Some Monster Virus has Infected Humanity!

I’ve had a very bad time for a couple of days now. It is still a futile attempt trying to make any sense of this hogwash. I can’t just comprehend it, in the name of anything, that a family could, without any forms of reservation, savagely bludgeon their daughter to a brutal death in Pakistan simply for not marrying family preferred suitor against her own wish. They killed her in broad daylight for “honour”?! No, this act is obviously sub-human and shame on all the people that have condone this level of violence against women for all times; shame on such culture that destroys the very reason for a culture; and shame on government agency which has demonstrated a lack of interest to intervene and save the defenseless. “We were shouting for help, but nobodylistened. One of my relatives took off his clothes to capture police attentionbut they didn’t intervene. They watched Farzana being killed and did nothing.”

Humans are not made for culture or religion; rather these fluid concepts exist because humans give them life and their controlling power. We created this dehumanizing monster and it has literally caused obvious insanity. Even animals protect their own.  And the most chilling of this all: she was pregnant at the time of this utmost degradation of human dignity. This absurdity has been overlooked for too long. It has to stop forthwith!

On this side of the world, another woman is awaiting the hangman’s noose for both the "crime of adultery" (because her marriage to a Christian is not recognized by Islamic Sharia law of Sudan) and "apostasy" (because she renounced the religion of her father who, as reported, abandoned her and she was raised by her Christian mother). Ibrahim (Meriam Ibrahim) denied the charges, telling the court shewas the daughter of a Sudanese Muslim man and an Ethiopian Christian woman, andhad been brought up as a Christian after her father left when she was six. She refused to renounce her faith. Incidentally, she was also pregnant at the time of her cruel sentencing to 100 lashes for adultery and to be hanged for apostasy. Recent news indicated she has given birth in shackles. Indeed, humanity is in shackles for watching helplessly as deranged individuals and their systems desecrate fundamental rights that confer on us the very tag of humans.

In all these instances across the world, a common underlying factor is being a woman; being a female. From religion to culture and to other tools of oppression, women have been regarded as “objects” for possession; a property of their family to trade off for some goods or favours or a property of a man who buys her (is it married?) to indulge his pleasure at the expense of her dignity and equality in status. Therefore her life must be controlled. She is to blame for the failings of any man and she becomes a problem from which a man must be saved. It is all in the twisted teachings of most of these religions which have imperceptibly become “culture”. Violence against women, in the name of culture or religion or any other discoloration must be stopped if humanity would not go into extinction earlier than expected. We are fast driving to the cliff by this unwarranted, uninformed and bestial attacks and violence against women. Biology or any other science has not proven any inferiority of women to men. If anything, it is more of greater capacity of women to undertake functions that preserve humanity.

I am calling on younger generations, most of who have been brought up in one form of religion/culture or the other, to rise up in unison, hold hands together and condemn violence against women. We have seen through the manipulative and divisive tendencies of these religions and cultures and when we look at ourselves, we all share the same attributes of humanity irrespective of our gender or other tags that have been placed upon us. This monster virus wants us to see ourselves differently, violently and in class segregation, but we can work together to destroy this germ and rid our system of this vicious infection that has turned us against ourselves and ultimately strips us of our humanity through some bestial acts. It is time we administered a massive dose of appropriate therapy in curtailing this monster as we make a bold and truthful declaration of our stand.

We are equals; we are humane; we are humanity!

CHIBOK GIRLS: SHAME ON US!

It’s been overwhelming on every front. We grapple daily with manmade problems in our part of the world. Sometimes, it appears there is no possible end in sight to this malady in this lifetime. The alleged abduction of over 200 Chibok girls preparing for exams in their school by a mindless and unconscionable group of deviants called Boko Haram, and the subsequent management of the sad incident by concerned authorities, say much about our state of “suspended animation” as a people. 

The Government: Mixed messages and an apparent lack of coordination and incompetence characterized the reaction of government at all levels to this incident that rather required strong leadership, decisiveness and urgency. It was not until about three weeks after the event that it was put on the front burner at the highest level of governance. It is inconceivable that a whole generation of children would be so violated in such a brazen manner and it was only met with an apparent feeble reaction from the authorities concerned. Indeed, leadership inspires confidence and this seems to be grossly lacking from the local government where Chibok is located to the central government in Abuja. We have seen how nation-states respond to disasters and events of even less calamitous proportion as this carnage that has been going on in Nigeria, especially in the northeast of the country. This deranged and phantom ideological drive pursued by Boko Haram and their sponsors has been allowed to fester for too long. The populace can only look to the government vested with all the resources and powers of the state for succour. The failure of the government is underscored by the present situation regarding our abducted children and the subsequent massacre of hundreds of hapless civilians by Boko Haram within the same geographic area shortly after the abduction of the girls. Our security apparatus appears feeble in the face of real challenges.  Securing the lives and property of citizens, which is a primary function of the State, appears to be guaranteed only for a few “elites” whose relevance to any national discourse is their undue access to the wealth of the nation and unfair share of the same, often through corrupt means.  Daily complaints, images and videos of either the police, military officers or paramilitary agencies brutalizing and maltreating ordinary citizens are on public display and most time they get away with it. Now that duty calls for real maintenance of law and order, protecting citizens from marauders and protecting the territorial integrity of the nation, all manner of excuses is being served for the abysmal failure so far in curtailing the onslaught of Boko Haram. 

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and NGOs: CSOs and NGOs could do more than merely organise some protests in major cities, mainly Lagos and Abuja, and other state capitals in safe places. Their research department (if any) should be able to present facts and figures about the state of Human Rights abuses and other issues militating against our civilization in this part of the world. Simply “going with the flow” may give them some visibility but does not help the cause of the downtrodden who are under the crushing weight of injustice and abuse, not only from Boko Haram but also from some institutions and agencies of the State. Relevant CSOs and NGOs should do more research, undertake fact-finding missions and carry out activities that directly impact victims of crises of this nature. We all know the noble activities of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) and other charity organizations which step into fields of need to help save real lives and positively impact the course of events. Our CSOs and NGOs in Nigeria concentrate around Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other big cities and talk about “struggle” in the comfort of safe cities, and they appear to seize on any latest trending events, like the Chibot incident, to showcase some façade of relevance. There were no demonstrations on the street until after three weeks of the girls’ abduction. Where were the CSOs and NGOs before the somewhat belated “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign? That action came about 3 weeks late. With no concrete trace of these girls and with other catastrophic events engaging the attention of the world, soon another topic will replace the current interest. More focus, continuity and follow-up on issues should be the modus operandi of CSOs and NGOs as certain events have basic underlying factors, and until such factors are rigorously addressed, we’ll keep going through a revolving door as presently is the case.

Religion: There is nothing that has posed more threat to our existence in the 21^st century than religion, religious “leaders”, their extreme views and bigotry followership. We are constantly inundated by the silly notion that all these stark atrocities and criminality are committed in the name of some god by followers who obviously have no faith in the ability of their god to fight for its own integrity. How could the sheer bestiality of beheading fellow human beings, other killings and wanton destruction of lives and property be a mandate of god? Unfortunately, religious “leaders” who claim not to share this warped mindset do not come out clearly in totally condemning in strong terms, this anomie and posit what exactly their stand is on such issues. Tacit support and ambiguous comments flow from their places of worship, usually breeding grounds for more deranged extremities who take on the communities that have given them a fair chance for survival otherwise they would not be around to wreak havoc. Whatever people choose to believe in should be within their private purview and should, by no means, be imposed on other people. Killing in the name of religion or god has become a worldwide scourge and when one takes a closer look, it could be seen that most depraved parts of the world cling to religion and extreme sentiments. One cannot rule out disillusionment, lack of leadership and accountability, and corruption as underlying factors pushing a significant population of young ones to the cliff. Religion and religious leaders should rather provide some moral compass for citizens to embrace the essence of our common humanity, charity, compassion and community ethos. Sadly, corruption, egocentric vestiges and vain pursuit of fame and relevance have also engulfed the religious bodies and their leadership, and the followers have become pawns in the fatal chess game that people have been made of, all in the name of god.

International Community: Terrorism knows no border and has no friends or foes. It is a scourge that only seeks to inflict terror, pain, destruction and disorganization and carve a niche to launch from one part of the world to another. It took the international community so long a time to acknowledge the danger posed by Boko Haram not only to Nigeria but also to the entire global village. Suddenly, everyone is talking about Boko Haram and their activities in Nigeria some weeks after the abduction of these girls (and the subsequent massacre of hundreds of local populations in one fell swoop shortly after the abduction), as if this monster has just evolved from outer space. Thousands of people have been killed since this madness began and property of unquantifiable proportion destroyed with massive displacement of local population and Human Rights abuses, yet there was no obvious coalition of any international effort to stem the tide. Now the world appears to have taken notice of Boko Haram at an advanced stage of this cancer. Summits, the offer of intelligence assistance and other measures that should have come earlier (and would have been cheaper in cost) have now been deployed when clearly Boko Haram has been allowed to take undue advantage of the present situation with over 200 girls and other human shield still in their custody. When politicians with an over-bloated sense of entitlement (combined with an apparently tepid government) were playing political and religious games with the Boko Haram insurgency, the world did not seem to be keen on stepping in to arrest the downhill to perdition and save ordinary citizens who are caught between a rock and a hard place.

All of Us: Often we are so busy trying to care for our immediate families, and sometimes amassing personal wealth for generations yet unborn, to reckon that it is only in preserving the common good of the present that the future has any chance for survival. If we ignore our neighbours because we are not directly affected, it is only a matter of time before our own abode is invaded. Looking out for the interests of our neighbours and communities is one of the best and most sustainable ways of looking after our own interests. We have not stood up enough to call our “leaders” to account and stand our ground against the evil being perpetrated in our communities by people we can clearly identify; people who have conferred on themselves the cloak of “untouchable” because they can perceive our docility; and people who have taken advantage of us because we have failed to appreciate and demand our common heritage in this nation-state; and people who have exploited us in the name of god and other divisive elements because we have allowed ourselves to be manipulated into antagonizing our diversity which is the very flavour of humanity. We’ve allowed ourselves to be led into that misguided path of fighting for gods when any god should have unlimited ability to fight for itself; we’ve indulged in self-delusion that we could solve our problems by simply wishing them away rather than by taking responsibility for our actions, interactions and other activities in building a viable community; we’ve become so dependent on “outside help” that we have failed woefully to account for the relatively vast resources at our disposal.

There is still so much we do not know about the abducted Chibok girls. Basic information like the actual number of missing girls and their identity is still a subject of controversy and contradictions. We do not seem to have any demonstrable capacity for excellence, professionalism and accountability on display in this situation. Chibok is a metaphor for our collective shame.

Sex Offender Registry is Long Overdue

The damage being done to humanity by unbridled sexual violence in Nigeria, in particular, and Africa in general is evident. Unfortunately, after the occasional outrage over incessant cases of sexual violence (mainly against children and women) and the short public memory that goes with each case before more “important issues” engage the attention of officials and the general public, there appears to be no lessons learnt; no new or change of approach; and no intervention implemented. We basically wait for another sensational media report about crass sexual abuse that goes on in our society. There is little or no disincentive to the perpetration of this heinous act and offenders know that much.  We should begin to implement measures to deter perpetrators and also to enable the public to track their whereabouts and keep them off from the most vulnerable, especially our children.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) publishes on their website information from all 50 states of the USA, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and numerous Indian tribes for the identity and location of known sex offenders. There is no such data in Nigeria and in many African countries.  Sex offenders and paedophiles easily move from one city or from one state to another after wrecking havoc on innocent lives and they quickly settle in their new location to continue their pattern of criminal acts.

A recent report about a 12 year old girl allegedly raped by her class teacher in Plateau State of Nigeria shows the frightening scenario in which these cases could occur. There is urgent need for the police to establish a central registry with relevant details, including mugshots, about known or convicted sex offenders and such information should be available online to the general public. Schools and organizations could search such database as part of screening of prospective employees where applicable. Freedom of Information Act has mandated free access to information to the public. If there is any information that could assist in preventing sexual assault by tracking the history and movement of sex offenders and closely monitored by law enforcement agencies and the general public, a Sex Offender Registry is urgently called for and should be on website accessible to the public. We could all begin to sensitize the police and the general public on the need for this registry. Our little voices will eventually coalesce into a loud noise which will not be easily ignored. 

The foundation for a society where the sanctity of individual space, dignity and liberty is respected and enforced is laid by our collective effort at taking back our community from relatively few individuals who desecrate our humanity.

Is Technical Education finally dying?

I just can’t hide my disdain for strike actions in Nigeria, in particular. Behind the façade presented by the numerous unions as demands “for public good” is an underlying greed for more money and “welfare of their members”. Everyone goes on strike for all imaginable reasons just for an opportunity to sit down with high ranking government officials and negotiate their way to some phantom better life. How could there be a true better life in a vacuum? How could there be a better life when the generality of the populace is hurting and under the crushing weight of poverty and disillusionment? How could any union want to create a world where their members live an “ideal” work condition oblivious of the general state of affairs in the society? Every union in the public sector is either threatening strike or on strike or just completed a strike action. No one seems to consider what immediate and long term impacts this penchant for going on strike is causing to the nation. Yesterday it was ASUU; today it is ASUP and all the various acronyms that people have come to reckon with the suspension of the future of the youth and of the nation in the name of seeking for better condition and better funding which usually ends up as some increase in salaries or allowances of members of concerned union. And in a vicious cycle of greed, other unions embark on their own strike action after government has acceded to the “demands” of one. Every union wants to get a piece of the action in the inordinate overdrive for "more" at the detriment of a dispassionate analysis of the big picture in the interest of public good. Trade unions, originally designed to promote the essence of collective bargaining between employees and employers, have turned into some uncontrollable behemoth in the public sector. Shamelessly, their first demand is usually for full payment of salaries for period they have not worked; period they usually deploy for private practice and other businesses. There is no remedy for hapless students and their despondent parents or carers. The nation bleeds.

Meanwhile, I had expressed some views on strike actions in earlier blogs at http://uwomeze.blogspot.com/2013/08/strikes-in-health-and-other-sectors.html, and http://uwomeze.blogspot.com/2013/07/asuu-strike-endless-war-with-no-exit.html and these positions have not changed. This is an urgent call for some sense of community spirit in addressing myriads of issues affecting various public sectors. We cannot continue to deny our children the right to education, in the name of incessant strike actions, and expect any bright tomorrow. We need to see the connection between the youth idling away with no future prospect due to unending strike actions at the higher institutions and societal vices like robbery, kidnapping, insurgency and other forms of fatal extremism.

The polytechnics and colleges of education used to be the hub of technical manpower development for actual production and advancement in the real sector but today, what is left is a shadow of institutions only recognizable by dilapidated signposts. Their lecturers have been on strike for a period of almost an entire academic session and no one appears to bother anymore. The future of technical education in the country is uncertain and students have turned to the universities (which have not fared any better) for some elusive education in a society that is largely lacking community ethos and where “fight to finished” has permeated our psyche resulting into a generation of young people who lack essential skills in negotiating usual turns and twists of life. As a community we can only live to regret this collective negligence at protecting the right of the young ones to receive necessary education in achieving their potential to advancing the society. We may conveniently put the blame on “government” but there is no government but people, and in one way or the other we constitute this “government”. Individually and collectively, we could cut down on our appetite and ego and stem the tide of this dying situation, not only in technical education but also in other aspects of our community living so as to nurture a healthy society.