My Otolo, Our Jos

Few days ago after the March 7, 2010 crisis in Jos, Plateau State northern Nigeria, and before the March 16 incident in that same city (that was the third crisis in Jos within three months) I was with a friend, Otolo, at his business premises. My friend runs a thriving business, has a handsome chubby 10months old son and a smashing pretty wife whose beauty gives him the world’s pleasure. After banters, we launched into the Jos debacle.

My friend wasted no time, just like me, in condemning the senseless killings that took place in restive Jos. But we soon differed. While I rated what happened in Jos worse than what could have happened in any war situation, Otolo (in his persuasion) said I shouldn’t even compare both, let alone wish for a war. He sounded sagacious, so I thought. My friend is an intelligent guy. His words are wise sayings. But I humbly submit here that on that argument, my friend sequestered reasoning. I heatedly thought otherwise.

According to him, many people would die were it a war. And I asked him if people didn’t die in that senseless Jos imbroglio or those hundreds (media reports conflictingly recorded between 450-500 in the second attack while the first was more than 250, and the third 12) who died were not people enough? I even argued that they died worse than in a war tore situation, because they were butchered and not shot or blown apart with bombs. He went with a swinger, “You are thinking of war because you are not married. If you were married, am sure you would’ve thought differently.” My mouth went agape!

Could that be it? Is that why most Nigerians are docile? Just to stay awake and enjoy what is left of emotional bliss and matrimonial consummation why the country bleeds for lack of courageous men to defend her even against internal intruders? Is that why our leaders are truth shy? They don’t want to stick out their necks for the fear that they might be targeted and murdered? Does life really worth living if there’s no legacy to be left? Talk, you will surely die. Don’t talk, you will surely die. Isn’t it better talking even if it means being killed? Isn’t that why America we keep referring to is better than us and other nations? Because her citizens will always rise to challenges why we don’t? Think about it.

Yes, I may not be married yet even though I have plans for such in the nearest future. But I do have loved ones too to think of like my friend. And come to think of it, those who were killed in Jos, aren’t they someone else’s loved ones. Married or not? Am sure my friend and many others like him would feel that way because none of the corpses at the Jos pogrom were related to them or were they someone they knew.

Please, permit me to present you with just a few of the pictures to let you into my world of thought… Please, dont view if you have a soft stomach like me! I warned!