Gladiators in the strangest of places

The issue of mercy has nothing to do with ethnic sentiments. Mercy unites people regardless of their differences. Retired Supreme Court Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, and former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, were among other Nigerians who expressed concern about the lengthy trial. In the words of Francis Bacon, the famous English statesman, “revenge is a form […]

The issue of mercy has nothing to do with ethnic sentiments. Mercy unites people regardless of their differences. Retired Supreme Court Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, and former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, were among other Nigerians who expressed concern about the lengthy trial. In the words of Francis Bacon, the famous English statesman, “revenge is a form of wild justice, which the law should seek to weed out.”

Nigerians have long been used to amnesty and embraced it as a necessity sacrifice for building and sustaining unity. When the late President Umaru Yar’adua granted amnesty to former Niger Delta militants, despite their campaign of economic sabotage, kidnappings for ransom and wanton murders of the innocent, no reasonable northerner opposed the policy. Nigerians, including northerners, were united behind the policy as a necessity sacrifice for peace, unity and reconciliation.

And today the relative peace in the Niger Delta has saved the country’s economy and the nightmare of uncertainty. Dr. Frederick Faseun is himself a beneficiary of state pardon and the fact that he is Yoruba does not becloud his consideration for mercy for Al-Mustapha. He bought advert pages in various newspapers to argue that the 14 years Al-Mustapha has spent in detention and the insufficient evidence that attended the trial couldn’t have justified the death sentence imposed on him by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos High Court.

In fact, with the seeming determination to frustrate Al-Mustapha’s appeal against his death sentence, only the President has the ultimate powers to save his life.  Obviously, Faseun has nothing personal to gain from his present campaign to get a presidential pardon for Al-Mustapha. Maybe he should be listened to.

Ibn Kachalla wrote from 126, Maiduguri Road, Kaduna [email protected]