Finally, I will share my perception of the monstrous event that happened in Allu. An event which has been topical for the past few weeks; almost every Nigerian is talking about it, analyzing it and vehemently taking sides. Emotions are sky-rocketing and often cumulating in heated verbal arguments. We see these arguments in various media, Facebook, Nairaland, newspapers, etc.
However, concerning this issue, I have not seen an article or view that drives the nail all the way home. We are only looking at problem on the surface and offering physical remedies and solutions. However the source of all our problems lies beyond the physical manifestation, beyond the surface. If you want to effectively deal with a problem, you have to deal with it at its source; you have to find the root of the problem to effectively deal with it. We shouldn’t treat this like an isolated event; for in every system, there is nothing like an isolated event. This holds true in all walks of life, in both science and politics. Often the problems that manifest here have their sources in distant places.
Travel with me in spirit to Allu and let’s watch this event from a higher perspective, from a spiritual perspective. Looking from above we observe as the poor boys burned, surrounded by onlookers who burned with as much emotional flame as the condemned boys burned with physical flames. Some burned with hatred for the condemned boys while others burned with sympathy. Hence the finger pointing, side taking, and vehement arguments.
And finger pointing is always directed to another person, never to ourselves. The question nobody asks himself is “have I in anywhere contributed to this event?” The person vehemently condemning a monster may not realize that he may have helped in creating the monster. He may be a teacher who by failing to teach his students leaves them little or no option other than to become thieves. He may be a father who by demanding and expecting his son to become a millionaire, like the neighbors son, forces him to steal in order to live up to his father’s expectation. He may be a politician, living far away in Abuja, who by stealing the people’s money leaves them no option other than to steal. He may be a rich man who abuses the poor and denies them their God-given right, thereby forcing them to do whatever to regain their rights. He may be a Nigerian living abroad, who by giving Nigeria a bad name through dishonest living, prevents inventors from investing in Nigeria, thereby preventing the flow of money into Nigeria; the flow of money that would have helped to alleviate the poverty in Nigeria.
The bottom line is that the source or the root of all problems that manifest in Nigeria is corruption, oppression, infringements on human rights, and tyranny. Rather than pointing fingers, each person should retire into himself and have a moment of introspection. These monstrous events show us what situation corruption can lead us to. And I’m not only talking about corruption in high places but within each individual, be he small or big. A small corruption can set off an event which can later manifest into a hideous event at another place. This is the domino effect!
Each individual should strive to be honest in all his dealings. No matter what his profession is, be he a trader, an engineer, a doctor, a politician, etc. Corruption is corruption, no matter where it comes from. Any infected organ (no matter how small) of the physical body or any system will end up spreading the infection across the entire body or system and consequently cause the death or decay of the entire system. We shouldn’t just point fingers at the government either, because the government is made up of the citizens. The problem is the corruption in us, the citizens!
In a nutshell, the solution to Nigeria’s problem is moral revolution! And this revolution has to start within each of us. There is no other solution; this is the only way we can rid ourselves of events like that that happened in Allu.
Those that propose that the entire village be killed are as barbaric as the people that perpetrated the crime, the people that killed those boys. Also those that suggest handing over the perpetrators to the police for sound trial and sentencing are just dreamers. While there is nothing wrong in this idea, it will not solve the problem. How can you expect sound trial or justice from a corrupt system? If you hand them over to the law, they will simply pay themselves out. The next day they will commit the same crime. Hence this solution is just a waste of time.
My heart goes out the families that lost their loved ones. They should take heart and be consoled by the fact that every criminal must one day face the judgment of God. Perhaps, it is the living that should be pitied, not the dead. My heart also goes out to the murdered, I’m sure they will receive the justice that they deserve from the laws of God. My heart also goes out to the Allu people who, according to the media, have been tormented, raped and plagued by armed robbers for years. My heart also goes out to the people that perpetrated this crime, they should be pitied, because only extreme frustration can lead a human being to such barbarity as that they displayed.
Rather than taking sides and rushing into another killing rampage, let this event be our reminder of what corruption does to the society. Let each person kill the corruption within him and there will be no corruption without.
May God help us all.