As I heard the news about the bomb blast I could only just
shake my head and look to the sky and asking under my breathe ‘Not again’.
There have been quite a lot of killings in the past month and the government
seems to be calm about doing something about it. Although I am not a good
commentator of politics either am I someone who gives much interest into how it
is run except the law aspect of it and the fact that there are some things the
Government of a country is expected to do.
I was actually urged to do what I'm passionate about and
though I'm passionate about writing I don’t think my piece could get into a
writing competition because all I want to do is get my message across, that
being said let me simply get the ball rolling.
A day after the bomb went off the news and the interest in
the issue died down as fast as the dust settled after the bomb blast. Its just
disheartening to see such a terrorist attack on the capital of a nation to be
taken with levity, there is no comment on what would happen next neither is any
mention of investigation on the issue. In fact I do not think there has been
any mention on the kind of bomb it was or the things used to make the bomb
either it was local or mechanical. These are what would make the public know if
you are really on the issue and make the perpetrators know that you are on
their tails. The president visited the site and made a statement and that
settles it? The Police did not make any comment and neither did the Defense
Minister. These people won’t stop and I am very sure that appeals won’t get to
them either.
I don’t want to compare my dear country to other countries
but I just can’t help it. Nigeria is a country where the police don’t even look
for forensic evidence, they don’t take witness testimonies seriously and are
even ill equipped, we live in as country where we don’t trust ourselves and we
are divided even amongst our domestic communities and I wonder how we have
survived this long. I cannot deny the fact that we are blessed but we are
taking that blessing for granted and its only a matter of time before that
blessing starts metamorphosing into a curse as is evident now. Where young
girls would be kidnapped and all the minister of Public Affairs can say is “I'm
appealing…” how would you appeal to people who are ready to kill? It’s the
parents that should appeal not you, its either you talk tough or you just do
you job and let it do the talking. I think our leaders have talked enough and
its time they start putting their words into action.
I would not even make mention of the president before I get
swooped by some Agencies neither would I commit treason just because I want to
make my point but I would always say we do not know the value of what we have
until we lose it, the Northerners are crying now and the rest of the country is
just reading the newspapers and changing channels and I hope its not when the
bomb starts going off in our backyards that we start taking it seriously. If
the government cannot help us we can help ourselves. Firstly we can be
observant; no matter where you are either in a crowded place or in a remote
environment make sure you observe all that is happening around you and maybe
you might avert another attack. Secondly always stay safe; no matter how hard you
pray there is still a place of wisdom which is the right application of
knowledge and that being said I believe you understand, I don’t need to spell
it out for you and staying safe is not staying in your house but when you are
out always look out for strange situations and be at alert to move quickly.
Thirdly, this is one I'm skeptical about but its what we must all embrace and
it is when you see any strange movement by any individual call the police. I
mean that’s the best you can do rather than hunt the person down and render
jungle justice on them.
Finally, I can only but hope that this country would
overcome its greatest opposition yet and hopefully every part of this nation
would be safe to visit again. The government should tighten its belt and face
this goliath with its might because if half of the populace of this nation is
wiped out I wonder who they would govern over in the next couple of years. I
cannot say much more than I have done and hopefully this would be history for
the library and for the next Chimamanda to write about.
