By Tim Akano
“Life is a desert of shifting sand dunes. Unpredictable. Erratic. Harmony changes into dissonance, the immediate outlives the profound, esoteric becomes clichéd. When talking about uncertainty we should lean heavily on facts, just as the court of law does when interrogating witnesses. Facts form a sort of bedrock on which we can build the shifting sands of uncertainty’’ – Poet/Singer.
Stop!
Look under your feet
Can you feel the shifting sands?
It seems as if to reach paradise man must pass through the inferno bypass. Hmmm…
Unusual times require unusual style, permit me therefore to conclude this article before we start, and more so since we are reasonably certain of the consequences of what is unrevealing before us.
Conclusion:
The world is about to really get ugly and more complicated from 2021-2030. Being a transition decade, the Universe, like a snake, is going through the process of ecdysis. That is the shedding of an old layer of a snake’s skin in one continuous process. That transition which began in 2020 will crystalize in 2030 with the emergence of a New World Order. However, as the snake never returns to the same spot where ecdysis occurred, the Universe we knew pre-COVID-19 era is gone forever. The uprooting of the Universe from its comfort zone has begun, therefore you should prepare for a 180- degree shift. Consequently, resolve to stand erect. Resolve to become ‘’new’’ as everything and everyone around you will equally be struggling to be ‘’born again’’. A new Universe requires a new you as a necessary and sufficient condition for a safe navigation during the transition hours. Resolve to be fearless. Sharpen your intuitive skill and go where it leads you. Resolve not to be marginalised or intimidated. Play big. And resolve to think perpendicularly. Deliberately choose life, though accidents do happen during ecdysis transition hours, nonetheless, be cool, since you are completely incapable of stopping the Universe from transiting. Guard your heart with 101% diligence because mind matters more than matter (Atoms) in the new milieu. To avoid a rude shock in 2021, develop a ten-year plan but don’t forget to live in the NOW. If the rain stops earlier, you gain everything and lose nothing. Every time the world shifts, (1818, 1918, 1945 etc.) only the resilient survive and the most adaptable to change thrive.
The new child is already coming out from the Universe’s womb with an unusual worldwide cry of pain. Probably because it’s a breech birth, i.e. the new baby will be born bottom first instead of head first (cephalic birth) where the baby is positioned head down. We have zero idea what type of baby it will be. Suffice to say that we have seen its two tiny legs in 2020 in the image of Covid-19, wildfire, flood, typhoon, locust plague of Biblical proportions, and massive major civil unrest in multiple cities simultaneously and hunger pandemics. We can only pray and hope that the full child will not resemble its legs! The baby’s chin, chest, hands and head are still abnormally tucked inside the Universe’s pelvis. A new Universe has arisen. Resistance won’t work. Denial is dangerous. Ignoring it is futile. Rather, welcome it. Embrace it. And just flow. Widen your radius but don’t create additional turbulence. Please!
Introduction:
Ok, where do I start? Can I begin by asking a philosophical, spiritual and a somewhat rhetorical question? Does this Universe have an expiry date? Put differently: is the world going to end someday or is it gradually winding down already judging by the unfolding events of the last 12 months? Are we dealing with an organised chaos, I mean very intentional, man-made crises or everything is a coincidence? What is science telling us? What are sociologists saying? How do the religious leaders interpret it? More importantly, what is your mind telling you? I ask this because everywhere in everything with everyone, the sands are shifting at such an astonishing speed, the type not seen in recent history. This is generating an unprecedented Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) with troubling social connections and scary consequences, therefore, making planning for the unexpected imperative, urgent and critical but at the same time somewhat useless, superfluous and contradictory. Planning for what? Situation you can’t control? But getting an umbrella, raincoats and rain boots will not be a bad idea nonetheless, just like the Biblical five wise virgins did.
See what Covid-19 pandemic and a controversial presidential election are doing to America. See what a typhoon is doing to the Philippines. See the havoc done to agriculture and the food supply chain by titanic swarms of desert locusts otherwise called Schistocerca Gregaria. This is the worst infestation in 70 years in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Oman, Pakistan, East Asia, and Tanzania. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, ‘’the locusts pose a clear and immediate danger to the livelihood of 10% of the world’s population.” In East Africa alone according to the World Bank, the sum of $8.5billion was estimated as the damage caused by locusts as at August 2020. In one word: famine is coming.
To further compound the situation, the world’s forests have been on wild fire in 2020 from Brazil to America, Australia to Congo Basin and Indonesia, tens of thousands of hectares of forest have been destroyed leading to the biggest deforestation pandemic in recent history. The Arctic Circle is not exempted as Arctic fires emitted 50 megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in June, and 79 megatons in July. By August the cloud of soot staining the Arctic sky was bigger than Europe, according to the United Nations Press Release dated 23rd September 2020. Similarly, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on 24th July 2020 raised the alarm that ‘’the Arctic is heating more than twice as fast as the global average, impacting local population and ecosystems and with global repercussions coupled with the rapidly decreasing sea ice along the Russian polar coast. This should not be happening!’’ Juxtapose all of the above with the on-going dog-eat-dog- intense power tussle between China and America, and you will arrive at the same conclusion: the sands are shifting.
Interestingly, scientists, religious people and Social and Geopolitics Futurists are all on the same page that things that shouldn’t have happened are happening globally. While scientists call it ‘’Climate Crisis’’, people of Faith call it ‘’signs of End -Time’’. I call it: Shifting Sands, the Universe in once-in-a-century transition hours.
Why everywhere? Why simultaneously? Why is nowhere exempted? Geopolitically, economically, technologically, socially, morally, educationally – the changes are nerve-racking.
As we all sit down in front of a giant screen in the Universe’s cinema auditorium watching our society unravel right in front of our eyes, a massive shift in our mind-set and world view is happening. This is concurrently making us to be asking, “is the Universe coming to an end soon”?
By any reckoning this may end up as the Decade of Secessionist Movements (DSM). Nigeria, Cameroon, UK, even the United States are more fragile than they appear. Nigeria can’t escape restructuring into four or six manageable semi-independent regions to avert a complete collapse. Cameroon will likely split into two nations between the French and English speaking regions, possibly after the ‘’indomitable Lion of Cameroon’’, Paul Biya, who has been President for almost 40 years departs to the Great Beyond. Scotland’s independence from Britain is coming soon. The 2014 Scotland referendum that showed 55% ‘’stay’’ and 45% ‘’exit’’ from Britain will be reversed when the next referendum happens since 62% Scots opposed Britain’s exit from Europe , which is now a reality.
Notwithstanding the provision of the US constitution that stipulates 2/3 of the Congress and 38 States legislatures to ratify a secessionist agenda, voices of secession will increase in States like Texas, California and Florida this decade. The sharp decline in Spain’s economy may strengthen Catalonia’s demand for full independence and its success is highly likely. Spain’s heavy reliance on the service sector, especially Tourism, has made it the most vulnerable country in Europe and is projected to decline by as much as 12.8% in 2020 (IMF). Venice’s venture to secede from Italy, now that Italy is bleeding profusely economically, will increase in tempo. Quebec may gain independence from Canada, as Transnistria pushes for independence from Moldova.
More likely, China will overpower Hong Kong and Taiwan to achieve the ultimate goal of ONE CHINA, ONE POLICY this decade, because America, Japan and Europe are currently heavily distracted putting off multiple domestic fires. China will also very likely overpower Japan and retrieve the disputed group of uninhabited but strategic islands known as Senkaku in Japan, Tiaoyutai in Taiwan and Diaoyu islands in Peoples Republic of China, now that Japan is economically castrated (5.3% decline in 2020, IMF). China will accomplish all of the above ambitions not through negotiation or constitutional means but through bullying or gunboat diplomacy. You can see: Geopolitically- the sands are shifting.
Economically, the sands are frighteningly shifting too. Listen to our Chief Priest, the IMF Chief Economist himself, Gita Gopinath, ‘’the ascent out of the calamity is likely to be long and uneven and highly uncertain. Output in advanced economics as well as emerging markets with the exception of CHINA is projected to remain below 2019 levels in 2021 as the global growth is expected to slow to 3.5% for the next 5 years” (emphasis mine). Consequently, the number of people that will suffer from extreme poverty will be in excess of 100 million i.e. population living under $1.9 per day. This will lead to worsening inequality, and severe setbacks in improvement of living standards. The IMF projects the US economy to shrink by 4.7% in 2020, and 8.3% negative growth for the 19 countries using the Euro, while India and the UK will decline by 10.3% and 9.8% respectively.
Technologically, the sands are shifting. Have you ever asked yourself where several of the inventions which are now going from the fringe to mainstream are leading the world to? Crypto currency, National Digital currencies, Blockchain technologies, Global Digital Identity Card (GDID) for all, universal vaccination for all as canvassed, COVID PASSPORTS or what Bill Gates calls “Digital Certificate”? Why global digital identity card for all when we already have an international travelling passport and national biometrics identification numbers? The Globalists responds, ’’Global ID is key for accessing education, healthcare, voting, banking, housing and public places’’. As if we are not accessing those opportunities currently. Does that signify the death of democracy since we the people have zero say in deciding if we want to be chipped or vaccinated? The Globalists seem to have won this battle, even though I doubt if they can win the war, that is, our mind. We are all-in. All of us! Think you have a voice or a vote or a choice? Think again.
No doubt, COVID-19 is not a stand-alone event, rather it is part of a chain of events that will usher in a New World Order because as far back as 2017, the CEO of a company working with the International Agencies like UN and WHO had said that, ‘’so the organisation that I run, ID2020 is leading an alliance of a large private sector companies, small start-ups, UN agencies, NGOs, governments, and by 2030, our goal is to enable access to digital identity for every person on the planet. (Source: Venturebet.com, 21st June 2017). Pandemic or ‘’Plandemic’’, pick your choice. The world, I believe, is moving as it should, relentlessly towards a predetermined end! Man’s transition from Homo Sapiens to Homo Deus seems to have slowly but gradually begun.
In the United States, It seems as if some invisible forces have successfully hacked America’s train route map, the train’s brain box seems to have been compromised and the the sands are shifting – massively so. America’s founding fathers desired an ideal country called America which made Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence speech on July 4th 1776 second paragraph to submit thus, ‘’life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’’ will be the cornerstone of the new state. Unfortunately, Amerikkka seems to be the country that eventually emerged for the past 240 years. Amerikkka connotes systemic racism, fascism and disillusionment of the minorities and colour people. The country is more divided today than ever in recent history. Looking at the outcome of the November 3 election, it showed the country is split down the middle and a third split between President Trump and the Republican is a matter of months not years. A MAGA / TRUMPISM Tendency is coming as the 3rd Force. Why is the world on the edge for America? It is simply because what happens in America does not stay in America. America is the heart inside the Universe’s body. As heart failure leads to stroke or instant death in human beings, so will America’s collapse usher in a regime of instability and worldwide chaos. Weep not, therefore, for America. Weep for yourself. Weep for the Universe. True, America is currently morally bankrupt. But if America collapses economically or goes up in flames politically, there will be no winners. At least not on this planet earth.
Let’s unpack the Biden-Harris campaign promises to see how they will shape America and the world. President-elect Biden has promised to put America back in the front role of global leadership, re-join Paris Climate change Agreement, and re unite with Europe and NATO. These are all commendable steps. Also commendable is Biden’s plan for an inclusive government that will give a sense of belonging to African-Americans, the women population and the minorities. And he has demonstrated this through his pick of Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, an Africa-American diplomat and a woman as the next US Ambassador to the United Nations.
But Biden’s China, Russia and Middle East policies are what may unleash uncontrollable inferno. The implication of Biden re-joining the Iran nuclear deal of 5+1 is that Iran will have opportunity to export 2 million barrels per day of its oil which will give it sufficient muscle to resume its destabilisation agenda in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Syria, Israel etc.) and around the world including in Nigeria. Trump’s policy on Iran brought relative peace to the Middle East with Iran’s national currency the RIAL exchanging for 304,300 to a USD. Biden’s policy will beget a new nuclear arms race in the Middle East as Saudi Arabia will shop for nuclear weapons from the shelf in Pakistan to defend itself against Iran. Furthermore, the VP-elect, Kamala Harris, on the eve of the elections gave an insight into how she and Biden are thinking on Middle East while speaking to the 40,000 Muslim-American population community who reside in Michigan. ‘’I am committed to creating Palestinian state inside the borders of Israel with its capital in Jerusalem and limit the number of Jews permitted to live in Judea and Samaria, re-open US Consulate in East Jerusalem, re-open the PLO mission in Washington, oppose annexation and Jewish settlement and appoint a Special Envoy to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation which includes 57 Arab countries.’’ This looks like President Obama speaking through VP-elect Harris. The Biden-Harris administration is looking like President Obama 3rd Term in office, through the backdoor!
The problem is that Obama-Biden 8 years in office brought untold calamities to the Middle East. Arab springs that started in Tunisia and Egypt, Libya’s inferno that consumed Muhammad Gadhafi plus the American Ambassador, Christopher Stevens, in the hands of al-Qaeda affiliate, al-shari and catapulted Libya to a failed state, ISIS gained 17,000 square miles of Iraq and Syria after Obama/Biden Administration drew 3 impotent RED LINES that were not enforced.
Trump’s foreign policy wisdom is based on the old diplomacy truism, ‘’Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer”. This policy worked better with North Korea and Russia. The former unleashed fewer ICBMs in the last four years compared with what obtained during the Obama/Biden administration, while the latter caused less havoc in the Middle East and worldwide (especially Syria) due to mutual respect between Trump and Putin.
One doesn’t have to be a Trump’s fan to discover that his 4years in office brought relative peace to the world. From Afghanistan (Trump signed a peace accord and reduced US forces), to Iraq (where he quickly dispatched ISIS Supreme Leader, Al Baghdad to the Great Beyond and vanquished ISIS), to Iran (where he totally overwhelmed the leadership), to Syria (where he got Russia and Turkey to behave more sensibly), to Yemen (where he used his closeness to Saudi Arabia Crown Prince, MBA, to stop the Yemen massacre) and to North Korea (where he used a combination of carrot and stick to overwhelm the ‘’Rocket Boy’’) and to Nigeria (where he called out Nigeria President Buhari to stop the Boko Haram senseless killings of innocent Nigerians). Facts don’t lie: terrorism receded in the last four years in America and worldwide under President Trump compared with what obtained during the 8 years of Obama-Bidden administration. Trump maintained the delicate balance between Saudi Arabia and Israel which led to the peace accord signed with Israel by three Muslim countries in the last 60 days: UAE, Bahrain and Sudan. This was historic and consequential to the overall world peace. It’s a big deal for which the Western Media has refused to give credit to Trump.
Unarguably, Trump’s major undoing was his refusal to read the instructions carefully on the Exams sheet handed over to him on the inauguration day on January 20th 2017 at noon EST (17:00 UTC) as the 45th President of the US. The instruction was unambiguously written in capital letters: ANSWER ALL THE 15 QUESTIONS. While question one carries 20 marks, the remaining 14 questions carry 80 marks all together. Time allowed is 35,040 hours. But Trump is Trump: he had started answering the questions before he even received the examination questions paper, besides, he assumed he had automatic 75,080 hours (8 years) and carelessly junked question one and concentrated on questions numbers 2-15. Having lost the first vital 20 marks, he came under fire, none-stop thunderstorm and hay storm from the Western Media for 4 years. There is only one Trump and only one Steve Jobs in a generation. They don’t play by the conventional rules rather they invent their own set of rules. Such people appear once in a century for good or bad!
The examination questions for Trump or any other US President are as follows: 1. World Leadership (20 marks). 2. Economy 3. Immigration 4. Climate Crisis 5. Europe and NATO 6. China, Intellectual Property theft and currency manipulation 7. Russia and nuclear power. 8. Middle East and petrol dollar 9. Africa and mineral resources exploitation 10. Terrorism 11. North Korea and ICBM 12. NAFTA 13. Africa-American question 14. Multilateralism and 15. Partnerships and Others.
President Trump answered some questions reasonablely and courageously, especially questions on China, Russia, and the Middle East. Even on economy and NAFTA before the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a shining star. Arguably, about 70% of what Trump did was good for America. But perception is reality, 80 million Americans who voted for Biden felt differently. But when it comes to the questions on world leadership, Africa, Europe, African-American issues (racial equality) – his scores were all F9s.
While trying to conclude this piece, pen -in -hand still, the news broke that the Iranian nuclear Chief “Priest”/ scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the man who held the last set of keys to the Iranian underground nuclear laboratory was assassinated in broad daylight on the street of Tehran a few hours ago on Saturday 27th October 2020. This is color of trouble for the incoming Joe Biden administration that in a febrile, fragile and fragmented Middle East region, President Biden will require something close to the Solomonic wisdom to maintain peace in the years ahead in that over troubled but strategic region.
The sands are shifting on multiple fronts. Blessed is the nation that manages to keep its head while others lose theirs, for such nation will wear the Crown and collect the Prize. The impact of the war is uneven. While some countries only lost their cap (America, South Korea, and Taiwan), some lost their heads (Japan, Germany, France, Russia) while others lost cap, head plus the necks (India, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Mexico). Others, such as Iran and Venezuela were even worse, as they lost their limbs and legs. In a country like Nigeria, what COVID-19 bullets couldn’t do, economic recession – the worst in about 40 years is at the door step and about to consume the nation of 200 million population.
All told, however, there is only one country which came out of the first leg of the war victorious: China. While America and Western countries are experiencing downpour, it’s sunshine in China. China is the only and the last man standing!
According to Hans J. Morgenthau, “power is the ability to do what you want to do and prevent others from doing what they want to do’’. China can be regarded as the current world’s most economically powerful country! China now has power to install the next WTO chairperson (Dr Okonjo Iweala), keep the WHO boss in the office while provoking America out of the world body and nominate the next United Nations Secretary General when the time comes regardless of America’s feelings! That’s power as raw as it could be.
The IMF projected China to grow by 1.9% in 2020 and 8.2% in 2021. Within July-September 2020, China grew by 4.9% as the remaining 192 countries are struggling in anguish looking for water, buckets, ladders, hose and fire extinguishers with which to put off the ravaging COVID-19 fire which has caused 2nd, 3rd and 4th degree burns in different countries. China has leapfrogged to 6G internet while Trump and Biden were struggling for the key to the White House. America and Europe don’t even have an answer yet to the Chinese 5G technology. China has launched its new Commercial aeroplane, consolidated its premier position in space technology for military and economic edge. In 2020, China has doubled its diplomacy budget for maximum world domination, and made substantial progress in its desire to grow its domestic economy with a view to reducing its export-dependence vulnerability.
To drive home the point, China’s Communist Party emerged from its meeting on October 28th 2020 to make the following unambiguous declaration regarding its true intention to take over the world leadership using socialism as an anchor, ‘’President Xi Jinping, the helmsman would lead the ship of socialism sailing into the wind and waves with determination. Currently the world is experiencing a major transformation of the kind not seen for a century. The balance of international forces is undergoing profound adjustment’’. Among the key objectives the Party listed as priorities include Technology self-sufficiency as a pillar of national development coupled with comprehensive military training and preparedness.
While on October 26th 2020, German Spy, Gerhard Schindler, former Head of the Federal Intelligence Service, a man who is not given to flippancy, warned the world that, ’’China is on the brink of world domination and Europe should wake up. Chinese rulers are cleverly spreading influences around Europe, Asia and Africa. The Chinese technology is now so advanced that Germany cannot tell if it is being used for sinister purposes. China views Germany as a linchpin of the WW3 battle. If China is able to win over Germany, it can win the world….as China is now Germany’s biggest trading partner’’. Powerful words!
I totally agree with the Chief Spy, Gerhard’s submission on the imminence of China’s world domination but the world should prepare for a new set of rules of international relations under socialism and authoritarianism.
Be that as it may, for China to collect the leadership baton from America it needs 3 strategic countries among others and not one contrary to Gerhard’s conclusion. America’s strength lies in the strategic alliance it forged with Saudi Arabia, Israel and Germany. The heart of America’s economy is the USD which is a monopoly. But Saudi Arabia holds the heart (petrodollar) on its palm. While the blood that flows in America’s veins that keeps it alive and erect consists of its Military, Intelligence and Technology capacities and superiority, and the Jewish control that blood to a considerable extent. Whereas the ‘’Eyes’’ through which America sees and rules the world is Europe and Germany is the last man standing in Europe today.
The international balance of power is structured like the US Electoral College system which is measured in weighted average based on the value each brings to the table where the Jewish has 40 votes in this particular instance, Saudi Arabia 35 votes and Germany 25 votes. China needs 51 votes (or at least 2 of the 3 countries as allies) Do the math for China: which 2?
All told, however, will the US and Western power sit hand akimbo watching China as it exclusively profits from the calamity which broke out in its backyard around November 2019 in Wuhan, and using the on going profound shifting sands as a linchpin to achieve world domination? We can only guess. What’s your best guess then?
Conclusion: scroll up to the beginning!
*Tim Akano is a Techno-prenuer and Geopolitics and Technology Futurist. (Timakano1@gmail.com www.timakano.com)
