A SHOW OF SHAME AND MOURNING OUR TRAGEDIES

‘We have sinned as our ancestors did; we have been wicked and evil’ (Psalm 106:6)

Introduction

It is a great cause of shame, sadness and embarrassment that our beloved country, Nigeria seems to be engulfed and shrouded in darkness – Wars, conflicts, murders, hatred, violence, and terrorism. The horrific accounts of violence, the harrowing torture, brutality and gruesome decapitation of our innocent citizens and our Serving Youth Corpers in  some parts of the Northern States in Nigeria is scandalous. Our hearts are pierced and saddened by all these, which has caused, and are still inflicting intense suffering and misery upon our innocent people. In fact, we fall bleeding and weeping in desperation, foaming at the mouth with our teeth rattling. Lots of families and communities are thrown into anguish and sorrow, with the feeling of deep-rooted resentment and hostility against the society. This political crisis was a terrible atrocity and brutality of unprecedented scale, which attracted universal condemnation from the international community, while leaving us surrounded by wreckages. Apparently, it seems the seeds of iniquity is sown and we are reaping injustice (Hosea 10:12). We are reaping the misery we had created for ourselves by our self – induced sufferings. After observing the reckless and godless condition of our nation, we confess and admit that we readily recognize the need for change and healing.

Counting our losses

Nigerians are at the moment licking their wounds and counting their losses – billions of naira destroyed, human carnage, huge losses of property, and the burning of homes and places of worship in the mayhem unleashed on innocent citizens by some fanatical irate youths allegedly protesting the outcome of the recent Presidential election acclaimed the most credible, free and fair by the national and international observers.

We condemn in strong terms the action of the unscrupulous political detractors who instigated the senseless and unpatriotic spate of violence that greeted the announcement of the Presidential elections results in parts of the North.  How could we in our wildest insanity continue with these maliciously wicked and inhuman brutality of man against man. There is a great pain and discomfort in this development, and so, we must stand united in the battle to entrench a viable democracy to reject the life of slavery, violence and terrorism.

It seems pathetic that human beings, so marvelously created in God’s image should be inconsiderate and negligent with the care for their fellow humans, and are rather filled with demonic passion, which bids them to kill even their brothers and sisters without an instant’s hesitation. Can’t we learn from our past bitter mistakes and agonizing experience, in order to make amendment for progress and development? Nigeria need people with a heart for God. Godly people are priceless, because they honor God even in a world that is so opposed to Him. Yes, we have lots of choices, but we have to choose wisely and be in God’s presence always.

Removing the stones and weeds of sin

Though we are made in God’s image and likeness, but we have marred that likeness through our sin. God is calling us to soften our hardened hearts and remove the stones of sin and rebellion to reap fruits of God’s love and provision. It is a common knowledge that before a farmer can plant, he has to prepare the soil, hard ground has to be broken up, all stones and weeds removed. Then the farmer can plant good seed and expect an abundant harvest. Though our present circumstances are rough, tough and painful, we must take time to be still before the Lord in submission and repentance. We should hate hate and love love, and be resolved as a people to plant seeds of love, progress, peace and unity, and never to succumb to blackmails and malicious rumors of enemies flying around and feeding our populace with lies and thereby creating fear, uncertainty, fright and insecurity. Now is the right time to make amendments and forge ahead together in peace and love as we look up to God with unquenchable faith for better and greater things.  For we remember that when life knocks us flat on our back, it certainly puts us in a grand position for looking up to God for redemption.

Passionate appeal

Indeed, Ours is a look and feeling of national shame as we mourn the loss of lives. We express deep sorrow over the recent havoc and brutality following the announcement of the Presidential election results leaving in their wake thousands of deaths and destruction of properties worth billions of naira. Weeks after this crisis, we salute the continuous efforts of the Nigerian government who are still struggling to get on top of the security situation by calming frayed nerves and forestalling further escalation, reprisals and possible threats of indiscriminate silent killings. We also commend the efforts of kind spirited individuals and charitable organizations, churches and Mosques across the country who have spent millions of naira and sent humanitarian aids to succor the needs of the post election displaced victims who are taking refuge at various safety camps.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR has lamented the horrific human carnage and appealed for calm thus; ‘I lament the loss of lives, destruction of the means of livelihood, the burning of homes and places of worship. I appeal to members of the political class, leaders of thoughts and traditional rulers to continue to put our national interest first at this critical time. Particularly, I call on our religious leaders not to use the sacredness of our places of worship to promote messages that could lead to hate, disharmony and disaffection. Rather, we must all at this time join hands and support INEC in ensuring a successful conclusion of the commendable work they started’.

Our pursuit for false freedom

Today, it is truly strange how we do many risky and harmful things to poison and tear down our bodies and the society. We maim, murder, kill, and commit much brutality which we know are dangerous and harmful to life, but we do them anyway! We spend our lives building self-erected walls and self-protective barriers, instead of building bridges of love, harmony, unity and peace. Paradoxically, it seems our headlong and shrewd pursuit of ‘freedom’ has turn into bondage as we see recurring cycle of deep-rooted mutual suspicion, mistrust, misunderstanding, and apprehension and even hatred of one racial, ethnic, religious and political group against another. In the words of Nietzsche, which applies to our modern situation, we are cautioned, “Be careful, lest in fighting the dragon, you become the dragon.”

 Urgent need for national reconciliation

In view of the urgent need for national reconciliation, peace and justice at this crucial time in our nation’s history , we must stop all these madness and extend hands of dialogue, friendship, partnership and collaboration in working together towards doing things practical, helpful and useful for the good of our people, and then our future will hold great promise and hope. We must set firm resolutions against yielding to the clutches of these risky and destructive behaviors, and strive to maintain a living and burning hope and confidence in our God given abilities to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles with dignity and respect.

 While it is commendable that President Goodluck Jonathan has read the riot act to perpetrators of the Post – Presidential election violence in some areas of the North warning that they will be made to face the full weight of the law; it is equally important that government should look deeply into their remote and immediate causes and critically examine elements and factors which could lead to future crises. We must understand past trends, trace the root causes of the present dilemma, make evaluation of our policy options with a view of sustaining a process and procedures that will confront future contingencies and long-range goals for nation building. The riot act reads: ‘I have directed that perpetrators of these disastardly acts of violence, and all those who seek to continue to breach the peace and stability of this nation must be fished out and made to face the full weight of the law. In this regard, a Judicial Commission of Inquiry will be constituted to look into the immediate and remote causes of this recent tide of unrest.’

Conclusion
Faced with the mounting challenges of the 21^st century in the midst of a world ridden by constant warfare, strife, religious, ethnic, political and social tensions, it has become absolutely clear that mediation, negotiation, diplomacy and dialogue are urgent necessity. We observe that whenever a new violent crisis breaks out in Nigeria or an old one is rekindled, the consequences are always unpredictably devastating, reaping a continuous stream of human casualties with both Christian and Muslim communities paying dearly for this latest round of political mayhem. It is also clear that in this situation of socio-political tensions, those most affected and afflicted are the weakest sectors of the society, those who have no one to defend and protect them – women, children, the elderly and the masses.

 While we congratulate the Governors, Honorables, and the President elect, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR for their election victories, we appeal to them to brace up to meet the numerous challenges of building a strong, stable and virile Nigeria by improving the lots of our people through education, provision of medical facilities and other social amenities, job and wealth creation and above all character building and formation of our children and youth. Let the sacrifices of our beloved heroic deceased people and Youth Corpers not be in vain!

 Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director of Media Service Centre writes from Kaduna, Nigeria 2011