Argumentum Ad Populum’s Ascendancy 

The influence of a popular opinion over the unpopular makes the media a formidable tool in winning arguments. It is written, “faith comes through hearing and hearing …….” . What one hears repeatedly forms a pillar of position in his viewpoint, which sometimes influences him to form a wall of protection against other contrary views.

The popularity of an opinion does not automatically justify it being the right opinion. For better thought, it is advised to open the door to other views in order to have adequate information for better decisions.

Historically, there had been actions and inactions that shaped the structures of today’s being, which eventually influence the decisions of today in order to avoid yesterday’s errors. History is the searchlight to unravel the mysteries of today’s circumstances. When a people is disconnected from their history, they dine and celebrate with possible threats unknowingly. True history remains the root and the footsteps for a people’s instructions. As an individual person, away from your history is a way to misery. 

Those who act in ignorance of their ancestral history, end up in hysteria. When you lack yesterday’s information necessary for your today’s transformation, you will end up in deformation. This is why the seeming unending economic problem of brown skin Africans lingers on. 
 Due to lack of the knowledge of ancestral history, most Africans chifley act or support a course on the platform of anemic information, dancing to the rhythm of global argumentum ad populum without searching for facts. 

Though the invasion of Ukraine by Russia is barbaric, there are elements of daring threat that calls for Moscow’s concern over their territorial protection from NATO’s imperialism, which in my view should have been done in a diplomatic fashion. 

The neutrality of Ukraine in NATO/Russian cold war is necessary for the unbiased comfort of all sides for a next door neighbour, who is a friend to an enemy, is tagged an enemy and as a loophole through which an enemy could launch an attack.

Far back in 3500 BC, the land of Russia and Ukraine were occupied by Nomadic tribes, who the ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, referred to as Scythians. Around 350 BC, their lands were overrun by the same Nomadic people who conquered the Roman empire. The land was settled by slavs. 

In 862 AD, Rurik’s successor, Oleg, captured Kiev making it a capital of a new state, Kievan Rus. Since then there had been breaking and merging of the two states.

In recent years, Ukraine was part of Russia from 1922 to 1991 when Moscow was the capital of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. According to Putin, during the disintegration from their soviet brothers, there were agreements among which a former Soviet State never to go into military alliance with the West. But over the past 25 years NATO has been crawling towards Russia’s border, securing military alliance with former Soviet States, enveloping the entire security belt of Russia. NATO ignored Putin’s warning and labeled Putin’s position against their expansion towards Russia’s border ‘myopic and arrogance’. NATO continued with their expansion until a catastrophic situation surfaced in Ukraine. 

Before now, there had been different kinds of government in Ukraine. Pro Russia and anti Russia. The past government of Viktor Yanukovych, who was pro Russia was overthrown through civil uprising tagged Revolution of Dignity in 2014 and had Petro Poroshenko installed as President through snap Presidential election on the 25th of May, 2014. He was succeeded by Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2019. The government under the rulership of Zelenskyy has been so eager to have military ties with NATO who is Russia’s arch rival. And Russia saw Ukraine’s move as a red line crossing, which requires instant abortion of the move. 

Ukraine’s politicians should have considered the tranquility and the security of their populace by engaging neutrality in dealing with the world super power nations, who saw Ukraine’s position as a beautiful damsel that could serve as a golden route to the altar of supremacy. 

Ukraine lodging in a rival super power to the door step of Russia was a provocative move; for you will expect the same ferocious response from the United States if Russia tries to do the same thing either in Mexico or Canada. 

As l stated supra, Russia should have engaged a diplomatic means in stopping NATO’s imperialism threat around her borders, for violence plagues both the attackers and the attacked.

Choosing the option of invading a sovereign nation in the 21st century, Putin has taken the world back to the era of ‘ MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN’.

High Chief Amb. Ezewele Cyril Abionanijie. 

The author of the book ‘The Enemy Called Corruption’. The President of Peace Ambassadors and winner of Best Columnist of the Year.