Like so many of you I was saddened to read about and watch the killings of four young men who were allegedly killed for stealing blackberries and laptops in ALUU Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The reason I say "allegedly" is because I do not know the truth of the matter and I rarely assume when it comes to such cases. Some say they were killed because they were cultists, others say it was because they stole blackberries. It really does not matter what they did at the end of the day, the legal system and the police of a nation should be the ones who handle crime. Those of you who watched the video, you would notice how those boys were treated like common animals. The inhumane nature of the killing is what got to most of us, where did our collective humanity go?
Honestly watching that video, my immediate reaction wasn't one of shock or sadness. It was more of "weariness". My soul became heavy and it cried at the sorry state of the human condition. Where did we get to the point as a nation where young men could potentially be killed over blackberries and laptop?
Why are we acting like these killings are something new? They have been burning and killing people for stealing meatpie in Nigeria for a long time. This is nothing new, the only thing new is the fact that we are able to see it due to new technology. The pictures and videos help drive home the full picture.Some people are asking that those responsible for the killings be held responsible. I argue that "WE""the citizens of Nigeria" are responsible for those killings. We are accomplices to the killings of those four young boys. For so long, "WE" have accepted mediocrity in our nation and now the chickens are coming home to roost. Were we not all accomplices? Accomplices to murder. Accomplices to corruption. Accomplices to bad leadership? Accomplices to the violation of human rights? Have we not all stood by and participated explicitly or tacitly in promoting this cult of mediocrity? Does mediocrity start from the Top Down or from the ground up? Even the bus driver who pays 20 Naira to the police officer is as guilty as the house of speaker who steals 20 million naira.
Sometimes in Nigeria, it is common to hear one say "Nigeria is Bad because our leaders are corrupt". My friend Sasha told me that she came across a quote that says "People get the leaders that they deserve". Tacitly or Explicitly we have chosen these leaders and they are a reflection of the character of our people. These leaders are not some alien force. They are made up of people like us, and they reflect the moral character of our nation.
At the end of the day "WE" as a people have failed ourselves and failed our nation. Until "WE" decide to dig ourselves out of this grave of mediocrity we will continue to witness the complete degradation of our human existence and our souls will become numb to such actions. So for those asking for the people responsible for the killings to be held accountable. I point you to the main culprits "WE" the people were responsible for those killings.
7 comments:
YOU ARE SO RIGHT ECHE! "WE" ARE ALL TO BLAME INDEED.
This is an obvious truth, it has always been "We". we caused it all.
Bia speak for yourself. It is the Nigerians in Nigeria that need to take action, not "we". I mean, I can't kick out GEJ from here no matter how much I would like to help.
^^I am sure the above statement is going to piss off someone, but y'all will be fine. If you don't like what I'm writing THEN DO SOMETHING and hold YOUR leaders accountable.
Unfortunately, this story has an expiration date of 1 or 2 more weeks before it fades from the Nigerian stream of consciousness. How many times this year have people expressed "outrage" over stories in their own backyard? From fuel subsidies to plane crashes to this and once again nothing will be done.
When people live in a country where their leaders have ZERO fear of the population nothing is ever going to change.
I love the tone of your post. I like the way you marshalled out your points.
But once again, I was taken aback at the gruesome picture you posted at the head of the article. With no "viewer's discretion" warning. That should've come at the bottom of the article.
Again, I scoff at the denigrate idea one more time at reducing the gravity of this eyesore, from yet another Blog, in putting the blame lightly on the nation's shoulders. Even as I've always agreed with you on most things, inclusive of your philosophical leanings, there's so much more in this recent happening, that cannot be trivialised. That cannot be dismissed simply as a shared blame on all our collective shoulders!
What happened at Aluu is the height of depravity. It is inhumanity of man to man. It is unconscionable. It is gruesome and barbaric. Where humans could be reduced to mere goats, chickens, sheer animal, debased to the extreme then violently murdered!
Such acts mustn't be condoned. Such acts are inimical to our very existence as sentient beings. No point polishing it in a different tone. There isn't any point to give it another connotation. The act MUST be condemned in all its ramifications. It is even worse than what the Nazis did to the Jews. It is crazy!
What I truly feel is what a judge said during the Nuremberg trials in 1945. Paraphrasing, he stated that such deleterious and gruesome acts that are impugned on Society by nefarious individuals, are so devastating, so malignant, that Society can't even contemplate ignoring it, because Civilisation itself cannot survive their being repeated!
The Aluu murders is a stab at our collective souls. The least you or anyone can do is to condemn it in its entirety. There is no respite. There is no gain saying it. There is no other way but to disparage it, to maintain sanity.
Our Society is at a precipice. We must spite injustice. We must do our little to engender a minuscule return of the right thing. It starts from you and me. And condemning this needless, provocative and unconscionable bloodshed is the least we could do as a retrace of correcting the numerous anomalies that we are witnessing in our troubled country!
@Dfewgoodmen
Sorry I should have put the viewers discretion up.
@ "What happened at Aluu is the height of depravity. It is inhumanity of man to man. It is unconscionable. It is gruesome and barbaric. Where humans could be reduced to mere goats, chickens, sheer animal, debased to the extreme then violently murdered!
Such acts mustn't be condoned. Such acts are inimical to our very existence as sentient beings. No point polishing it in a different tone. There isn't any point to give it another connotation. The act MUST be condemned in all its ramifications. It is even worse than what the Nazis did to the Jews. It is crazy!"
Came across a quote that said
"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it"
i personally decided not to comment about this issue but after reading this post i must say its the only one that has made sense. as a journalist i must commend this because of its objectivity
No argument about this any more. Because u argue 4 wat u don’t know.
Bangbaze.com
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