I woke up yesterday with the gory news of a 7 year old that was beaten, tied up and killed by setting him ablaze in Lagos. I couldn’t get myself to watch the video and I wondered why anyone will stand and record such a video in comfort, only to share it on the social […]
The essence of (in)humanity
I woke up yesterday with the gory news of a 7 year old that was beaten, tied up and killed by setting him ablaze in Lagos. I couldn’t get myself to watch the video and I wondered why anyone will stand and record such a video in comfort, only to share it on the social media. It ruined my day because I couldn’t get the news or image it formed out of my mind. I could only think of how heartless people are…. As if to justify my thinking that the boy was killed for witchcraft or something of that sort, I found out that he was murdered because he stole a bowl of garri!
I imagined the garri seller screaming Oleeeeeeeee!!!!.. and Lagosians on their way to work, saw a boy scampering for safety, caught him, picked up sticks and stones, and eventually snuffed out his life in a second!!!!…. What could I have done in that situation?
Reading all the comments on the news page, Nigerians cursing those who were there will thunder and brimstone, I couldn’t help but read a comment that Buhari caused the situation that made the boy steal the garri, or even make the lady scream Oleeeee! It was unbelievable and unjustifiable!
I’m thinking that those who participated in this heinous crime by commission or omission are Christians, Muslims or Traditionalists… I’m not sure of the latter, but the 2 others do not condone such an act on anyone talk less of a child. The adults involved are Nigerians, and sadly, they represent the rest of us. They are members of our churches and mosques, tribes, workplaces, etc. Our hearts have been ripped out of empathy and sympathy, and we have no feelings anymore. I have always believed that anyone in a dire situation, even it was devil himself, can elicit pity and sympathy if you hear his own side of the story. This is the exact thing that happened in Kano with the 78-year-old woman, in Kubwa with the preacher lady, in Port Harcourt with the Aluu 4. There are several unreported cases of jungle justice.
Yesterday, I read the story of a fraud suspect and hate speech specialist, Fani Kayode’s sojourn to prison, how he met Boko Haram suspects who treated him with respect. As much as I was not a fan of FFK, I knew that his story would champion pity that nullifies his demeanor. If we could treat those who stole pensions, health funds, salaries, public funds with much respect, what happened in the case of this 7 year old boy?…..
As an evidence that our character depicts who we are, check out how the police. DSS and other security agencies arrest a suspect for a trivial crime, with the FULL wrath of the law that the reporter’s pocket can muster.
Have you even seen how the VIO arrests traffic offenders? Accompanied by soldiers, etc. this is how bad it is. We have lost the true sense of humanity, as if humanity justifies crime…. No, it doesn’t.
Today, I wish us to reflect on the issues raised, to stir up some humanity in us, to feel the pain that others feel, to make some sacrifice. I urge you, to make a difference this weekend. Call someone in need; give him/her something, no matter how small. Whether its money, rice, garri, or maize, please give something. What you give, may stop a child from suffering the fate of the 7 year old in Lagos.
Meanwhile, I can only wish that God delivers justice on those who meted this treatment on this boy. The irony is that God’s justice may come with mercy. That, I cannot question.
