Be a good human being, a warm hearted, affectionate person. That is my fundamental belief- DALAI LAMA
Sometimes, I think that humans, are birthed with the tendency to commit crimes and engage in forms of criminalities. Most times, I end up brushing off the thought because I have met people who are true definitions of humanity. Judging by recent happenings, I concluded that we have more percentage who are inherently wicked and evil. This claim is not far-fetched as it is evidently seen in the story of Abel and Cain.
It saddens my heart and brings tears to my optics when I see the high rate of crimes in this century. Once in a while, I wish to take an investigative journey to the past centuries to understudy if crimes were these high then. Rapes, murders, racism among other crimes are being reported almost everyday. All these social vices want me to question where humans humanity and tolerance have gone to?
The past days have been virtually eventful, but sadly, for negative reasons. In these past days, we have heard and read of killings, rape and murder. But the cases that stood out were that of a teenager who was 'mistakenly' murdered in cold blood, a lady who was brutalised a a result of rape and a black man who suffered the consequence of being black.
READ: Coronavirus: Career Tamed, Professionalism Tampered
Police brutality is something not new to Nigerians. The numbers of those killed in the first two weeks of the lock down were more than the total that were killed by the Coronavirus. Police's insatiability for corruption can not be imagined. They can do anything when their illegal requests are not attended to by drivers. But what I could not come to terms with is why would a supposedly law enforcement agent fired a gun carelessly: something that should not be done by civilians like me. Many results of the police brutality and rash decisions have been reported in recent times. The most recent of such brutality and senseless shooting was that of Tina Ezekwe. Tina who was a teenager was hit by a police officer's misfire shot at Iyana Oworo area of Lagos state. I will like to see it as a murder case rather than a case of manslaughter. Tina at the time of her death was aged 16 and due to sit for her WAEC examination this year. Yes, I called it a case of murder because nothing gave the police officer the reason and audacity to rashly and unreasonably fire. I would not want to start imagining the state the girl's parent would be at this time. We keep hearing young minds are the leaders of tomorrow, but it seems to me that everything is being coordinately put in place that the paradigm never comes to fruition. An example should be made out of the police officer in question so as to serve as a deterrent to other trigger- happy police officers.
Rape cases have been prevalent, not only in Nigeria, but also all over the world in recent times. Those who religiously follow international updates would give an acceptable nod to this claim. Hardly would a day pass without at least a reported case of rape. Nigeria stands among countries recording cases of rape in recent times. In a report, it was said at least a girl child is raped everyday in Nigeria. But the rape case of Uwa serve as one of the backdrop for writing this piece. I find it unbelievable that the victim was raped and brutalised inside a church! The late Uwavera Omozuwa was a 200-level Uniben student who had decided to take the church a reading centre as a result of this covid-19 pandemic when all institutions are under lock and key. As her usual habit, the late Uwa on Saturday, May 30 decided to visit her reading base which was a redeemed church for another reading session before she was pounced on by vagina-hungry predators. She was badly raped and brutalised. I will rather not focus on the fact that the criminal, disgusting and ungodly act was carried out inside a church as the perpetrators may be infidels or atheists, not that I have problems with them being infidels or atheists as everyone is entitled to his/her beliefs. But I will rather focus on the inhumanity displayed by these individuals. Another rape case involving 14 men raping a young girl was reported in Jigawa this morning. There is nothing we can call that than it is an act of wickedness. I hold the opinion that more stringent laws should be passed on any cases involving rape. Many women are raped and they have to live with the stain and stigma for the rest of their lives. Some are not strong enough, they would rather take solace in murder. There should be no place in the world where women will feel insecure as right to life and property is one of the fundamental human rights. As a result of consiszent reports of rape cases, many women would leave their homes in fear of being way laid or raped. In this Uwa's case, humanity has definitely gone on an expedition of no return.
Uwa
The Late Uwa
Humanity decided earlier this week to take another break when an innocent man suffered the consequence of being born black. The current event has generated reactions all over the world. Since the occurrence of the incident, nationwide protests have been going on in the United States of America. George Floyd suffered a tragedy of police brutality in Minneapolis, Minnesota in America not because he was asked for bribe or refusing police arrest or shot at a police officer, but because he was black. His death was just that of circumstances birthed by the world we live in. Racism has been around for as long as I could remember and many have kissed the mother earth as victims of racism. A sneak peek to books like Native sons, Sizwe Bansi is dead, Second class citizen and a host of other negro oriented work of arts: prose, poetry and drama will sharpen one's mind and take one on a long memory lane. Africa was blindly looted by whites for more than a hundred years. Even after independence, we are still enslaved by their Ideas. Years after breaking the shackles of imperialism and colonialism, Africans still struggle for acceptability. The White see black as nobody, especially, in the White man's land. It is the highest degree of inhumanity to kneel on someone's neck and others present would just derive pleasure in the whole scenario by laughing away. Even after pleading for his dear life, they didn't bulge. George Floyd's offence was that he was black. I find it nauseating that people judge by colours. Nobody holds any decision on the colour he would be birthed. I was born black not because I had a choice, but because I was lucky to be born black. You were born White not because you had a choice, but because you were lucky to be born White. I think the United Nations Organisation should try everything possible to put an end to any forms of racism around the world. As a result of racism, Africans live in fear of being abused, maligned and marginalised because of the colour of the skins. The protests in America that have sent the United States' president to the white house bunker should send a strong message to other countries what racism can cause and that being black is not an aberration.
The Late George Floyd
READ: 'I Can't Breathe'' - The Murder of George Floyd
An anonymous author said, "Humanity should be our race. Love should be our religion." I hold the opinion that humanity should come first before anything. We are set of religious people, but lacking in the area of humanity. This world would be a better place to live on if we are able to balance religion and humanity.
Sometimes, I think that humans, are birthed with the tendency to commit crimes and engage in forms of criminalities. Most times, I end up brushing off the thought because I have met people who are true definitions of humanity. Judging by recent happenings, I concluded that we have more percentage who are inherently wicked and evil. This claim is not far-fetched as it is evidently seen in the story of Abel and Cain.
It saddens my heart and brings tears to my optics when I see the high rate of crimes in this century. Once in a while, I wish to take an investigative journey to the past centuries to understudy if crimes were these high then. Rapes, murders, racism among other crimes are being reported almost everyday. All these social vices want me to question where humans humanity and tolerance have gone to?
The past days have been virtually eventful, but sadly, for negative reasons. In these past days, we have heard and read of killings, rape and murder. But the cases that stood out were that of a teenager who was 'mistakenly' murdered in cold blood, a lady who was brutalised a a result of rape and a black man who suffered the consequence of being black.
READ: Coronavirus: Career Tamed, Professionalism Tampered
Police brutality is something not new to Nigerians. The numbers of those killed in the first two weeks of the lock down were more than the total that were killed by the Coronavirus. Police's insatiability for corruption can not be imagined. They can do anything when their illegal requests are not attended to by drivers. But what I could not come to terms with is why would a supposedly law enforcement agent fired a gun carelessly: something that should not be done by civilians like me. Many results of the police brutality and rash decisions have been reported in recent times. The most recent of such brutality and senseless shooting was that of Tina Ezekwe. Tina who was a teenager was hit by a police officer's misfire shot at Iyana Oworo area of Lagos state. I will like to see it as a murder case rather than a case of manslaughter. Tina at the time of her death was aged 16 and due to sit for her WAEC examination this year. Yes, I called it a case of murder because nothing gave the police officer the reason and audacity to rashly and unreasonably fire. I would not want to start imagining the state the girl's parent would be at this time. We keep hearing young minds are the leaders of tomorrow, but it seems to me that everything is being coordinately put in place that the paradigm never comes to fruition. An example should be made out of the police officer in question so as to serve as a deterrent to other trigger- happy police officers.
Rape cases have been prevalent, not only in Nigeria, but also all over the world in recent times. Those who religiously follow international updates would give an acceptable nod to this claim. Hardly would a day pass without at least a reported case of rape. Nigeria stands among countries recording cases of rape in recent times. In a report, it was said at least a girl child is raped everyday in Nigeria. But the rape case of Uwa serve as one of the backdrop for writing this piece. I find it unbelievable that the victim was raped and brutalised inside a church! The late Uwavera Omozuwa was a 200-level Uniben student who had decided to take the church a reading centre as a result of this covid-19 pandemic when all institutions are under lock and key. As her usual habit, the late Uwa on Saturday, May 30 decided to visit her reading base which was a redeemed church for another reading session before she was pounced on by vagina-hungry predators. She was badly raped and brutalised. I will rather not focus on the fact that the criminal, disgusting and ungodly act was carried out inside a church as the perpetrators may be infidels or atheists, not that I have problems with them being infidels or atheists as everyone is entitled to his/her beliefs. But I will rather focus on the inhumanity displayed by these individuals. Another rape case involving 14 men raping a young girl was reported in Jigawa this morning. There is nothing we can call that than it is an act of wickedness. I hold the opinion that more stringent laws should be passed on any cases involving rape. Many women are raped and they have to live with the stain and stigma for the rest of their lives. Some are not strong enough, they would rather take solace in murder. There should be no place in the world where women will feel insecure as right to life and property is one of the fundamental human rights. As a result of consiszent reports of rape cases, many women would leave their homes in fear of being way laid or raped. In this Uwa's case, humanity has definitely gone on an expedition of no return.
Uwa
The Late Uwa
Humanity decided earlier this week to take another break when an innocent man suffered the consequence of being born black. The current event has generated reactions all over the world. Since the occurrence of the incident, nationwide protests have been going on in the United States of America. George Floyd suffered a tragedy of police brutality in Minneapolis, Minnesota in America not because he was asked for bribe or refusing police arrest or shot at a police officer, but because he was black. His death was just that of circumstances birthed by the world we live in. Racism has been around for as long as I could remember and many have kissed the mother earth as victims of racism. A sneak peek to books like Native sons, Sizwe Bansi is dead, Second class citizen and a host of other negro oriented work of arts: prose, poetry and drama will sharpen one's mind and take one on a long memory lane. Africa was blindly looted by whites for more than a hundred years. Even after independence, we are still enslaved by their Ideas. Years after breaking the shackles of imperialism and colonialism, Africans still struggle for acceptability. The White see black as nobody, especially, in the White man's land. It is the highest degree of inhumanity to kneel on someone's neck and others present would just derive pleasure in the whole scenario by laughing away. Even after pleading for his dear life, they didn't bulge. George Floyd's offence was that he was black. I find it nauseating that people judge by colours. Nobody holds any decision on the colour he would be birthed. I was born black not because I had a choice, but because I was lucky to be born black. You were born White not because you had a choice, but because you were lucky to be born White. I think the United Nations Organisation should try everything possible to put an end to any forms of racism around the world. As a result of racism, Africans live in fear of being abused, maligned and marginalised because of the colour of the skins. The protests in America that have sent the United States' president to the white house bunker should send a strong message to other countries what racism can cause and that being black is not an aberration.
The Late George Floyd
READ: 'I Can't Breathe'' - The Murder of George Floyd
An anonymous author said, "Humanity should be our race. Love should be our religion." I hold the opinion that humanity should come first before anything. We are set of religious people, but lacking in the area of humanity. This world would be a better place to live on if we are able to balance religion and humanity.