I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Achutebe(f): 4:47pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
HAJJ TRAGEDY: Nigeria’s deafening SilenceI am a Nigerian. I am a Muslim. And I am angry… Almost a month has elapsed since the calamitous stampede at the Hajj in Mecca and we are no closer to any concrete answers about what really happened. The Nigerian death toll in the incident is creeping alarmingly higher – 199 at the last count with a further 121 missing. That’s 320 people. Gone. Real people with hopes, aspirations, plans for the future. Sucked from them in a crushing matter of moments. Parents cruelly stolen from children. Husbands separated forever from their partners. It’s nauseating. My close friend in Kaduna lost his wife in the tragedy and no amount of words or religious counsel can replace her. He still wakes up each morning in mourning, an empty space beside him on the bed. The Associated Press put the current toll at 2,121 (with well over 1,000 still ‘missing’), making it easily the worst tragedy in the Hajj’s history and the deadliest crowd crush disaster to have occurred in modern times. To add insult to injury, the Saudi Arabian government have refused to amend their initial statement that only 769 perished, despite the clear evidence from figures tallied by countries involved which tripled this. However, for me, the worst part of this tragedy is not the huge number of fatalities. It’s not the images of Saudi officials bulldozing dead bodies into a heap to ‘clean up’ in the stampede aftermath. It’s not the brazen attempts for officials to trade blames – from African pilgrims refusing to obey instructions to Iran deliberately instigating the stampede to tarnish Saudi reputation. No. The worst tragedy here is the deafening silence of the countries affected. Rather than raising a clarion call for justice for the victims, compensation for the bereaved families and an independent investigation into what really happened, it appears most countries have swept the incident under the rug. I can’t talk for other nations but let me stir the hornet’s nest a little in my own country Nigeria. The Nigerian response to this horrific incident smacks of the highest level of hypocrisy as it sadly appears Buhari and his cohorts have chosen to tread the cowardly path of apathy. It’s true Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki is facing heat right now over his assets but did anyone not notice what he said when a Saudi delegation visited last week? “I think it’s not about who is at fault but how do we ensure that we improve,” he is quoted as saying. Yes, that was it from Nigeria’s number three citizen. No call for justice. No demand for the real figures to be released. No talk of recompense for affected families. No insistence on an independent enquiry to unravel the truth behind the tragedy. No assertion on the need for responsibility to be duly taken. Just some wrapped up political hogwash, concluded by a call for enhancement of the visa processing between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia for prospective pilgrims. Some families still don’t know the fate of their loved ones and Saraki is already planning for the next Hajj. Is the value and sanctity of human life so easily trodden upon? My reason for using hypocrisy as a key word in describing Nigeria’s lukewarm response is born of comparing it to the last major tragedy of ‘religious’ proportions that befell our country. When T.B. Joshua’s church hostel ‘collapsed’ or ‘imploded’ (pending on which side of the story you believe), sending 115 Christian pilgrims to an early grave, the Nigerian government was quick to apportion blame on the church and implement a predetermined court case to ascertain those at guilt. Even when CCTV footage was released by Joshua with compelling evidence that a military aircraft was connected to the tragedy, Nigeria’s government refused all requests to reveal the identity and assignment of the strange plane which encircled the ill-fated building four times, nor its occupants. On that singular point alone, why are Nigeria (and other countries for that matter) not insisting that Saudi Arabia make the CCTV footage of the collapse public – if truly they have no culpability or dirty hands? It is well known that an elaborate security camera network was set up several years ago capturing every detail of the entire stretch of the Hajj journey. Perhaps the truth lies within those records – just as TB Joshua’s CCTV footage revealed the truth behind the uncanny nature of the buildings falling. My point here is that the government deliberately tried to frame and blame Joshua for The Synagogue incident (without any pertinent consideration for the possibility of sabotage), making their nonchalance and refusal to question the Saudi officials all the more irritating. Perhaps they feel they can pick on someone like Joshua because he’s an individual and has no palpable political clout, as opposed to the oil-rich Saudi officials. Any impartial observer will scream at the arrogance and callousness of the Saudi response to the tragedy yet it appears it’s still ‘business as usual’ in Mecca. The Hajj will continue and it’s likely no changes ‘in the system’ will result. When will Nigeria genuinely stand up for what is right and champion the cause of justice – irrespective of the religious, political or ethnic implications? I pray to Allah that my eyes would behold such a day. SOURCE: http://www.sabreakingnews.co.za/2015/10/20/hajj-tragedy-nigerias-deafening-silence/Intriguing opinion piece. I for one certainly agree... 4 Likes
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Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by rifasenate11(m): 4:50pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
OP, you are not a Muslim 8 Likes 1 Share |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by DickDastardly(m): 4:53pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
I see |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by franklingud(m): 4:55pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
A ribeghi ihe I huru gi la akpokasi. More yet to come. 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by lanrehamd: 4:55pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
rifasenate11: OP, you are not a Muslim Don't mind him, he's using Paracetamol for another man's Headache.. Advice: He should keep his anger to himself. Nobody send am message. 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Nobody: 4:57pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
It is very sad that thus happened to my fellow nigerian u a foreign land. The Saudi Arabia government should be held totally responsible for these. Again the manner to which the dead bodies were treated speaks volume of disregard for human being, even in death! its unfortunate that our government is quiet about this.Very unfortunate. 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by lanrehamd: 4:58pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
EggovinMma: It is very sad that thus happened to my fellow nigerian u a foreign land. The Saudi Arabia government should be held totally responsible for these. Again the manner to which the dead bodies were treated speaks volume of disregard for human being, even in death! its unfortunate that our government is quiet about this.Very unfortunate. 7 Likes
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Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Nobody: 4:58pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
OP y are you angry? they have gone to meet their 72 virgins in hell................ no suicide bombing what a pity.................. muslim die for muslim event, wetin concern me? nigerians die in their islamic whatever they call it, wetin concern BIAFRANS? op be angry all you want and if you cant hold it, suicide bomb fit help you o 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by lanrehamd: 5:00pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Achutebe: HAJJ TRAGEDY: Nigeria’s deafening Silence
I am a Nigerian. I am a Muslim. And I am angry…
Almost a month has elapsed since the calamitous stampede at the Hajj in Mecca and we are no closer to any concrete answers about what really happened. The Nigerian death toll in the incident is creeping alarmingly higher – 199 at the last count with a further 121 missing. That’s 320 people. Gone. Real people with hopes, aspirations, plans for the future. Sucked from them in a crushing matter of moments. Parents cruelly stolen from children. Husbands separated forever from their partners. It’s nauseating. My close friend in Kaduna lost his wife in the tragedy and no amount of words or religious counsel can replace her. He still wakes up each morning in mourning, an empty space beside him on the bed.
The Associated Press put the current toll at 2,121 (with well over 1,000 still ‘missing’), making it easily the worst tragedy in the Hajj’s history and the deadliest crowd crush disaster to have occurred in modern times. To add insult to injury, the Saudi Arabian government have refused to amend their initial statement that only 769 perished, despite the clear evidence from figures tallied by countries involved which tripled this.
However, for me, the worst part of this tragedy is not the huge number of fatalities. It’s not the images of Saudi officials bulldozing dead bodies into a heap to ‘clean up’ in the stampede aftermath. It’s not the brazen attempts for officials to trade blames – from African pilgrims refusing to obey instructions to Iran deliberately instigating the stampede to tarnish Saudi reputation. No. The worst tragedy here is the deafening silence of the countries affected.
Rather than raising a clarion call for justice for the victims, compensation for the bereaved families and an independent investigation into what really happened, it appears most countries have swept the incident under the rug. I can’t talk for other nations but let me stir the hornet’s nest a little in my own country Nigeria. The Nigerian response to this horrific incident smacks of the highest level of hypocrisy as it sadly appears Buhari and his cohorts have chosen to tread the cowardly path of apathy.
It’s true Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki is facing heat right now over his assets but did anyone not notice what he said when a Saudi delegation visited last week? “I think it’s not about who is at fault but how do we ensure that we improve,” he is quoted as saying. Yes, that was it from Nigeria’s number three citizen. No call for justice. No demand for the real figures to be released. No talk of recompense for affected families. No insistence on an independent enquiry to unravel the truth behind the tragedy. No assertion on the need for responsibility to be duly taken. Just some wrapped up political hogwash, concluded by a call for enhancement of the visa processing between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia for prospective pilgrims. Some families still don’t know the fate of their loved ones and Saraki is already planning for the next Hajj. Is the value and sanctity of human life so easily trodden upon?
My reason for using hypocrisy as a key word in describing Nigeria’s lukewarm response is born of comparing it to the last major tragedy of ‘religious’ proportions that befell our country. When T.B. Joshua’s church hostel ‘collapsed’ or ‘imploded’ (pending on which side of the story you believe), sending 115 Christian pilgrims to an early grave, the Nigerian government was quick to apportion blame on the church and implement a predetermined court case to ascertain those at guilt. Even when CCTV footage was released by Joshua with compelling evidence that a military aircraft was connected to the tragedy, Nigeria’s government refused all requests to reveal the identity and assignment of the strange plane which encircled the ill-fated building four times, nor its occupants.
On that singular point alone, why are Nigeria (and other countries for that matter) not insisting that Saudi Arabia make the CCTV footage of the collapse public – if truly they have no culpability or dirty hands? It is well known that an elaborate security camera network was set up several years ago capturing every detail of the entire stretch of the Hajj journey. Perhaps the truth lies within those records – just as TB Joshua’s CCTV footage revealed the truth behind the uncanny nature of the buildings falling.
My point here is that the government deliberately tried to frame and blame Joshua for The Synagogue incident (without any pertinent consideration for the possibility of sabotage), making their nonchalance and refusal to question the Saudi officials all the more irritating. Perhaps they feel they can pick on someone like Joshua because he’s an individual and has no palpable political clout, as opposed to the oil-rich Saudi officials.
Any impartial observer will scream at the arrogance and callousness of the Saudi response to the tragedy yet it appears it’s still ‘business as usual’ in Mecca. The Hajj will continue and it’s likely no changes ‘in the system’ will result. When will Nigeria genuinely stand up for what is right and champion the cause of justice – irrespective of the religious, political or ethnic implications? I pray to Allah that my eyes would behold such a day.
SOURCE: http://www.sabreakingnews.co.za/2015/10/20/hajj-tragedy-nigerias-deafening-silence/
Intriguing opinion piece. I for one certainly agree...
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Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by EdCure: 5:00pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
The "missing" ones are obviously among those beheaded by the Saudi authorities in the wake of the stampede. 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by delishpot: 5:00pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
TB s case was looked into by the Nigerian govt so maybe the saudi govt should look into their mosque case? Even the families of TB's victims did not do much. When religion is involved people tend to shut up and bulk it into "God Knows Best" moment. 2 Likes |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by theLegion(m): 5:01pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
If you ask me... I'll tell you I don't know what happened there, but all I know is that people died there. Op please what caused their death? *SwallowsPanadol |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by lanrehamd: 5:05pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
delishpot: TB s case was looked into by the Nigerian govt so maybe the saudi govt should look into their mosque case? Even the families of TB's victims did not do much. When religion is involved people tend to shut up and bulk it into "God Knows Best" moment.
You are dam Correct my guy. 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Nobody: 5:07pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
lanrehamd:
I wanted to quote you before, but I restricted be because I felt I shouldn't limit myself to having conversation with a cow.Your fellow Muslim brother is lamenting about the injustice melted out to your own people and the your stupidity immediately gave way to religious bigotry? !?. You are a disgrace to cows! You deserve more whip from herdsmen than the treatment their cows receives. Now get lost before i pour you spit! 7 Likes |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Nobody: 5:09pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
lanrehamd:
I wanted to quote you before, but I restricted because I felt I shouldn't limit myself to having conversation with a cow.Your fellow Muslim brother is lamenting about the injustice melted out to your own people , and the lackadaisical attitude of the nigerian government but your stupidity immediately gave way to religious bigotry? !?. You are a disgrace to cows! You deserve more whip from herdsmen than the treatment their cows receives. Now get lost before i pour you spit! |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by MayorofLagos(m): 5:10pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Well written article. I suggest a copy is shared with Amirrul Hajj, Emir Sanusi II. He is an intelligent man, a scholar, he was the leader of the Nigerian delegate to Hajj. His input and press release on the matter will be valuable. 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Nobody: 5:16pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
That's why boko haram is ravaging their enclaves. Being a religious person doesn't mean you should be stupid! Nigerians lost their bread winners and loved ones in a stampede that claimed more than a thousand and fucking bastards of a thousand fathers is making it seems like a christian- muslin propaganda?! Di, ck head! 4 Likes |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Nobody: 5:21pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
What's going on here ![](/faces/huh.png) Aint it the Muslim's lifelong desire to die in the holy land ![undecided](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/undecided.png) Wetin concern udele and barber ![lipsrsealed](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/lipsrsealed.png) 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by byteem: 5:27pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
MUSLIM MAN DIE FOR HOLY LAND AND GETS 22 OR EVEN 72 VIRGINS AND POOL OF WINE TO FFFUUUCCK AND BOOZE TILL ETERNITY.... SO WATS THE FUSS.. THATS THE RELIGIOUS PART THAT MAKES IT ACCEPTABLE.THE BELIEF THAT DYING IN MECCA IS A GOOD THING..
THEN COMES THE COMPENSATION .. ITS A HUGE PACKAGE EVEN INSURANCE COMPANIES CANNOT AFFORD IT..NO FAMILY GETS THAT KIND OF COMPENSATION AND RAISES DUST.. EVEN THA FAMILIES WILL THANK THE OGA FOR DYING IN MECCA..THATS Y NOBODY HAS SAID A PIN..GERRIT.. ITS THE KIND OF MONEY THAT WILL MAKE PEOPLE ENCOURAGE THEIR BROS AND RELATIVES TO GO AND DIE IN MECCA.. 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by alkines(m): 5:37pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
franklingud: A ribeghi ihe I huru gi la akpokasi.
More yet to come. more of what to come? |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by hedonistic: 5:50pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Na who send you message. Devil dey on her own jeje, you leave your country travel go one place say you wan stone am. Stone who? When you go on such a mission, bad things can happen. |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by idealsico(m): 5:52pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
I'm aware that one of the greatest wishes of any muslim is to die in the holy land. A good number of them died while participating in religious rituals this year following two separate incidents. I believe their families are not complaining. That is their wish. There is no need for any investigation or any protest from Nigeria. I won't be part of that. I won't be surprised many more would go next year so they could die and go to paradise. Good luck to them. |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by unclejb2(m): 5:54pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
franklingud: A ribeghi ihe I huru gi la akpokasi.
More yet to come. lol. |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by theDEVILisHERE: 5:56pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Achutebe: HAJJ TRAGEDY: Nigeria’s deafening Silence
I am a Nigerian. I am a Muslim. And I am angry…
Almost a month has elapsed since the calamitous stampede at the Hajj in Mecca and we are no closer to any concrete answers about what really happened. The Nigerian death toll in the incident is creeping alarmingly higher – 199 at the last count with a further 121 missing. That’s 320 people. Gone. Real people with hopes, aspirations, plans for the future. Sucked from them in a crushing matter of moments. Parents cruelly stolen from children. Husbands separated forever from their partners. It’s nauseating. My close friend in Kaduna lost his wife in the tragedy and no amount of words or religious counsel can replace her. He still wakes up each morning in mourning, an empty space beside him on the bed.
The Associated Press put the current toll at 2,121 (with well over 1,000 still ‘missing’), making it easily the worst tragedy in the Hajj’s history and the deadliest crowd crush disaster to have occurred in modern times. To add insult to injury, the Saudi Arabian government have refused to amend their initial statement that only 769 perished, despite the clear evidence from figures tallied by countries involved which tripled this.
However, for me, the worst part of this tragedy is not the huge number of fatalities. It’s not the images of Saudi officials bulldozing dead bodies into a heap to ‘clean up’ in the stampede aftermath. It’s not the brazen attempts for officials to trade blames – from African pilgrims refusing to obey instructions to Iran deliberately instigating the stampede to tarnish Saudi reputation. No. The worst tragedy here is the deafening silence of the countries affected.
Rather than raising a clarion call for justice for the victims, compensation for the bereaved families and an independent investigation into what really happened, it appears most countries have swept the incident under the rug. I can’t talk for other nations but let me stir the hornet’s nest a little in my own country Nigeria. The Nigerian response to this horrific incident smacks of the highest level of hypocrisy as it sadly appears Buhari and his cohorts have chosen to tread the cowardly path of apathy.
It’s true Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki is facing heat right now over his assets but did anyone not notice what he said when a Saudi delegation visited last week? “I think it’s not about who is at fault but how do we ensure that we improve,” he is quoted as saying. Yes, that was it from Nigeria’s number three citizen. No call for justice. No demand for the real figures to be released. No talk of recompense for affected families. No insistence on an independent enquiry to unravel the truth behind the tragedy. No assertion on the need for responsibility to be duly taken. Just some wrapped up political hogwash, concluded by a call for enhancement of the visa processing between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia for prospective pilgrims. Some families still don’t know the fate of their loved ones and Saraki is already planning for the next Hajj. Is the value and sanctity of human life so easily trodden upon?
My reason for using hypocrisy as a key word in describing Nigeria’s lukewarm response is born of comparing it to the last major tragedy of ‘religious’ proportions that befell our country. When T.B. Joshua’s church hostel ‘collapsed’ or ‘imploded’ (pending on which side of the story you believe), sending 115 Christian pilgrims to an early grave, the Nigerian government was quick to apportion blame on the church and implement a predetermined court case to ascertain those at guilt. Even when CCTV footage was released by Joshua with compelling evidence that a military aircraft was connected to the tragedy, Nigeria’s government refused all requests to reveal the identity and assignment of the strange plane which encircled the ill-fated building four times, nor its occupants.
On that singular point alone, why are Nigeria (and other countries for that matter) not insisting that Saudi Arabia make the CCTV footage of the collapse public – if truly they have no culpability or dirty hands? It is well known that an elaborate security camera network was set up several years ago capturing every detail of the entire stretch of the Hajj journey. Perhaps the truth lies within those records – just as TB Joshua’s CCTV footage revealed the truth behind the uncanny nature of the buildings falling.
My point here is that the government deliberately tried to frame and blame Joshua for The Synagogue incident (without any pertinent consideration for the possibility of sabotage), making their nonchalance and refusal to question the Saudi officials all the more irritating. Perhaps they feel they can pick on someone like Joshua because he’s an individual and has no palpable political clout, as opposed to the oil-rich Saudi officials.
Any impartial observer will scream at the arrogance and callousness of the Saudi response to the tragedy yet it appears it’s still ‘business as usual’ in Mecca. The Hajj will continue and it’s likely no changes ‘in the system’ will result. When will Nigeria genuinely stand up for what is right and champion the cause of justice – irrespective of the religious, political or ethnic implications? I pray to Allah that my eyes would behold such a day.
SOURCE: http://www.sabreakingnews.co.za/2015/10/20/hajj-tragedy-nigerias-deafening-silence/
Intriguing opinion piece. I for one certainly agree... If you say you are a Nigerian You're saying you are an enslaved Animal |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Chubhie: 6:00pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Very valid points. I studied SLS reactions and lost faith that justice would be done.
You should understand that the government doesn't give a Bleep about you! 1 Like |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by abduljabbar4(m): 6:04pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
EggovinMma: It is very sad that thus happened to my fellow nigerian u a foreign land. The Saudi Arabia government should be held totally responsible for these. Again the manner to which the dead bodies were treated speaks volume of disregard for human being, even in death! its unfortunate that our government is quiet about this.Very unfortunate. Actually the shee'a people of Iran are responsible though Saudi didn't do what it was supposed to do |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Dbboy(m): 6:18pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
muslim life dont matter. Ask Bokoharam. |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by parisbookaddict(f): 7:40pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Here is the problem.. islam is paganism.
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Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Nobody: 7:51pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Achutebe: HAJJ TRAGEDY: Nigeria’s deafening Silence
I am a Nigerian. I am a Muslim. And I am angry…
Almost a month has elapsed since the calamitous stampede at the Hajj in Mecca and we are no closer to any concrete answers about what really happened. The Nigerian death toll in the incident is creeping alarmingly higher – 199 at the last count with a further 121 missing. That’s 320 people. Gone. Real people with hopes, aspirations, plans for the future. Sucked from them in a crushing matter of moments. Parents cruelly stolen from children. Husbands separated forever from their partners. It’s nauseating. My close friend in Kaduna lost his wife in the tragedy and no amount of words or religious counsel can replace her. He still wakes up each morning in mourning, an empty space beside him on the bed.
The Associated Press put the current toll at 2,121 (with well over 1,000 still ‘missing’), making it easily the worst tragedy in the Hajj’s history and the deadliest crowd crush disaster to have occurred in modern times. To add insult to injury, the Saudi Arabian government have refused to amend their initial statement that only 769 perished, despite the clear evidence from figures tallied by countries involved which tripled this.
However, for me, the worst part of this tragedy is not the huge number of fatalities. It’s not the images of Saudi officials bulldozing dead bodies into a heap to ‘clean up’ in the stampede aftermath. It’s not the brazen attempts for officials to trade blames – from African pilgrims refusing to obey instructions to Iran deliberately instigating the stampede to tarnish Saudi reputation. No. The worst tragedy here is the deafening silence of the countries affected.
Rather than raising a clarion call for justice for the victims, compensation for the bereaved families and an independent investigation into what really happened, it appears most countries have swept the incident under the rug. I can’t talk for other nations but let me stir the hornet’s nest a little in my own country Nigeria. The Nigerian response to this horrific incident smacks of the highest level of hypocrisy as it sadly appears Buhari and his cohorts have chosen to tread the cowardly path of apathy.
It’s true Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki is facing heat right now over his assets but did anyone not notice what he said when a Saudi delegation visited last week? “I think it’s not about who is at fault but how do we ensure that we improve,” he is quoted as saying. Yes, that was it from Nigeria’s number three citizen. No call for justice. No demand for the real figures to be released. No talk of recompense for affected families. No insistence on an independent enquiry to unravel the truth behind the tragedy. No assertion on the need for responsibility to be duly taken. Just some wrapped up political hogwash, concluded by a call for enhancement of the visa processing between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia for prospective pilgrims. Some families still don’t know the fate of their loved ones and Saraki is already planning for the next Hajj. Is the value and sanctity of human life so easily trodden upon?
My reason for using hypocrisy as a key word in describing Nigeria’s lukewarm response is born of comparing it to the last major tragedy of ‘religious’ proportions that befell our country. When T.B. Joshua’s church hostel ‘collapsed’ or ‘imploded’ (pending on which side of the story you believe), sending 115 Christian pilgrims to an early grave, the Nigerian government was quick to apportion blame on the church and implement a predetermined court case to ascertain those at guilt. Even when CCTV footage was released by Joshua with compelling evidence that a military aircraft was connected to the tragedy, Nigeria’s government refused all requests to reveal the identity and assignment of the strange plane which encircled the ill-fated building four times, nor its occupants.
On that singular point alone, why are Nigeria (and other countries for that matter) not insisting that Saudi Arabia make the CCTV footage of the collapse public – if truly they have no culpability or dirty hands? It is well known that an elaborate security camera network was set up several years ago capturing every detail of the entire stretch of the Hajj journey. Perhaps the truth lies within those records – just as TB Joshua’s CCTV footage revealed the truth behind the uncanny nature of the buildings falling.
My point here is that the government deliberately tried to frame and blame Joshua for The Synagogue incident (without any pertinent consideration for the possibility of sabotage), making their nonchalance and refusal to question the Saudi officials all the more irritating. Perhaps they feel they can pick on someone like Joshua because he’s an individual and has no palpable political clout, as opposed to the oil-rich Saudi officials.
Any impartial observer will scream at the arrogance and callousness of the Saudi response to the tragedy yet it appears it’s still ‘business as usual’ in Mecca. The Hajj will continue and it’s likely no changes ‘in the system’ will result. When will Nigeria genuinely stand up for what is right and champion the cause of justice – irrespective of the religious, political or ethnic implications? I pray to Allah that my eyes would behold such a day.
SOURCE: http://www.sabreakingnews.co.za/2015/10/20/hajj-tragedy-nigerias-deafening-silence/
Intriguing opinion piece. I for one certainly agree... Well boko haram have been doing that. |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Monzuur(m): 7:56pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Hmmm mm long article but I'm coming back to read it |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by Achutebe(f): 8:53pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
Hypocrisy, no matter how cleverly managed, will eventually break into the limelight... |
Re: I Am A Nigerian. I Am A Muslim. And I Am ANGRY!!! by bukster(f): 8:58pm On Oct 20, 2015 |
I'll say that the the reason we are not seeing outrage from other countries affected by this disaster is because many Muslims are not outraged by what happened and the ones that may be are too afraid to speak against the Saudi government. I have relatives who are Muslims and when I was talking to them about this situation they told me that while it is sad that so many Muslims died, it is a dream of all Muslims to die during hajj because you get an automatic gateway to hevean. If people believe that, they may not feel uncomfortable grieving and being outraged over their relatives' death because they believe that is also a blessing. Outrage has also being muted because many Islamic countries are afraid of speaking negatively about the Suadi Arabian. I remember reading in the news that in one of the Islamic countries with a high death toll, citizens were warned by their own government not to say angthing too negative about the hajj disaster on TV. Eyewitness accounts have been scarce because people are uncomfortable with speaking negatively about hajj and the few that have been told have mostly been from Nigerians. Only Iran has shown genuine outrage over the hajj stampede and that is because even before this Saudi Arabia and Iran were not on good terms. |