What crossed your mind when you saw this title?
Chains? Gates? Locks, bolts, and keys? Armed men standing at the door? Prison inmates stinking and looking at you, wishing you would pass them your plate of poorly cooked beans and say you’re too sick to eat it? Or the writ of another philosopher? I do not know. Whatever it is that you’re imagining now, I do not know. Am I your inmate? I do not know.
What I do know is this: everyone is a prisoner!
I’m sure you have heard the popular quote by Victor Hugo that goes thus: “he who opens a school door closes a prison”. What prison?
I will not make a sweeping statement by saying that he referred to the literal prison where my educated and kind-hearted friend is currently serving a term, but could it be so? Well, let’s look at it a little more cautiously. Everyone will agree that even when illiteracy is a motivating factor for crime and eventual imprisonment, there aren’t only illiterates in prison. In fact, there are a good number of people, who have ‘opened many school doors’ as it were, and ended up having to stay for the rest of their lives with inmates who always needed their poorly cooked beans. These people were not uneducated, but somehow, they ended up in prison.
Again, I would be forced to think in this direction – the prison referred to by Victor may not just be literal, but symbolic. Is that hard to understand? Let me make you answer ‘No’. It simply means that if Sam ‘opens a school door’, he would surely learn something from a teacher whose job it is to enlighten. One day, as he learns what the teacher knows, and develops his level of understanding, he will eventually graduate from the school as an educated individual. Thus, Sam ‘closes a prison’ of ignorance! Can ignorance be fittingly called a prison? I would say ‘yes’. When one is uneducated or ignorant, he will surely be bound to the chains of shame, locked behind the bars of regrets, and smart enough to desire someone else’s ‘poorly cooked beans’.
You may be wondering, what in the name of God does all these have to do with the title up there? That question will be resolved by understanding the third perspective from which I am viewing Victor Hugo’s statement. Refer again to the last words in his quote – “closes a prison”. Let’s try to replace the article “a” with “the” and see what difference it makes now. It would read “he who opens a school door closes the prison”. If this was to be the quote, he would have rendered this third reasoning invalid, but he chose to make the quote read the way you know it to be. It could be that Victor didn’t only have in mind one stinking literal prison, but up to two symbolic prisons. How so? Assume that there are two symbolic prisons – the prison of ignorance explained above, and the prison of literacy. The prison of literacy here will mean the prison for the one who has attained the status of an educated individual. Going by this understanding, such an individual is chained or restricted from doing those things that an uneducated person would do. He would also have to stay behind the bars of possible wealth and comfort, and be smart enough to trade a meager part of his knowledge for good food, and money.
Am I free now to prove that everyone is a prisoner? As you may know, an individual is either educated or is an illiterate. There is just no fence to sit on here. So, you have to be in one of the prisons – ignorance or literacy. Are you not a prisoner?
The essence of the whole quote cannot be overemphasized – education is a key to freedom from the enslavement to ignorance. If you have read this far, without problems of understanding, or even getting offended, then I know three things that are true about you. You are educated, inquisitive, and you most likely do not bear the name – “everyone”. So literally, you are probably not a prisoner.
Intrigued words
Tobi Salami is a master writer.
Wow, tobi salami, that amazing. For starters, you punctuations, choice of words and the arrangement of your write ups are in order. This write up says everything about how matured and intellectual the write is, and I can vouge that it got everyone who read these piece think. Words can’t explain, it just too good to ignore.
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
waw! “am glad u at least know am probably not a literal prisoner” u murdered it. awesome beginning, grand end, totally beautiful…….like seriously u gat this.
Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment.
I can not stop reading until I follow it till the end. May God enrich your knowledge.
Expositorily Intriguing
Freedom from the enslavement to ignorance…that got me thinking.
Wow…..
You drop a bomb here again ride on dear your writeup colours up my everyday life..
I just love the way you pen your thought down. It was like a communication that becomes a win win at the end. Really nice write up. This is thought provocating.
Quite philosophical!
I also like your choice of words.
This is thought provoking
Beautiful piece
I love your choice of words
beautiful piece
A good writeup keep it up wit an open mind
Beautiful piece
That’s him doing what he knows how to do best. That’s logical development of material.
Thumbs up bro.
You got me with d 1st paragraph. Its really engaging; i would say. This is exceptional….fantastic….super….great job Bro. More inspiration…👊👍
Very much true. Irony of life.
Just like freedom, everyone wants to be free, buh then we do things that can’t get us that freedom.
This is beautiful … A catchy title I must commend
Amazing one
Great piece
This is so inspiring, motivating and full of values..
Am sure you wanted to know where this piece was going to end…. Good beggining, perfect ending with reasoning.
One would go back and read again and again because it makes different meaning at another reading all buttressing same point. Thank you writer.
Wow oooooooo I love this bro keep it up
You are so amazing, Tobi.
A rare masterpiece.
And to think such an amazing mind is Nigerian is awesome
This is beautiful.
Well done.
it is very nice,
Well done.
This is cool, nicely written.
Kudos, sir!
Intrigued. Well done!
This is super inspiring. Keep winning Sage.
this is awesomely awesome
a great flow of ink this is
keep penning Sir
I said it.
This guy is a legendary writer!
I must profess that this piece really educated me!
Keep penning boss!
You got this
This is awesome.I must say you’re Good in this keep it up.
I like the way you think and how you put it into words. Keep it up.
The suspense was sustained and it ended nicely.
Thank you very much.
You are just too brilliant, too brilliant, boy. First I love your title and I trust that anyone will love to read this for the title alone. Second, the way you kept my interest from the beginning till the end is magical, in fact I wished I never saw that last full stop. Thirdly, the lesson is simply the truth.
If I were given a thousand works to choose from, I’ll chose this one over and over.
You made my year.
wow! wow!! wow!!! It beat my imagination, you are such a good writer indeed. keep it up.
nice one
Keep it up with the splendid work💜
I must testify that you’re so amazing
I love your write up…….. Pls keep it up
God will see you through in your next adventure
Kudos!
An intellectual stuff ! Brilliantly presented ! Very captivating !
Nice one brotherly…
You are always on point
Nice writeup dear,you know I believe in you
Just like this sayin ‘if you think.Education is good then try Ignorance’ Tobi Salami well done this is good
Am sure you wanted to know where this piece was going to end…. Good beggining, perfect ending with reasoning.
One would go back and read again and again because it makes different meaning at another reading all buttressing same point. Thank you writer.
A sage who inspires with the pen.
This is superb!
This is an exposure, and I’m glad to remain in the prison of light (education).
Tobi you’re Good
Wow! What a fantastic expression!
Tobi Salami, you are qualified to be called a writer, an exemplary writer indeed.
Well-done.
This is beautiful
Impressive perspective!!
I really think the world needs to read this.
“Freedom from the enslavement to ignorance”. There can be no better definition.
NUHA is blessed to have you!
I’ve been going through works on this same theme on this site. But, this one way way way beats them all.
I really do appreciate your use of a good attractive title that helped in keeping my attention. Please keep writing.
Haha. So you stole my heart at the end. Thank you so much for this piece, you conversed well with my mind.
Every one is a prisoner-i thought ,it will be eye opening. It is and it does that so beautifully, you will have to read to the end.
Plus you “nailed the landing”
Its really very nice.
Ride on dear, it’s really a nice write-up
I am sharing this, right now. This work is not only educative, but it captivating, interesting, and creative.
You really do sound like “another philosopher”, you played well with my brain, kept my attention and made me feel good with the grand ending. God bless you brain.
I must say your words inspire me..keep on with your good works.
Amazing
Completely captivating…
Tobi your hands are blessed Nice piece you got here
Amazing read right here. So literally, I’m probably not a prisoner 😄
Very interesting work you have here. I love it, totally.
Awwn! This is really lovely I must say, you are really brained. Keep it up dear you killed it…
It’s amazing how your mind can put this up in such a beautiful way. I mean, you deserve public attention, the world needs to hear you through your words.
For the fact that I am a writer too but got awed at your way of writing, this is impressive plus you are a genius at being conversational with minds, something that is usually not attainable with writing but with spoken words. Thanks to NUHA for bringing you out to brightness, you need to win this.
Christian. From Lagos, Nigeria.
Wonderfully expressed to a beautiful understanding of the material presented here.
…education is the key to freedom from the enslavement to ignorance…
That got me…
Keep writing the right Tobi Salami.. The ink will always flow!!!
Awesome piece Tobi. You did a great job I’m so proud of you. More Grace
Highly engaging, philosophical and thought provoking. As usual
Beautiful
Education is indeed a golden key to unlocking wisdom — awesome piece senior!
Nice write up
Tobi well-done sweet
This is beautiful
Great piece
What a piece!
Great write up dri
Wow! A masterpiece
Well done
Well written. You did a great job.
Distinctive prowess in writing. No doubt you have the power of the pen. A sun in the rising.
This is super awesome. I would not have forgiven myself if I didn’t get to read this article after a host of crabs I have read out there. I have share this.
When I tried searching for you online, I found your recent YouTube video, and I must confess that you are gifted.
I need others to watch it too.
https://youtu.be/kik307uRPr4
Thank you very much for your encouraging comments. I appreciate the love you’ve all shown. The contest ends tomorrow, 17th November.
✌ Peace.
Captivating and educating
Thank you everyone for your beautiful comments and of course your votes. Even when facebook blocked this voting link, you were patient enough to wait for it to be unblocked. I cannot thank you enough.
.
.
Today happens to be the last day for the voting. We shall await the shortlist and afterward wait for the judges’ decision on which article won their hearts. Until then, I say: May God bless us all, prisoners of literacy!
Thank you everyone for your beautiful comments and of course your votes. Even when facebook blocked this voting link, you were patient enough to wait for it to be unblocked. I cannot thank you enough.
.
.
Today happens to be the last day for the voting. We shall await the shortlist and afterward wait for the judges’ decision on which article won their hearts. Until then, I say: May God bless us all, prisoners of literacy!!!