For the next few Sundays, pastors will climb the pulpit to preach against the killings by SARS and the police, by using Kolade Johnson as a prayer point.
They will do so because they have sons and daughters who don't have "My father/mother is a pastor" written on their forehead. I doubt these armed men would care anyway, even if they did.
Yet these pastors have once told a woman to pray for her abusive husband to change. Or asked her to hold her tongue and refrain from talking back to him. Or asked her to avoid situations that will make him hit her.
Some of these pastors have also covered up for acts of violence just to save their church from public scrutiny. Is it by asking witnesses to not come forward in a criminal case or is it by asking a victim to withdraw a case from the police?
Now violence is close to home and these pastors will suddenly realise that "violence is never the answer, no matter what".
The ones who can afford armed guards will pay some to protect their precious children or warn them against leaving their safe haven abroad to come down to Nigeria; just like our politicians and the wealthy elite do.
In Nigeria, it is everybody for him or herself. There is no unity, there is no solidarity, even among families. If you want justice, ask for it. If you don't, nobody will ask on your behalf.
We want our own to matter, but we do not care when another person's own is being trampled upon. As a matter of fact, if we can, we will join in the trampling because it is always that person's fault when it's their turn.
Karma has nothing to do with this vicious circle that seems to repeat itself in different formats. Instead it is the general mentality that keeps making sure that we all get what we mete out.
Just like you think that I don't have the right to speak back, defend myself or matter enough to seek and obtain justice, so does someone out there also think that your sons and daughters do not have the right to speak back, defend themselves or matter enough to seek and obtain justice.
You will not spend your entire life living in your bubble. You will step out someday and that day you will become subject of the same ruthless mindset of another person who thinks he or she matters more than you.
We shouldn't wait for shit to hit close to home before we start being aware of the madness that pervades our land.
Our fucked up mentality is the karma that governs us.
They will do so because they have sons and daughters who don't have "My father/mother is a pastor" written on their forehead. I doubt these armed men would care anyway, even if they did.
Yet these pastors have once told a woman to pray for her abusive husband to change. Or asked her to hold her tongue and refrain from talking back to him. Or asked her to avoid situations that will make him hit her.
Some of these pastors have also covered up for acts of violence just to save their church from public scrutiny. Is it by asking witnesses to not come forward in a criminal case or is it by asking a victim to withdraw a case from the police?
Now violence is close to home and these pastors will suddenly realise that "violence is never the answer, no matter what".
The ones who can afford armed guards will pay some to protect their precious children or warn them against leaving their safe haven abroad to come down to Nigeria; just like our politicians and the wealthy elite do.
In Nigeria, it is everybody for him or herself. There is no unity, there is no solidarity, even among families. If you want justice, ask for it. If you don't, nobody will ask on your behalf.
We want our own to matter, but we do not care when another person's own is being trampled upon. As a matter of fact, if we can, we will join in the trampling because it is always that person's fault when it's their turn.
Karma has nothing to do with this vicious circle that seems to repeat itself in different formats. Instead it is the general mentality that keeps making sure that we all get what we mete out.
Just like you think that I don't have the right to speak back, defend myself or matter enough to seek and obtain justice, so does someone out there also think that your sons and daughters do not have the right to speak back, defend themselves or matter enough to seek and obtain justice.
You will not spend your entire life living in your bubble. You will step out someday and that day you will become subject of the same ruthless mindset of another person who thinks he or she matters more than you.
We shouldn't wait for shit to hit close to home before we start being aware of the madness that pervades our land.
Our fucked up mentality is the karma that governs us.
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