WHAT A LIFE!!!!

Source;Prince Tochukwu Nnaji

Over time, I have discovered that there is no absolute finishing line for everyone in the race of life. Our tracks are different, our lanes are different, so also our duration. The only thing we have in common is the same umpire. Somebody graduates at the age of 20 and struggles for another 5 years to get a job. Another graduates at the age of 25 and get a job immediately. One marries a virgin and waits for decades to have a child. Another lady probably after leaving a rough life becomes a mother immediately after marriage. 

A fellow becomes MD at 38 and dies at 56. Another becomes MD at 55 and lives to 90. WHAT A LIFE!!!
Life has it's twists, turns, ups and downs, surprises and disappointments. Life offers each one of us different opportunities, and once an opportunity is lost, it's gone forever as said. It is up to each all of us to patiently prepare, wait, recognize and utilize every opportunity on our ways. No one knows it all or has it better. There is a reason why we all don't fall at d same time, it's so that when one is down, weak or discouraged, the other who is strong can encourage the weak.

We were not promised that the road would be easy, but he promised not to forsake us. God is working it all for good. All these challenges, trials and down time shall pass, and you will be up and strong again to lift up all those who may be down around you, so be strong and trust God. Have a fulfilled week ahead.

THE DAY MERCY DIED

I pride myself as being Nigerian but not after watching the execution of innocent youths by bloodletting mobs at Aluu in River State. My stomach wriggle in anger when I realise that another human being had the temerity to record this orgy on his handset while a 999 dial on the same handset may have "saved" the lives of these innocent youths.

I am using the word "saved" with caution here because an eye witness claimed that a police van was parked few metres away from the spot where these youths were felled. One is not even sure if police would respond to the emergency if someone from the baying mob had decided to be human just for 2 minutes. 

This reminds me of an incident in 1992 on my way to Lagos from Kaduna to watch a football match involving our national team. A robber was caught inside our bus and was beaten mercilessly. We decided to push him off the bus while the bus was in motion. Hang on I thought, this guy is a human being, why must we throw him off the bus and waste his life because he stole about N200,000 from a trader. Since we recovered the money, I pleaded with the visibly angry passengers to spare his life. I practically held the door as some people disagreed with my benevolence while the robber held me with all his might knowing that his life at that point in time was dependent on me. After what seemed an age, the people accepted my plea but made sure the man was naked until we got to Lagos. You can't believe how grateful the man was. He knew he had a narrow escape.

What turned my stomach was the manner these boys were summarily tried and condemned. They died pleading for mercy, hoping that at least somebody in the crowd might have a change of heart but to no avail. What a wicked society? There was something evil and demonic about that crowd from the manner they rebuffed their outstretched hands of mercy and supervised their deaths. It suggests that the human inkling in us is dead. It tells me to beware of my neighbor as he might be my next executioner. 

I am not surprised with what happened in Aluu or about the students that were executed in Mubi or the extra judicial killing involving some of our previous and serving Governors or the thousands of lives wasted by Boko Haram in their mad drive to create a Taliban enclave in Nigeria. It was a tragedy that we all expected to happen. The only surprise is the dimension it is taking. 

Somebody asked, 'Why would they kill just for computer and laptop?' Is life reducible to material things? It is because the only thing our society can relate to is money and material things. Material things are valued more than human life in Nigeria. Life is nothing to us neither do we respect the sanctity of life. In contrast, just last week, a 5 year old girl got kidnapped in Wales, UK. The response from the police, fire fighters, rescue services and the whole community was very commendable. But in Nigeria we have lost more than 70 people just last week. It is a dangerous conundrum.

In my book "THE FROZEN DEMOCRACY: GODFATHRISM & ELITE CORRUPTION in NIGERIA", I warned of the impending doom as I saw Nigeria gravitating towards a "state of nature" if we continue to thrive on the wheels of anomic values. Values set by drug peddlers, corrupt politicians, armed robbers, fraudsters etc. have spiraled down our society threatening to destroy the very fabric that held us together as a nation. This eventually breeds a predatory society which unfortunately is what we are witnessing now.

We must restructure our values system if we don't want to see such tragedies in our society. 

For the "Fabulous Four", we are sorry to fail you when you needed us most. We are sorry to execute you in a most barbaric way with merciless abandon. We are sorry to exhibit such cruelty that would even make Satan turn green with envy. I know even though we didn't forgive you that you will find a place in your hearts to forgive us because two wrongs cannot make a right. It is all our fault. Let it be said that "Mercy" died in us but lives in you. Goodbye my dear friends. I am glad that you dared to ask but we missed the opportunity. Let's hope that we won't miss the next opportunity. 

Source: Marvelous NNatu