Lynching of Leo Frank 3 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LYNCHING: A STAIN ON OUR HUMANITY

Lynching is the act of executing a person in public such as at a market place, on the street, etc. It is done by an angry mob. Lynching is not a novel phenomenon in Africa. It is common to states in the Middle East and to North America. In Nigeria, cases of lynching aren’t new. Lynching is an ugly scene to behold_ a case where those participating in the act care little to afford the victim a fair-hearing. As far as the person is been caught, he is thought to be guilty. But just how does it begin? Why do people choose to take a life instead of following the law? Can this phenomenon be nipped in the bud?  There are certain factors that contribute to its occurrence.

The first is the alarm factor. Someone raises an alarm. He does it based on suspicion, or at the moment the victim starts to act funny. The alarm may be raised thrice or four times and when those near-by hear it, a curious crowd converges. At first, the victim’s instinct is to run. He is given a hot chase and while on the run his next move is to mix with the crowd and vanish or escape into hiding. If he is unsuccessful, he is given a severe beating in order to weaken him.

Another way it starts is through suspicion. The victim is surrounded for questioning if he is suspected to have committed a breach. If the victim tries to play smart either by lying or by dodging the question, he cuts trouble and if he is unable to defend himself, he is seized and dragged off.

Faith or religion is another trigger.  If the victim is believed to have offended the faith of a religious fanatic and particularly if the area is dominated by the religion practiced, lynching is bound to result. A case in point is the lynching of a Christian old woman in Kano state few months ago.  She was murdered in her husband’s presence for refusing to allow a Muslim fellow to perform ablution by the front of her shop.  
Her action was considered as blasphemy against Allah!

Mistaken identity puts vulnerable young people in danger. Identical face, identical dressing, etc, can implicate one who has no idea about what is going on and this happens at dark hours.  These few factors go a little way to put people in needless danger and to be frank; lynching has no relief for the perpetrators except shame and guilt.


Lynching is a stain on our humanity. It debases our esteem in the community of right-thinking individuals. The reasons for its repeated occurrence on different occasions are not far-fetched.  Our law enforcement agents are not positioned to contain incidents of mob-violence.  As a result, their absence motivates the perpetrators of the act. They show up after the damage has been done.
Even when the act is executed, nobody bothers to call the law enforcement agents. It is an attitude of indifference towards the victim. All that matters is how interesting the view is_ the sight of the victim’s nudity, the piling of used tires, the dousing of the victim with petrol or any other style of the act, and his being set afire. It all seems hilarious or exciting to watch. Some take photo shots of the scene or record it on video. So, it’s a case of on-lookers watching with excitement as there is no sense of right to do the needful_ save the victim’s life.

The last reason lynching occurs is due to the loss of faith in the justice system. People don’t trust the system enough because corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the society. A crime is committed. The suspect is arrested. Instead of charging him to court he is given a slap on the wrist! The judiciary which is thought to be the last hope of the common man communizes itself by giving a light sentence.  Sometimes the charge may be struck out for want of evidence. So, how can one have faith in our criminal justice system?

Lynching, like I have stated, is a stain on our humanity. Taking a life does not solve a crime no matter its gravity.  Beating the victim may be fair enough but as law-abiding citizens the proper and right thing to do is to hand the victim over to the law enforcement agents. The greater crime is to take a life. Two wrongs can’t make right. In resorting to jungle justice, one goes too far. People mask themselves as saints when a public breach is committed. The reality is that some saints are demons. So, the devil we know is better known than the unknown angel. Lynching belongs to the Stone Age. It is a debasing act that should not be entertained by conscionable individuals.

The incident of the UNIPORT four calls to mind what happened in Aluu community area of Rivers State. On October 5, 2012, four students of the University of Port-Harcourt were stripped naked, battered beyond recognition and set ablaze at the orgy of mean fellows among whom an officer of the law figured prominently. In the end, it was learnt that the victims were innocent. Imagine the disgust and ill-feeling the incident attracted. Some students of the institution took to the streets of the community, protesting and setting cars and houses ablaze.  The young men were murdered because an alarm was raised by a co- student from the same community who is now at large!

In conclusion, lynching can be curbed if given the kind of seriousness it deserves. Those who sponsor and promote jungle justice should be severely sanctioned in accordance with the law. No person should be tortured naked and killed in a barbaric manner no matter the degree of provocation and breach committed.. It can be avoided if a concerned citizen is willing to save a life and that is by understanding that lynching is a stain on our humanity.

- yugoboss

Related articles

• Foreign investors set to boost healthcare in Nigeria
• The 13 most dangerous countries in the world

Proof that the Agro & Allied sector of the Nigerian economy is the most thriving in these times of global economic recession,...
I have been trading this commodity on the floors of the NSE for the past few weeks and up till now and i can happily say i'm yet to experience loss with them yet !!!

.... another reason why you should #think Agro & food processing, think #yugobossenterprises .

subscribe to our mailing list for best performing stocks to rake in more profit @ http://blog.geoworlddesigns.com

-yugoboss

Related articles

• FG commits N51.4m to industrial clusters, SEZs development
• Africa's largest economy is stuck in a painful recession
• Buhari wants more varsities, private sector collaboration on Nigeria products
• Special Economic Zones project attracts $1bn funding - Enelamah

 TESTDRILLER CBT SOFTWARE
₦1,000
Ijaiye Ojokoro , Lagos
TESTDRILLER CBT SOFTWARE FOR JAMB UTME, WAEC SSCE EXAMINATION PRACTICE & STUDY. ALSO COMES WITH MATHS SOLVER, MATHS TIPS VOCABULARY BUILDER, LAST DAY AT FORCADOS LITERATURE NOVEL FOR JAMB EXAMS AND ENGLISH KIT ALL IN ONE PACKAGE. CONTAINS:

JAMB UTME PAST QUESTIONS FROM YEAR 2000 - 2016
WAEC SSCE PAST QUESTIONS FROM YEAR 2011 - 2015
MATHS SOLVER ON ALL TOPICS IN MATHEMATICS WITH STEP BY STEP DETAILS ON THE SOLVING PROCESS FROM FORMULA TILL FINAL ANSWER.
SHORTCUT TIPS IN SOLVING MATHEMATICS PROBLEMS.
A COMPREHENSIVE ENGLISH KIT FOR VOCABULARY BUILDING, PHONETICS, ANTONYMS, SYNONYMS, E.T.C

FOR ORDER PLACEMENTS & HOME DELIVERY, PLEASE CALL YUGOBOSS ON 07030831190 OR YOU CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW.....
DISCOUNTED TESTDRILLER CBT SOFTWARE OFFER  

 THANK YOU.

-yugoboss

Related articles

• Former NUC Cecretary Calls For Return Of Post-UTME
• UNILAG Admission Cut-Off Mark [Departmental] - 2016/2017
• Survivor Of Deadly Clash At Mile 12, Bolaji Kalejaiye Turns 17 As Women Arise Celebrates Him
• Change and the reconstruction of expectation

PROPOSED COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAX BILL 2015 (part 2)

PROPOSED COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAX BILL 2015 (part 2)

At the inception of the GSM, Nigerians became exploited and cheated. SIM cards were expensive and difficultto afford due to the fact only two telecom industries MTN and ECONET (nowAIRTEL)  rendered services. The irony of this wonderful package was that Nigerians had no idea as to what extent they were being exploited. They just bought SIM cards and mobile devices on a high rate basis either for calls made or sent text messages. I recall then that it used to be 40 kobo or 50 kobo then. It was at the height of the exploitation by both telecom networks that Glo mobile came on board. The company sold its SIMcards for as low as N1000 which MTN and ECONET sold for between N10000 andN30000. In addition, Globalcom mobile company rendered, quality and affordable services which attracted huge customers thus, forcing its counterparts to make their services affordable. Call charges dropped from 40kobo to 29kobo and thento 15 kobo per second.

Indeed Nigeria has a long way in the history of telecommunications. Now, with the advent of the internet on mobile devices and computer systems, consumers pay less.  Even though data plans seem quite expensivethe cost of GSM services has drastically reduced. The proposed law is obnoxious because it is capable of preventing the common man from using the safest and cost-free means of communication_ the internet. The internet has opened up avenues for people to make a living as far as they are highly computer literate. People have been transformed from rags to riches, raised from grass to grace. Why then, would the law-makers come up with an oppressive bill to throw half the populace into poverty and deprivation?

Second, students in the Ivory Towers will be the worst hit. The management and senate o f higher institutions will be compelled to increase the school fees from the normal amount. Students acrossall institutions pay ICT fees among other fees charged. Hence the school fees will be charged at a high rate making it difficult for students to learn.

In addition, millions of Nigerians would be largely affected in that they would be unable to have access to the internet. Unemployment and mass retrenchment would result. Companies and organizations will be forced to downsize their staff especially where they are unable to pay salaries and allowances. So, the sponsors of this bill do not mean well for consumers who are writhing in pains as a result of the harsh economic situation in the country. It is like pouring salt in injury instead of thinking out solutions to alleviate the plight of the citizens. The bill has afiscal motive_ to generate revenue for the government. When considered on a balanced scale, the effects are better imagined than experienced hence the need to vehemently oppose its passage.

 reporting: GWD

POSITIVE THOUGHT (part 2)

POSITIVE THOUGHT (part 2)

I come from Imo-State in Nigeria where ones status is assessed by economic clout. Paupers have no place in the gathering of the affluent. For you to speak in a gathering of people, you must be financially afloat. Another thing that can make you speak is when you are closely linked with an affluent individual either by blood or otherwise. I know that in some areas it is not like this. There is tacit disregard for the poor and as such they are allowed to air their views. In truth, the poor and deprived in Nigeria have no say. If you are not linked with the Dangote's of this world, or The Otedola's, The Atiku's, The Obansajo's, The Tinubu's, The Saraki's, The Adenuga's to mention but a few, who will hear you out?? This is the bane of our country because just as fools can make suggestions that baffle the wise, so also can the poor render suggestions far more beneficial than that of the rich.
The poor is seen as myopic and leprous and that is why there is massive disarray in the scheme of things. Among the poor class are millions of intellectuals who have been in citadels of learning. Their intelligence has not been propagated due to unemployment. Many are intellectually sound but have not gotten the opportunity to contribute to national growth and development as a result of unemployment. I once attended an interview in Uyo where a Master’s Degree Holder wanted to work in a hotel as a security man. He did not even get the job. What a pity. Let me not go too far, I take Lagos as a case study. One day, an Okada rider conveying me from Ikotun to Egbeda in Lagos told me that he has a Master’s Degree in Economics. This was because he got into an argument with the police on harassment on the high way. In the course of our journey, he parted with Two Thousand Naira because he rode one way in order to beat the menacing and excruciating traffic. He told me he schooled at the University of Nigeria Nsukka but has been looking for a job for the past three Years. This was in the year 2013. The guy spoke fluently and this made me to inquire about his personality. He confided in me that his Elder Brother who studied International Relations in another Southern Nigerian University was a transporter owning Two Twenty – Two Seater buses plying the Enugu – Onitsha express road. This is indeed tenacity of purpose but don’t you think that our nation need such men in the areas of study ? To be candid, there are many of them like these two who could contribute immensely to national growth and development.
I noticed that most of our young men are commercial cyclists (Okada riders) and tricycle operators (Marwa Keke drivers). Chei! What is this? Check out our ladies, most have joined what I tag the flesh trade, if  you know what I mean?.. I weep because of the rate of involvement. Where the amiable mothers of tomorrow will come from?!!
Whether circumstantial or otherwise indecorous and promiscuous females can only beget a rather licentious corrupt and debase offsprings for a nation that is already on its knees. This will form the crux of my next presentation to my worthy readers. I am writing this article on my verandah. It is May 1st and workers day. I cannot join the millions of workers out there to celebrate because my purse is lean and I’ve got a slight headache. There are many like me out there and I commiserate with them. There is a disruption as I write as a result of a slight controversy. I drop my pen and go view what’s up. Behold two fighting children between the ages of twelve and fourteen respectively. I hear one saying the other intruded on his eba having finished his. I see a man of about fifty years wielding a cane and a woman probably the children’s mother pleading for the man to spare them. There was about a crowd of ten mainly passersby and tenants who stayed back because of the May day holiday. There is no electricity otherwise everyone would have been in doors watching television or playing music on their sound system. You can imagine the confusion that cropped up due to a meal? Brothers fighting each other and father wanting to beat up children due to their food being insufficient. Where are you reading this write up from? Are you in Jamaica, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kenya, America, London, Australia, Congo, Ghana, Cameroon, Austria, Chad, Germany or any other part of the world? As a citizen or as a visitor, this is the state of our nation !! We are hungry. There is no fuel, no jobs, no electricity and no truth in the land and worse still no hope for the children. There is too much window dressing that does not profit us. Pray for us not to go extinct. Let us tell ourselves the truth !

The change we clamored for has become our bane. Perhaps alchemy will help us. The lucky ones among us have since taken their families abroad. Their children and wards are studying in Universities abroad while we remain here and bite our dirty fingers and swallow polluted saliva due to poor, incompetent, rapacious and insensitive leadership. The lure of filthy lucre is the bane of our leaders. Who will save us? There are many things to talk about. Keep faith with this site. We promise you a myriad, no – a fusillade of true tales. When we expunge them our body shall be light and our conscience will be assuaged and we shall continue to plod on in fabricated hopes not knowing when the next meal will come. Meals of political tumor and social leukemia spiced with ethnic imbalance and economic miasma.

Till then, let's keep hope alive !!

(All image credits: www.google.com) 

........Mr buddy

POSITIVE THOUGTH (part 1)

POSITIVE THOUGHTS (part 1)

 

image credit: wallpaperweb.org

Whenever I survey the globe and its people, I do nothing but sigh. I sigh because I perceive all kinds of things; things that are comforting, nauseating, disgusting and contumacious. Comforting because some are still with the roses of life, nauseating because certain things would want to make me cry; disgusting because the horizon is littered with disgust and contumacious because of disrespect for authority and the rule of law. It is a sordid ritual. We are dancing a macabre more so when the custodians have turned into bulls in a China Shop. There is tacit brazen audacity and the noose on the neck of the citizenry is to say the least stupendously excruciating. Where are we heading to?

Anyway, I write from Nigeria where dogs now have horns, lizards wear caps; cows sing ballads and goats blow trumpets and with horns of deprivation, caps of belligerence, ballads of death and trumpets of annihilation, the center cannot hold. The Falconer and the Falcon are excommunicated and the macabre beat of grudge and disaffection has hit fever-pitch. It’s unfortunate that while the majority is groaning under the weight of Orchestrated Socio-Economic & Political servitude, the grand masters are clinging their cups in foreign lands –wining and dining, deciding to chastise us with scorpions instead of whips.

image credit:wallpapercaft.com
 

I remember the last time I was stung by a scorpion, some decades ago. The pain was interminably excruciating. I was playing with my friends on a heap of sand in my uncle’s new building. I had enjoyed the sand much as a child. At times we mount the heaps of sands doing a chasing game. At other times we do races to see who will emerge first at the other end. Most times we test our wrestling skills and do somersaults and as we did all these, the height of the heaps will dwindle and my uncle would sneak in with whips to send us away. I got quite some lashes but I never cared because of the childhood pleasure of being a warrior on heaps of sands on a construction site. This was indeed one of the advantages we enjoyed in the peer world. The whip and the pleasure we cherished alongside, because it was among our vicissitudes. Thorns and roses must come to be. A situation where it's only thorns galore is condemnable and unacceptable. That is the Nigerian situation at present. Too much talk and no action; Too much hope upon hope and only disappointment; too much visit and no result; too much forcing and fighting and only sectional annihilations. People are being traumatized, pummeled and tinkered into submission. Some are being sent to early graves because somebody somewhere has refused to take appropriate action. I don’t care about pussy-footing because only the truth can set us free.

In the words of a Poet ‘Kofi Awooner’, we are caught between the Anvil and the Hammer’ in the forging house of a new life…This poetic expression catches my imagination and puts me in a labyrinth of thought. The hammer represents the ruling class while the anvil is the Nigerian Society. The Nigeria situation is between the anvil and the hammer. It is being tinkered, hit, defaced and crushed by the powers that be and whatever comes out of it is our hope, our life, our children’s education, our children’s future, their position, their survival, their greatness, the smallness. It will also determine our grief, our sorrow our commitment and satisfaction. No be small thing. 

........Mr buddy