Thread by @Wizarab10

ARE THE WOODS STILL GREEN?
In the wake of the allegation levied against Mason Greenwood, I have tried to gather my thoughts before making a statement. This is largely because I wasn't sure to address it independently or marry it with the overt consequences of sexual assault.

Mason was a precocious child with an opulence of footballing grace. His quick development is a testament to this. At 17, he became Manchester United's youngest goal scorer in European competition. At 20, he is signed to NIKE, earns £75,000 weekly (For context, about #50million).

He lives in a £2million(#1.5billion) Cheshire mansion. You can say the world is at his feet as he is on his way to becoming a Manchester United legend. So where did it all go wrong?

In 2009, at his annual pre-graduation address to the graduating set, Bishop David Oyedepo repeated emphasized that character was more important than the success or degree we were going after. He mentioned that lack of character could ruin even the most well driven person.

This is what Mason is about to learn and what the world is learning through him.

Being a multimillionaire at 17 can be overwhelming for anybody. Money commands respect and if one isn't properly grounded, you will neither have value for money nor respect for people.

Where do I place the blame?
Predictably, I lay it at the feet of the parents. It is the responsibility of parents to teach their children basic discipline and human decency. For most footballers, their parents are always with them to save them from themselves.

It is not because they are bad people, but because they are just teenagers. Teenagers are impressionable and it is the nature of teenagers to have fun without the forethought of tomorrow. Now, imagine where such teenager has an endless stream of income!

Sexual assault, threat to life, physical assault are the charges levied against Mason. None of these allegations are small. I wouldn't want to pre-empt the court by passing a judgement.

I am writing for the sake of everyone reading to impress upon them the consequences of a bad character and the importance of holding yourself to a high standard of recognizing the humanity of others and regarding them with decency irrespective of status.

The complainant is someone's daughter - someone's baby girl. In the recording, her voice echoed with fear but there was a cold, hard response. It is one thing to experience that with a stranger, it is another to be silenced by your lover and have your will power taken from you.

It is like watching the twinkle in their eyes you wake up to every morning being replaced with fire and where the heart is, has given way to cactus. I'm not sure how the parents felt but my guess is that it was heart-breaking hearing their baby girl feeling powerless.

Having these recorded, raises the presumption that assault was a mainstay in the relationship and raises the question - how long has it been going on? Nothing I would say about consent that hasn't been said before. It is as simple as respecting a person's right to commit or not.

The after effect of domestic violence is that the victim find it difficult to trust. They can't accept love because they think it is only a matter of time before the monster manifest. Hence, they live in quiet fear and become too apologetic because they have learnt to take blames

Sexual assault (specifically, rape) is a breach of a person's internal sovereignty - the forceful invasion of their privacy against their will. There are no cuddles or intimacy - just cold, vicious thrust that leaves the victim in a sunken place.

Overtime, sexual abuse discourse has largely been adulterated by reflections of our own prejudice through gender lenses. We have a duty to seek truth, live the truth and uphold justice - irrespective of gender, class, race, religion or such others that besets our humanity.

Fame is arbitrary and won't always save you. You could be famous tomorrow and the world would put you on pedestal but there are sins the world don't forgive. Please do not use your privileges for evil. Don't exude the sort of lethargy that accompanies absolute power. Be human!

"Being a strong man includes being kind. That there is nothing weak about kindness and compassion. There is nothing weak about looking out for others. There is nothing weak about being honourable. You are not a sucker to have integrity and to treat others with respect."
- Obama

NIKE has dissociated from Greenwood, EA has pulled him off FIFA games, Man United has suspended him while he is being Mirandized by the Police. These are procedurals till the court condems or acquits him.

Actions have consequences and that is why we must live right and speak up.

Furthermore, this should convince you to treat both rape and false rape allegation the same way because by mere allegation, you lose everything. If it turns out to be false, it might be too late.

Please take your parenting responsibility seriously. After a certain age, you do not have the locus standi to tell a child what to do. What you taught them pre-adult age is what they live with. The shame is always bigger for the parent than the child.

Mason has been released on bail earlier today. He must be asking himself if the wood would still be green. While, we await court proceedings, please do not let the sun go down on you in your prime.

Peace, Love and Spaghetti 🍷