After Death, What?
Today’s title is not mine. It belongs to the writer of a religious tract picked up several years ago. But don’t drop your copy yet, this is not a ‘do not criticize me’ pastorpreneur homily, it is rather a call to reflection on the death of heroes. If you can recite the national pledge, (unlike […]
Today’s title is not mine. It belongs to the writer of a religious tract picked up several years ago. But don’t drop your copy yet, this is not a ‘do not criticize me’ pastorpreneur homily, it is rather a call to reflection on the death of heroes. If you can recite the national pledge, (unlike some Sai Baba ambassadorial nominees,) then you would remember that line exhorting that the labour of our heroes past should never be in vain. Let’s talk about the labour of our present heroes? The death of Lt. Col. Abu Ali and some of his soldiers has birthed this one.
In our clime, death is seen in different light; some see it as a robber, others see it as liberator. When someone dies after a protracted illness, we hear phrases like, ya huta meaning they are free (of earthly troubles). When people die before their time (sorry, I borrowed a senselessly worn religious cliché) we wish we could find death just to sink our wailing teeth into its lethally poisoned skin. This is the type of pain I have been reading from friends and acquaintances of the late Lt. Col Abu Ali. The eulogies are moving.
Those appreciative of his role and those of others to the pyrrhic peace we enjoy from the indiscriminate assault by demented Boko haramists feel utterly robbed of the exploits of a gallant officer and hero who deserves to reap the fruits of his labour – a terror-free Naija. It is not a small thing when a battle-tested President and Commander in Chief, takes the time off his dreary schedule to commend a gallant soldier’s credentials. This gallant officer’s exploits has drawn Sai Baba’s presidential acknowledgement. The testimonies of fellow officers and men have won Ali loads of posthumous converts trying to share in the link to a rare success and confirming the age-long truism that failure is a bastard. Some social media memes remind us that he is Bassa from Kogi where not many good things happen. Sorry guys, when a hero like Ali dies, his death expands his citizenship over and beyond his tribe, state or even nation. Naija thanks you for sharing with the world one of your bravest and brightest in its battle for redemption.
Now, Ali has been buried, like all others, according to the rites of his faith. From pictures circulated in the media, he has left a father who is likely able to take care of himself. But Ali has left a young heartbroken widow and a daughter (from pictures circulated on social media). Here is where we need to re-examine and contextualize appreciation. We need to make sure that after the ceremonies are done, Ali’s widow and child(ren) who now feel the physical absence of their breadwinner are never made to feel the emotional nakedness of institutional and societal ingratitude and neglect. His widow needs a home in her own name to raise her children. Her children must never have to drop out of school or resort to hawking because their father died for us and or that their mother cannot pay the fees.
While we need to treat our pensioners like heroes and heroines, we also need to treat the widows of our fallen heroes even better. We need to make sure that they do not have to make needless journeys for verification. We need to make sure that living indolent officer(s) and men do not put this gallant officer’s entitlements into a fixed deposit account, waiting for it to yield dividends before paying her entitlements. This is the best way to immortalize and appreciate Lt.Col Ali’s role. It is best gratitude we can give to her husband whose heroic words and deeds are bound to be a source of pride for those he left behind. Let us hope that these things and more happen soon and keep hawkish relatives out of the way.
Celebrating Another Gem In A Cesspool
Naija-trained doctors, like our pilots are rare gems. Those who come across them in lands that reward excellence maintain long-lasting relationships with their sense of proficiency and professionalism. I am lucky to know a bunch of them who play behind limelight. But this has been an exceptional year for most of them.
Early in the year, Dr. Bennett Omalu blazed the trail in concussion prevention, diagnosis and medication, an important feat for those in sports. His epic study was the source of a movie, Concussion starring Will Smith. Diaspora lady, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, acknowledged Omalu’s fame and pride.
Well, another one has brought us glory. Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye has successfully removed a tumour from an unborn baby; reinserting her back into the mother’s womb to maturation. International media feels, which celebrates our link to drug trafficking and 419, are playing this down. It is our duty as citizens to remind the world, that Oluyinka Olutoye is ours. Since this government has nothing inventive to celebrate, let us hope that they latch on to this whenever a wine-bibbing foreigner dares to call us fantastically corrupt! We’re not all rogues.