Letter to minstrels of war

DEAR minstrel of war, all is fair in war. No foul! Those drumming the beats and singing the song of war in Nigeria should take a minute to read this.

War is neither jolloff rice with chicken nor sharwarma with chilled soft drink, nor amala with gbegiri and goat meat. War is bitter. War is a disastrous poison that sends hundreds of thousands to an everlasting sleep in their pool of blood.

In war, you cannot go to the market, you cannot go to work; you cannot visit hospital, no hobnobbing with friends, no partying, no food, no family, no in-laws, and no friends.

In war, mother abandons the child, husband the wife and mother the children. Every one scampers for safety, for life. Nobody is safe in war. In war, the only atmosphere is war, death, casualties and stench of dead bodies. No happiness in war but apprehension, fear, homelessness, illnesses, infections, malnutrition, kwashiorkor, slaughtering, shootings, bombings, bleeding, gasping for breath and wishing for death. The image is gory and sorry.

War produces captives and refugees; it produces crumbled economy; it breeds invaders, plundering and enslavement. War proliferate orphans, widowers and widows.

The literary giant JP Clark aptly reflects these in his poem “casualties.” In war, we are all casualties. Even the “winners” are wounded physically and emotionally. In war, winners are losers.

Let us appeal to all minstrels of war that when the war breaks out, there is no exception. Tell all those drumming for war in Nigeria that everyone is a victim, no exception; everyone is a casualty bleeding unhappiness and sad memories.

Dear Lord, save my country Nigeria from this precipice of war, save my family and friends from its doom, avert for us the looming war, give our leaders a listening ear to be on the side of the people and pacify all boiling hearts clamouring for war.

Dear Lord in the heaven, grant us economic and political prosperity and let our country stand again.

• Idris Katib,

Ibadan

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