Ayo Fasoro

 

Sunday 31 May witnessed the visit of a Federal Government delegation to Ahoro Esiele, and to the families of seven teachers   and thirty nine pupils who were abducted two weeks earlier. The delegation comprising Heads of Security Agencies headed by the President’s Chief of Staff, came to console the communities and to assure that “Whatever it takes, our children and teachers will be brought back home safely”. 

After that, the big men from Abuja returned to their big cars, sirens blaring ahead; to their waiting aircraft; and to their families with whom they live in fortified government accommodations. A tale of two worlds.

We have heard those same words before. Good words, sweet to the ears if you are not affected. Words that remain just words. Those who should be working day and night to rescue the abducted are visiting affected families whose loved ones are yet to return home. Same old ritual. Strange logic.

Two-year old Christianah Akanbi is one of those kidnapped and remains in the custody of her captives in the forest. Who abducts a two-year old? How do you drop your toddler at a nursery school, only to find out that you can’t take her back home because she has been abducted?

Joel Adesiyan, a teacher at Community High School who was shot dead along with a commercial motorcyclist during the attack has been buried. Michael Oyedokun, a teacher who was abducted has been beheaded. Unsurprisingly, school children in the communities no longer attend classes. Life has become nightmarish for the affected communities and for their neighbours. Such horrific details assault all human sensitivities.

With politicians, it is business as usual. While the victims remain in captivity, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu won the APC ticket to run for another term; Seyi Makinde accepted the nomination as presidential candidate of a hybrid political association, Allied Peoples Movement, APM.  The Punch reports that “At the resumption of plenary following the Sallah break, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, read 13 letters announcing the change of parties by lawmakers”. Six of those letters were authored by lawmakers from Oyo State, defecting from PDP to Seyi Makinde’s newfound love, APM.

We have been advised on how to react to the ongoing absurdity: don’t blame anyone. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, met with families of the abducted pupils and teachers in a twist of sorrowful irony. His mission? To assure the affected community that the Federal and State governments are working together for the safe return of the victims. “This is not the time for us to say it is the President that should have handled this, or it is the Governor, or the local government. This is a time to pull together as one.”

Imagine the sorrow in the heart and soul of Professor Alamu. Professor Wole Alamu is Dean of Renewable Natural Resources at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho. He is also the husband of Rachael Alamu, one of the abductees.

Hear Professor Alamu, “My wife was the Principal of the public school, and she used to come from Ogbomosho every day. The terrorists burnt her car. Thank God they didn’t burn her inside”. “I only see her in videos with a gun on her neck. If she is released, the rest of them will be released”

For Professor Alamu, hope exists that his wife will someday return to his warm embrace and to happy resumption of life with their family.

Such is not the case for Michael Oyedokun, and Joel Adesiyan. May their souls rest in peace. And may God rid our land of the evils in our hearts.

 

Ayo Fasoro

Non Sum Dignus