I have been searching the web, looking for answers, to questions that have already been asked. Seeking for comfort from friends, and strangers I do not know. No amount of answers will right the wrongs. No amount of solutions will change the hands of time.
Yesterday, my pain was for the victims who were involved in the tragedy. Today, the pain lingers. And much more so for the victims who do not know that they are: Nigerians, including you and me. I said I wouldn't blog about this, but somehow I feel the need to speak. So this is what I have to say:
We are our problem! After all, most of those in government were once ordinary citizens.
We are our problem! Aren't those in the lower echelons of government still ordinary citizens like you and me?
Do they need the government to tell them their jobs? Should we be forming committees when organizations like the NCAA exist? When ministries exist to oversee various areas?
I have gotten angry, I have ranted and I have seen it all: the cycle continues.....
But by all means, we should still rant and rave. After all, it is when the good man is silent that evil is perpetrated the more.
We should rant and rave but it shouldn't be directed only at the government: it should be directed also at the common man.
We should rant and rave, even if we do not have the solution now: One day someone will hear, or we will be moved by our own words to act.
For this particular tragedy, words have failed me. Just a few years ago it was Sosoliso and Bellview. No I have not forgotten because I personally knew people who were affected. I also had a testimony in the wake of the tragedy so no, I have not forgotten.
Today it is Dana. It will be harder to forget: this tragedy in the midst of several other tragedies!
I'm angry and broken, but again, words have failed me.
I'll stop here but then I'm tempted to point fingers. I won't....
........because at least three more are pointing back at me!
May God comfort the families of those involved in this tragedy. And may the souls of the deceased rest in peace!
It's no use pointing fingers like u said. We've done that for decades. And it has taken us no where! It's time to be responsible.
ReplyDeleteTrue, we've done it for too long. It's time we start being our brother's keeper and really mean it. Only then can we get the change we truly desire
DeleteWho exactly is 'the government'?
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you're asking because from the post, the government is you and me. The same people who were ordinary citizens yesterday will be the ones in govt tomorrow. And if we don't get our acts together, when its time to vote again it will be the same thing all over again.we have govt parastatals with citizens like you and me but each time we just all blame 'the govt'. Maybe when we realize we're talking about our neighbours, uncles, fathers and ourselves, maybe then we'll stop passing blames.
DeleteNormal citizens like you and I are paid to check the maintenance records and actual maintenance in NCAA or FAAN. Normal citizens like you and I are passangers in planes that have had close encouters due to a fault but instead of lodging a formal complaint and subsequent follow up to see that the issue is taken up, we go to our churches and give thanks. We forget to be our brother's keeper and fail to prevent a re-occurence. At the end we are all too happy to blame the govt, the airline, and anyone else but ourselves. You said it all my dear. Very beautiful writeup.
ReplyDeleteGreat write up
ReplyDeleteWe are all implicated
xxx
"We should still rant." This phrase inspired me the most. We should not get tired of ranting.
ReplyDeleteYou are very correct in your analysis, we all have a collective responsibility in what happens in Nigeria. As much as we blame the govt and rightly so in my opinion, we all have to do our own bit to ensure things are done properly. But the truth is that when things are not right at the top, it tends to have a negative impact on those below.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you added your voice to the issue and I would encourage you to please see the need to do so in future as that in itself is part our moral responsibilities as citizens.
Great post. I had a long talk with people about this and we kept going round in circles. Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteWell said dear, "It is when the good man is silent that evil is perpetrated the more"
ReplyDeleteI just pray that God will give those families the fortitude to bear the loss. They ad to pay the price for all of us. So sad!