by Eze Eluchie
For the past few weeks, no day has passed bye without news of
the slaughter of defenseless Nigerian villagers in our Northeastern Zone by
terrorists. Entire villages have been ravaged, several hundred killed and
countless young girls and women carted away to serve as sex-slaves to these
terrorists.
Whilst the high number of fatalities and extent of destruction to properties in our Northeast zone has been troubling, the real shocker is the nonchalance with which most Nigerians have reacted to the sad events. For instance, news of the killing of over 70 Nigerians at the hands of terrorists in Bama town in Bornu State was buried deep in obscure sections of the few national dailies which had bothered to report the news; the very loud silence following the kidnapping of over 20 young girls from a boarding school in Konduga (also in Bornu) and the general lack of empathy to the plight of the peoples affected by the violence serves to dehumanize us all.
Quite rightly, most of the victims of the violence described above are of the Kanuri, Shuwa, Hausa, Beriberi, Ngizim, Fulani or other ethnic nationalities indigenous to our northeast zone - but they are first and foremost, human beings, nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers or other relatives to someone/some people?
Is it possible that others not directly affected do not care what happens to co-joiners in the Nigerian contraption or worse still, is there deep rooted unspoken ‘joy’ at the misfortune of others? That would be terribly unfortunate!
We depreciate our humanity when we are unable to empathize with others over deep losses. It could have been anyone of us. No one knows where the terrorists will strike next.
Whilst the high number of fatalities and extent of destruction to properties in our Northeast zone has been troubling, the real shocker is the nonchalance with which most Nigerians have reacted to the sad events. For instance, news of the killing of over 70 Nigerians at the hands of terrorists in Bama town in Bornu State was buried deep in obscure sections of the few national dailies which had bothered to report the news; the very loud silence following the kidnapping of over 20 young girls from a boarding school in Konduga (also in Bornu) and the general lack of empathy to the plight of the peoples affected by the violence serves to dehumanize us all.
Quite rightly, most of the victims of the violence described above are of the Kanuri, Shuwa, Hausa, Beriberi, Ngizim, Fulani or other ethnic nationalities indigenous to our northeast zone - but they are first and foremost, human beings, nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers or other relatives to someone/some people?
Is it possible that others not directly affected do not care what happens to co-joiners in the Nigerian contraption or worse still, is there deep rooted unspoken ‘joy’ at the misfortune of others? That would be terribly unfortunate!
We depreciate our humanity when we are unable to empathize with others over deep losses. It could have been anyone of us. No one knows where the terrorists will strike next.
When a society reaches the depth where mass death, maiming on a large scale and other atrocities are taken as casual occurrence, there is need for worry - it is an early warning signal that far worse occurrences will be tolerated and is perhaps being hatched.
Our fundamentals are faulty. Restructuring and renegotiating our contraption will address the disconnect amongst our various peoples.
Our fundamentals are faulty. Restructuring and renegotiating our contraption will address the disconnect amongst our various peoples.
Picture: Victims of one of several Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria's Northeastern Zone being taken to a morgue.
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