AGONY. Bleak. Tears. In Ayo Fayose’s verbal rendition, Nigeria is in “severe pain”. Pains that continue to wreck destruction on Nigeria. Nigeria’s neck is strained. Gory scenes, teary pictures, terrifying videos; as though they were from the Rwanda genocide or civil war. Alas, they were from St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. Agents of doom struck yet again in a ‘mass killing’, this time, not in the core North nor in the South-East, but in Owo, a city that literally translates as ‘honour’. Owo was dishonoured by stony-hearted criminals. The Honour of Owo was relegated; the sanctity of a worship place was baited. Eleyi tun kawa laya – this is confounding!
Mass murder has gripped many Nigerian states; but in the South-West, Ondo State is just one among the few cauldrons. This latest and dreadful attack seems to have opened a new page of ‘mass murder’ in Yorubaland, especially coming just 365 days after mass murder was perpetrated in Igangan, Oyo State, thanks to killer pastoralists, who sent innocent souls on a bloody journey of no return. But in distressing times when emotions naturally becloud the senses, reason should have its way. Every ethnic group has bad eggs who perpetrate vile acts. The prime suspects in the 2017 Ozubulu church mass killing in Awka were Igbos. Regardless of who the Owo Church mass killing are, the question only remains: would Igangan and Owo mass killings have hit Yorubaland if swift and strict preventive measures had been adopted?
Obviously, this dreary attack hits differently. There have been hues and cries from all over the country, but my mind keeps telling me these emotions will fade in a few days and it’ll all end up in prayers while we get back to our usual activities as though nothing had happened. Then boom, we get struck again – God forbid. Such is the vicious circle of Nigerians’ actions towards boiling issues, which has not helped our bad situations over the years. Delving into the collossal failure of the Federal Government would only waste time further, we can’t wait to see this administration go already. We would only continue to plead that human feelings run through those at the helm of Nigeria’s affairs, at least. Southwest governors should address the insecurity that’s brewing in the region. Action, not emotions should be in top gear. Amotekun, since its inception, has done commendably well, but more drastic actions need to be taken, lest the brewing mass killings in Yorubaland boomerang into full insecurity like in other regions. We rebuke any promise of more bloodshed following the Igangan and Owo killings.
The perpetrators should be apprehended by all means, regardless of the ethnic or group they represent. Ogulutu wọn – their payback – should be that they are given a taste of their own medicine. They should be sent to God with immediate effect; for only He can accommodate them. We can’t afford to do that here. Nigeria is already sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Nowhere is safe. It’s all doom here! Oh Lord, do not forsake us, for we brought this upon ourselves.
- Amao writes in from Ibadan
and then