It is unbelievable that a promising electioneering period that aroused an intense yearning for change and a rare display of citizenship later metamorphosed into a butchering spree, the kind witnessed in the dark ages. It was as if men were raised up in jungles, untamed, ruled by instincts rather than sense. Whether those who committed the horrendous acts were born of mothers needs to be defended.
The biological role of women is to sustain existence of the human race. Their second undeniable role is to nurture human race into growth and greatness being its first school. How this gentle version of man could raise such a venomous crop of beings is baffling. Is this an indication that women have failed in their role of raising a sensible society?
True, those that perpetrated the dastardly acts are sons born of mothers. How a human mother could be at peace knowing that her son has carried a matchet or gun to hunt another woman’s son whose mother also laboured to bring him into the world is perplexing. One even hears the disturbing stories of women quarrying away spoils of war after their wards have chopped down their victims head!
Does she deserve to be called a mother, who takes solace in the comfort of her room while her children slaughter her neighbour’s son; whose cries of fear, anguish and helplessness echo in her hut? It is indeed disheartening for instance, for a friend of this writer, who was busy pursuing a project that would develop, not just her nomadic brethren but, the other Kafanchan settlements as well. She had her three brothers slaughtered like rams by the same people who stand to gain from her endeavour!
And the irony is, while we spill one another’s blood in the name of religion or politics, the politicians and their children are secured. While we hack down local Imams and Reverends, the double faced ones, reaping from the glories of their revered status remain safe romancing with public office holders. And they will still return after the bloodshed to push you and I to defend their political sponsors in the name of religious solidarity. And the gullible flock that we are, we march with irrationality to eliminate those that comprise our future eyes, our future voices; our strength that might one day unite and topple those that use divisionary tactics to rule over us by hook or by crook. Why is it difficult to see that we are deliberately being set against one another so that our wealth might be siphoned while we fight? Certainly, a restive head cannot think straight, thus a potent tool divide and rule is!
True, some parents are powerless over their children. Yet, this child was not born that way; whose fault is it when a child turns rascal? In the past, child training is not an individual’s responsibility but society’s. But today, we abhor other people’s children like plague. And as for our children, Lord have mercy on the person who dares scold them for erring. Hence, should such a child become wayward, to the extent of chopping another person’s head, whose fault is it?
Yet even for such an unfortunate mother, the least she could do for her similarly unfortunate neighbour whose neck is being sort is to either hide them or give them a warning to run for their lives. How many do this?
Moreover, today, due to unnecessary bitterness, some women have psychologically been reduced to animals rearing beasts that, sooner or later, will prey on their tutors. Some parents allow personal hatred or envy to guide the way they train their children. It is a natural law that what you sow you will reap. Have you noticed that in the past, it is unheard of that young ones beat their parents? Yet today, some children even kill their parents!
We cannot go on pretending that government will soon make a change in dealing with our societal vices, change will come only when we realize that we are being used by the same clique we look up to to make the change. When countries like Egypt, in recent times, have demonstrated that a lot can be achieved when we stand together as one, we are sowing disdain amongst our youth. Remember that though bombs were planted in some Egyptian churches on Christmas eve, apparently to cause religious disharmony, the citizen refused to be cowed into religious rancour. They have identified their common enemy and together rose against it. We witnessed as Christians protected their Muslim brethren while they observed their daily prayers while Christians too observed their worship sessions amidst Muslims without harassment. And they triumphed. Never mind if it was a pyrrhic victory, that idea is immaterial here. The moral of the story is they refused to change focus from the common enemy. On the contrary, here in Nigeria, a purely political show of umbrage was turned into a religious manhunt because women have not taught their offspring to separate the chaff from the grain. Thereby loosing the fight before it started; loosing an opportunity to fight the common enemy whom the people themselves have identified.
Indeed, mothers have a duty to humanity. Let those who can read share the universal message of love with those who cannot. No orthodox religion in the face of the earth teaches its adherents barbarism. In Islam, we are impelled to be our neighbours’ trusties; of their blood and property, no matter their religious inclinations. Similarly, Christians are taught to be their brothers’ keepers. Why then allow anyone to shift our mentality otherwise? Let us be focused and identify anyone inducing us against this divine decree as the common enemy and fight them together. This is fundamental towards eliminating poverty that is pulling us backwards. We should not allow naivety to hold us hostage. This is a message we must pass across to one another so that our wombs may give birth to a greater nation.
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