues to exist because of what the people in time past had provided for us which we use now in memory of them. Be it good or bad.

Memory is as important as humans. It is seen as a central attraction to the world because of our rationality, unlike animals who are only driven by their instincts. Legacy is important because it creates values to the society and without humans, the world would not have been a better place to live and that was why God told Man to continue the job of creation after the sixth day, reshaping and recreating for the unborn.

There are three things that paint the world; these are known as three L's of history

(1) The legacy that never dies.
(2) The fading legacy.
(3) The legacy that dies out.

(1) The legacy that never dies are those who have reshaped the world into a better place. People like Chinua Achebe, Kofi Awonnor, Fela Anikulapo  kuti, Festus  Iyayi, Nelson Mandela, Obafemi Awolowo, Moremi Ajasoro, Wole Soyinka, Ken Saro- wiwa Lansana Keita, Sophie Oluwole to name a few have actually done something great that their tales will not go out or fade as long as the Earth keep existing. What you say and how you are able to help your society and the ability to say No to evil even at the point of death.

(2) The fading legacy: Those that had done evil that people talk about, people like Lawrence Anini. AKA Ovbigbo in December 1986. The most notorious armed rubber in Nigeria history. People like Ishola Oyenusi, Youpelle Dakuro and others that shook the nation in dim-past.

(3) The legacy that dies out: Those that never did anything constructive. Those that came into the world as  commoners, these people neither create nor affect any life positively. They were born, grew up, married and returned to the Creator the way they came. They never thought of doing a thing in the society at all. This is what legacy does, it tells us the kind of people who created or destroyed. But to get the best out of everyone we must talk about the evil in the past and explain to the coming generations what they need to avoid and what they must do for their tales to be told in a positive manner.

Here is a quote from one of the greatest Roman philosopher, lawyer, politician and orator. Marcus Tullius Cicero, the life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living. Everything we do today does not only affect us personally but tells of the family name of a person positively or negatively. In a communistic life, which as a social stigma  refers to a group of people or family that are perceived and served to distinguish them from other members of a society. It could be criminality attributes, associate not only with family but oneself, and for the fact that a person has done something evil can make it difficult for the family to wash out the social dirt the person has brought upon them. 

Here is a quote from the writer of "Long Walk To Freedom" by Nelson Mandela.

'What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.'

The only way to keep the human history moving forward and in strength for the betterment of us is to set a remarkable legacy that will help the little ones to know the best way of life, as life is a reflection of what we do, the mirror of our being. Legacy is good, set a quality time and reflect on the very best way you think will affect positively  the next generation. And this, we should be able to rebuild our own coexistence because if we leave this world and the world did not miss you; you have not lived at all. We were only a notional member of the society who would be eternally forgotten."

Let us imagine how our community, our nation and our continent will be if we can change our thinking positively. Soon, all of us here today will go into the past. When our teeth will no longer be useful for meat, when our time is up, and the sun is out of our faces. How would you want your legacy to be told to the next generation who are anxiously waiting to be fed with very nice stories of their ancestors would be determine by what you have done for the society. 

We are nothing but legacy and what legacy does in the life of others will determine our purpose of existence because legends and legend turn into myth.

I would like to end with this "When we leave a good legacy for the next generation, soon, the world will be as perfect  as  the paradise we had always heard about.

Cheers!