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By Comrade A. M. Nasiru
In Kogi state, it’s always fire without smoke so much that Kogites have perhaps become used to travails in a manner that resembles living in a land of confusion. And whenever the bad news break, the online media rouses very robust as a result of the usual undertones and self serving perspective reports.
Ideally, the hope of an adolescent state with a multi ethnic population should be in jars diversity but alas, ours is in political satisfaction of the evil hearted. This is because a seeming capitalistic adventure backed by the vulnerabilities of cultural differences has been the operational tool of our many woes.
Sad to say but people relish in the misfortunes of others, political interest groups proclaim good news as no news when it’s not equivocal thereby keeping followers informed of only what can be transmitted in choice perspectives. This way, weeks, months and years can go by without some people breaking a single story insofar as there are non that can cause division.
If it’s not herdsmen killing people in Omala, kidnappers operations on Kogi-Edo roads, Fulani sending Ogani-Enugu on rampage, sponsored thugs carrying guns in a political branded car or armed rubbers attacking people on Lokoja-Idah road, then there is no breaking news. For keen observers, these tragedy lies in our foremost myopic leadership that has divided us as a people and state.
Everything that seem ambiguous will be exacerbated by the twin hopes of earning public sympathy simultaneously by both government and anti government handlers. Therefore, a very sorry existence for the innocent Kogites living in diaspora but relying on social media for feedback of events going on at home.
While these people are still trying to grapple with the reality of governance in the state, the smokes of tragedy emanating from Igala-Bassa clash in Bassa calls for concern. The news m caused social media to rage in pictures of fire and fury that anyone who sees these scenes will pity the victims irrespective of cultural leaning.
While history shall reckon with social media as a global age tool of information, the tragedy of Bassa will cause sober for anyone who has a human heart.
This is because, just a couple of weeks ago, the state was thrown into mourning the demise of many literally butchered to death by faceless, inhuman, cursed and cowardly operating blood sucking people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. Another menace erupting while these memory is still fresh therefore indicates the failure of Kogites regard the sanctity of human life.
Taking human life is supposed to be a taboo for the society. Unfortunately, political decay have made it a factor of checks and balance and that is why each time a clash erupts, the self trained journalists will rather than condemning the act at first instance be finding ways to fine-tune such against a political rival deliberately to play with the emotions of an unsuspecting social media users.
With this in mind, I say without fear or favour that those guilty of this emotional manipulation are greater problem to the state than the actual perpetrators of this crimes. If I must say, the Bassa clashes is one reason among which people from other states view Kogi as a confluence of conflict. This reputation is no doubt a product of our over zealous action and reactions over the years as “diabolically” spreaded by the impatience and urge of a selfish few.
By and large, there is an urgent need for both the government and citizens to be modest with reportage if it can’t be professionalize. The advantage of this is that, God forbid but in the event of further mahyem, there won’t arise emotional attachments which has characterised reactions instead of condemnation. We take it or leave it, the serial order of Dekina Oganeinugu, Omala and Bassa blood spills shall stands as a sorry replica of Kogi emotional tragedies and a pointer consequence of such is the failure of the federal government to have until now consoled with the people of these communities despite media outcry. Personally, I won’t blame the presidency for this insensitivity but our “country people” who makes self service from the tragedy of its people.
It is almost impossible to have any of such event in Kogi and there won’t be mixed reaction in such a way that the government and it’s apologists will be finding the slightest opportunity to point hands at opposition while the opposition will on their own part be describing such at the incompetence of government to protect lives and properties. Such is the level of rot that has been made to fester in our society and so, no room for solutions or counter brainstorming.
In times past, politicians shiver at the mention of communal clash but with the notoriety of sycophants and opposition to compete better voice, the sanctity of human lives have been left to descend into the abyss. It’s highest regard is a bag of rice and soft cash to the bereaved families under the guise of relief materials. Sad enough, the heavy media coverage of such outreach makes it possible to be imagined is intended for political gains – may God punish those who derive joy from the sorry state of others.
Let it be a wakeup call to communities who are victims of ethic clash, herdsmen attack and robbers exploitation to adorn boldness in confronting the evil fiasco visits paid to them forthwith. These communities like every other is deserving of government’s protection of their lives and properties. Hence, must come out boldly to resist a mockery of government’s failure if put up by the political(whether in government or not) class. The singular fact that government supporters and opposition plays politics with tragedies is a clear case of failure in responsibility and compassion respectively.
At this juncture, communities had better heed to an erstwhile advise of His Eminence, Muhammad Lamido II and begin to protect themselves or expect more loss from house burning, farm destruction and human slaughter operations that has become a common practice like smokes without fire.
Social media should ordinarily be a haven of the most men of intellect supposedly reflecting in the hope to proffer solutions and make information freely available to other culture and not a debate stage for people to bring their differences into experimentation.
Finally, If we do not learn to differentiate between governance and politics, human lives shall continue to be the queen of political chess game and in so, it’s sanctity shall remain on the decline stead.
May God rest the dead, give all bereaved the fortitude to bear their losses and restore lasting peace to Kogi state and the nation at large.
Nasiru Is A Social Commentator Cum PR Expert And Can Be Reached on naadejohs@gmail.com or Through His Twitter Handle – @amnasiru.
In Kogi state, it’s always fire without smoke so much that Kogites have perhaps become used to travails in a manner that resembles living in a land of confusion. And whenever the bad news break, the online media rouses very robust as a result of the usual undertones and self serving perspective reports.
Ideally, the hope of an adolescent state with a multi ethnic population should be in jars diversity but alas, ours is in political satisfaction of the evil hearted. This is because a seeming capitalistic adventure backed by the vulnerabilities of cultural differences has been the operational tool of our many woes.
Sad to say but people relish in the misfortunes of others, political interest groups proclaim good news as no news when it’s not equivocal thereby keeping followers informed of only what can be transmitted in choice perspectives. This way, weeks, months and years can go by without some people breaking a single story insofar as there are non that can cause division.
If it’s not herdsmen killing people in Omala, kidnappers operations on Kogi-Edo roads, Fulani sending Ogani-Enugu on rampage, sponsored thugs carrying guns in a political branded car or armed rubbers attacking people on Lokoja-Idah road, then there is no breaking news. For keen observers, these tragedy lies in our foremost myopic leadership that has divided us as a people and state.
Everything that seem ambiguous will be exacerbated by the twin hopes of earning public sympathy simultaneously by both government and anti government handlers. Therefore, a very sorry existence for the innocent Kogites living in diaspora but relying on social media for feedback of events going on at home.
While these people are still trying to grapple with the reality of governance in the state, the smokes of tragedy emanating from Igala-Bassa clash in Bassa calls for concern. The news m caused social media to rage in pictures of fire and fury that anyone who sees these scenes will pity the victims irrespective of cultural leaning.
While history shall reckon with social media as a global age tool of information, the tragedy of Bassa will cause sober for anyone who has a human heart.
This is because, just a couple of weeks ago, the state was thrown into mourning the demise of many literally butchered to death by faceless, inhuman, cursed and cowardly operating blood sucking people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. Another menace erupting while these memory is still fresh therefore indicates the failure of Kogites regard the sanctity of human life.
Taking human life is supposed to be a taboo for the society. Unfortunately, political decay have made it a factor of checks and balance and that is why each time a clash erupts, the self trained journalists will rather than condemning the act at first instance be finding ways to fine-tune such against a political rival deliberately to play with the emotions of an unsuspecting social media users.
With this in mind, I say without fear or favour that those guilty of this emotional manipulation are greater problem to the state than the actual perpetrators of this crimes. If I must say, the Bassa clashes is one reason among which people from other states view Kogi as a confluence of conflict. This reputation is no doubt a product of our over zealous action and reactions over the years as “diabolically” spreaded by the impatience and urge of a selfish few.
By and large, there is an urgent need for both the government and citizens to be modest with reportage if it can’t be professionalize. The advantage of this is that, God forbid but in the event of further mahyem, there won’t arise emotional attachments which has characterised reactions instead of condemnation. We take it or leave it, the serial order of Dekina Oganeinugu, Omala and Bassa blood spills shall stands as a sorry replica of Kogi emotional tragedies and a pointer consequence of such is the failure of the federal government to have until now consoled with the people of these communities despite media outcry. Personally, I won’t blame the presidency for this insensitivity but our “country people” who makes self service from the tragedy of its people.
It is almost impossible to have any of such event in Kogi and there won’t be mixed reaction in such a way that the government and it’s apologists will be finding the slightest opportunity to point hands at opposition while the opposition will on their own part be describing such at the incompetence of government to protect lives and properties. Such is the level of rot that has been made to fester in our society and so, no room for solutions or counter brainstorming.
In times past, politicians shiver at the mention of communal clash but with the notoriety of sycophants and opposition to compete better voice, the sanctity of human lives have been left to descend into the abyss. It’s highest regard is a bag of rice and soft cash to the bereaved families under the guise of relief materials. Sad enough, the heavy media coverage of such outreach makes it possible to be imagined is intended for political gains – may God punish those who derive joy from the sorry state of others.
Let it be a wakeup call to communities who are victims of ethic clash, herdsmen attack and robbers exploitation to adorn boldness in confronting the evil fiasco visits paid to them forthwith. These communities like every other is deserving of government’s protection of their lives and properties. Hence, must come out boldly to resist a mockery of government’s failure if put up by the political(whether in government or not) class. The singular fact that government supporters and opposition plays politics with tragedies is a clear case of failure in responsibility and compassion respectively.
At this juncture, communities had better heed to an erstwhile advise of His Eminence, Muhammad Lamido II and begin to protect themselves or expect more loss from house burning, farm destruction and human slaughter operations that has become a common practice like smokes without fire.
Social media should ordinarily be a haven of the most men of intellect supposedly reflecting in the hope to proffer solutions and make information freely available to other culture and not a debate stage for people to bring their differences into experimentation.
Finally, If we do not learn to differentiate between governance and politics, human lives shall continue to be the queen of political chess game and in so, it’s sanctity shall remain on the decline stead.
May God rest the dead, give all bereaved the fortitude to bear their losses and restore lasting peace to Kogi state and the nation at large.
Nasiru Is A Social Commentator Cum PR Expert And Can Be Reached on naadejohs@gmail.com or Through His Twitter Handle – @amnasiru.
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