Toothless Tiger

Late Tuulikki Ukkola
(Photo from ALMA Media)

 Today I visited Dentopolis, the Dental Clinic run by the University Central Hospital, and had the last of my 7 teeth in the lower jaw removed by two 4th year students who were named, Jaakko and Aino. 

Jaakko is the name of our eldest son and Aino is my late sister-in-law, Annikki's younger sister, who travelled around with Annikki before we were married!. 

The students were  guided by their teacher, Juha. 

It was very painfuld although a large amount of anaesthetic for each tooth was used, but I did not complain. 

On two earlier visits, first to a dental surgeon, who took out 4 teeth,  and then to 4 students, all my other teeth had been removed. 

The first lot of teeth were a problem as I had infection in the gums, but the second, done by 3 students guided by their teacher was no problem. 

As I came from the clinic, Annikki, who had been waiting paitiently for me, asked me whether I was now finally the  "Toothless Tiger”.

This aroused my memory about the famous Finnish journalist from Oulu, the late Tuulikki Ukkola, 

Tuulikki Ukkola, was born on November 28, 1943, in Taivalkoski, Finland. She started her journalism career at the newspaper Kaleva in 1962. Ukkola served as a Member of Parliament for the Oulu constituency from 1991 to 1995 as a member of the Liberal People's Party and later became the leader of the party from 1993 to 1995. She was re-elected as an MP for Oulu for the National Coalition Party in 2007, serving until 2011. Tuulikki Ukkola passed away on May 28, 2019, in Oulu at the age of 75.

In her political career she tried to bring forward the criticisms she had been writing about, but she met a brick wall and achieved very little.

When she came back to the newspaper in 1995 I wrote to her whether she had become a Toothless Tiger.

She thought it was very funny and added Annikki and me to her Christams card list, a great honour! .

Christmas card from Tuulikki Ukkola!

But that comment helped her back to her powerful writing and it was, thereafter, more constructive.

I may be the Toothless Tiger no,  but my friend in Helsinki, Christian Thibault carries on the Annikki and my legacy of fighting for the minorities in Finland. 

Christan Thibault

Christian resigned his membership from the Swedish Party in Finland after the last elections when they compromised their principles and joined the present government  as he felt that it was a violation of his life-long principles.

We value people like  Christian who adhere to their principles rather that follow the power trail to achieve their ends. 

Tuulikki learnt it the hard way! 

Tuulikki learnt her lesson that just by joining a political party and serving in Parliament would not achieve her dreams of improving society. The pen was the mightier power.

The Saacred Trust

The same was true of my grandfather, the late K. C. Mammer Mappillai, who then gave us the Sacred Trust followed by his sons, the late Padma Bhushan K. M. Cherian and Padma Bhushan K. M. Mathew and now followed diligently by his grandson, my cousin Padma Shri Mammen Mathew (Rajen).

1989 Delhi Rajen and Jacob
An everlasting brotherly bond of 75+ years.

Have I become a Toothleess Tiger?

Anatomically yes, but 

hopefully not with my brain!