By Sandy Macintyre

An old man was seen by a group of school children sitting in his front yard with three piles of ackees in front of him. He was alternately crying and laughing which deeply perplexed the children and caused them to enquire as to his well being. Surprisingly, he told them that he was okay, but most of the people in their village were sick, and needed attention. The children asked him to expand on what he meant by that but he simply told them that he wouldn't at that particular time but that they should return in two weeks time and bring their parents with them.

In keeping with his desires they returned at the prescribed time and were amazed to find the old man with three huge piles of ackee, three pitch oil pans over three separate fires, and two hogs. From the first pile the old man broke open the ackees, threw them into the boiling water in the first pan and when whey were cooked he fed them to one of the hogs which immediately keeled over and died. He repeated the procedure, this time with the pile of over-ripe ackees and like the first time, the other hog ate it and died. He then went to the last pile, which had opened naturally, cooked them with some salt fish, etc., and shared out the cook-up to the people who had come. The all ate up their portion and congratulated the old man on his cooking.

When everyone was finished one of the men sitting in the group stood up. The old man recognized him right away for they had played draughts together many times. He addressed himself to the old man: "Akil, my granddaughter Maisha told me that you said that you felt that we're all stupid and should come here for an explanation of your belief. Now that we've eaten and are, I am quite sure all full and well satisfied, can you now proceed with your explanation?" To this Akil replied, "My good friend, I didn't say that you were all stupid, I did say that most of you were. Having said that, let me tell you my reason for saying so: most of you come to me and brag how well your children are doing in school with the books that are sent from abroad…" One lady in the back stood up, arms akimbo, and said harshly "Why do you speak in such a sarcastic manner? Have I not shown you my daughter's report card?" "Please hear me out," responded Akil; "I have no doubt that they are doing well in school, but for whom? I showed you how the ackee which had to be forced open poisoned the hog didn't I?" No one could deny this but, they thought, what connection did it have with their children's education? Indeed, they felt that their fears were confirmed, Akil was going mad. "I also fed the overripe ackees to the second hog and it also died didn't it?" Eh-heh's dominated the responses from the villagers, and so did restlessness.

"And what happened to the third pile of ackees?" enquired Akil. "We eat them," some replied, a few even belched their replies and one man even went so far as to say, "Dey ready to fill up de lake". This, of course, brought raucous laughter from the audience, which, was only quieted down by Akil's raised hands. "Okay, so we can all agree that it was shared and enjoyed by all, can we not?"

Again Eh-hehs and, "We already know dat, dem eh no words of wisdom". Akil continued, "… we all benefited from it and because of this we are happy even if it is just from the stand-point of having our hunger satisfied. Well, I did it to show you how it is like education. The green ones represent the education which most of us got and which our children are still getting. It has closed our minds with ignorance, lies and poison and it kills. So too did the overripe ackees, they represent the kind of education which most of our politicians and educated people got, meaning they have or had a "lot of brains", as we say, but it is used for the wrong purpose so therefore it is rotten. They take the lies of the metropolitan masters and knowing they are lies, use it on us, their own people, to fatten their pockets. Every word, which comes out of their mouths are words of trickery, deceit, mimicry, and are used to the advancement of their personal gain. The last set, the set we ate, represents the third and only true kind of education, that is, it is non-toxic. And just like those ackees burst naturally so too is the education of the men and women who receive education of this nature.

This third bunch is ripened by the sun, by the natural elements. And so also should true knowledge be filled with truth, revolutionary ideas, ideas that are for the benefit of all. So there we have it … education that is closed is a killer. On the other hand too much education, which is, used for keeping people under the yoke of its owner … for any reason whatever … is like the overripe ackee … also a killer. But the education which is filled with truth, innovative ideas and love for the people is a sustainer, nay a prolonger an evergreen of life - it is a national dish like ackee and salt fish". "Eh heh … eh heh" "true … true", and they all went away with great thoughts and a determination for change.