2014: Remembering the victims

Memory however is itself a weapon, part of our arsenal in standing up and saying no to those hell-bent on lording it over us, in one way or the other. They want us to forget; but we won’t. Refusing to forget, and demanding that those in charge do their best to minimise our suffering and […]

Memory however is itself a weapon, part of our arsenal in standing up and saying no to those hell-bent on lording it over us, in one way or the other. They want us to forget; but we won’t. Refusing to forget, and demanding that those in charge do their best to minimise our suffering and losses, or stop what is stoppable, is our democratic right.
As we go about in this month of festivities, with some Christians celebrating Christmas, and the beginning of the Gregorian New Year, and some just happy for the break from work and the opportunity to reunite with family, friends and fellow citizens, it is easy to push to the back of our collective minds those who were victims of natural and man-made wickedness, disasters, murders, kidnappings and injustices, especially of those in power during the outgoing year.
The Chibok schoolgirls, abducted since 15 April, must remain in our minds, not because they are the only ones, but as a symbol of both inhumanity of madmen, and the ineptitude of government. Thousand have lost their lives, limbs and livelihoods because some deranged rag-tag band on motor-cycles and pick-up vans have appointed themselves the keepers of truth and piety, declaring anyone who opposes their brand of Islam as apostates or unbelievers, to be killed, kidnapped or looted at will. The government woke up, too late; but it is still crippled by internal corruption, indecision and opportunism. Right now it needs even those people suspected of funding, or otherwise helping to create Boko Haram, because it needs them for its own re-election plans.
Meanwhile, more women and girl are being kidnapped, more villages razed, more widows, orphans and displaced persons are forced to witness the New Year in camps or even in the wilderness. According to Human Rights Watch, the insurgents killed at least 2,053 civilians in an estimated 95 attacks during the first half of 2014. They have intensified their activities, and given their takeover of Mubi, as well as several other towns and villages in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and attacks of Kano, Damaturu and Jos, the toll this year must be over 5,000. The human toll is difficult to verify.  President Goodluck Jonathan told the UN Security Council recently that “over 13,000 people have been killed, whole communities razed, and hundreds of persons kidnapped.” Nigeria Security Tracker, a project run by Africa programme of the Council on Foreign Relations, estimates the death toll from May 2011 (when it began its work) to August 2014 at over 17,500.
We remember, with pride, the honou-rable` role of Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, the doctor who, by her sacrifice, saved Nigeria from a potential calamity. Someone annoyed me the other day by suggesting that she did not know that her patient was carrying the Ebola virus until it was too late. Really? Even if it was so, did she run out screaming to the nearest pastor or “babalawo”? She stayed at her duty-post, did the right things, and thanks to her, Nigeria recorded only a couple or so deaths from Ebola. Thanks to her, and to some dedicated officials, we were spared from the 7500 other Ebola deaths that hit other parts of our region. We should remember to honour her, and the other medical personnel who proved they truly were our “first line of defence”.
The job seekers that were victims of the Morogate immigration recruitment scandal, and 85-plus (mostly South Africans) that died in Lagos because their “prophet” could not prophesise the collapse of his “synagogue-church” should also be in our prayers, even if the chap would rather seek a perpetual injunction against being invited to give simple answers.
Spare a thought also for those Syrian victims of a mad man and his hangers-on, who would rather see a million dead than give up power; and some stupid foreign powers who can’t make up their mind who to support, or what is even going on. At least the Russians are clear; they want to see arms to Assad, and keep the West at bay.
Remember to pray also for the victims of the self-appointed caliph in ISIL, who decided that all Muslims everywhere must pay homage to him. Along with his friends in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere in that part of the world, they decide who goes to school, where and what must, or must not, be taught. May the souls of all those children and teachers, killed or wounded for no crime except the urge to teach and learn, haunt these self-appointed custodians of what is right or wrong to their graves.
Going to school, standing by the roadside, going shopping, or trying to earning a living, are God-given rights that cannot be taken away by any so-called religion. More important, no one should feel justified killing or bombing people they don’t even know, and who have done them no wrong whatsoever.
We must not forget the Palestinians, both Muslims and Christians, who are collectively imprisoned and denied their right, even in their own motherland, just because Obama does not have the political balls to stand up to the pro-Israel lobby in his own country. The massacres and destructions may no longer be “breaking news”, but living in that apartheid hell is still horrible. On a happier note, Obama has at least decided to normalise relations with Cuba, even if to leave something soothing for history to remember him by.
As with every other year, many journalists are still in jail for no other “crime” than that of doing their job. Often, the powers that be cannot stand mirrors that reflect what they really are. They smash the mirror or put it away. Aljazeera’s Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed have now spent a year in jail after a show-trial, falsely accused of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. America pretends to be shocked, yet handed out over $1.5 billion to the military dictator, who they said has assured them to look into the matter. But Aljazeera is owned by Qatar, and El Sisi does not like these owners. AJ Journalists will be released when these Arab leaders sort out themselves, but the attack against free information is much wider. As at last week, across the globe, 66 journalists were killed, 119 abducted and 178 are in jail in 2014 alone. We must remember all of them, because if we are even tempted to forget and fail to demand that journalists be allowed to do their job, well, we may forget our freedom to be informed. Finally, our thoughts and prayers must go to Malaysia, which has suffered three major air disasters this year alone. First, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8, with 239 people onboard, without a single piece of debris, triggering one of modern aviation’s most perplexing mysteries. Then, on July 17, another Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all the 298 passengers and crew, either by the rebels or by government forces. And, as I am writing this piece, a Malaysia-based AirAsia, owned by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, is looking for its Flight QZ8501 which disappeared on Sunday with 162 people aboard, most likely now under the South Java Sea. Let us pray for the best.
Remain caring and vigilant, and let us hope 2015 will be better, safer, freer and more prosperous. Remember, however, that we must work to make it so.