SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER,THEY KILLED THE MESSENGER(memorial;KEN SARO-WIWA). By Frank Ejeagbasi

Born 15 years before “the beginning of a slow death” of an exploited land.
His passion for humanity was glistening,evident in the path of numerous fields which he “plowed”,in a single lifetime.
His 51 years of life on earth could be likened to that of the Messaiah. A life spent in sacrificial devotion to human right and environmental causes,in a bid to save his fatherland from degradation due to indiscriminate exploitation of it’s God-given riches.

Born on the 10 of october 1941. Kenule Ken Beeson Saro-Wiwa (better known as Ken Saro-Wiwa),after predicting his own death,in a piece he authored; “Nigeria Kills it’s own Sun”,died in the course of a long-standing activism and outspoken criticism of the then Gen. Sani Abacha led Nigerian Government.
More particularly was the degradation of The Ogoni land by Shell Oil Company (which obviously was a mammoth source of revenue to the government).
Saro-Wiwa was a successful business man,a television producer,a leader of a non-violent campaign,advocating for the rights of the Ogoni people.

His devotion in human rights and environmental causes earned him several awards and international recognition such as the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize.
This chosen path of activism wasn’t all rosy,given the thriving environment which journalism was,as at then.
Saro-Wiwa was first arrested in June 1993.
From then,he went from series of arrests by the then Nigerian Government to hurdles of victimization for being outspoken with truth in the spirit of activism and journalism.

He shall forever be given credits for his contributions in Journalism which has (directly or indirectly and though seemingly silent) added strength to the foundation of Journalism in Nigeria,evident in the Freedom Of Information Bill which the press enjoys today.

His death should mean more than just dying. Lessons should be appropriately learned,as we mark the 15th remembrance day of the death of Ken Saro-wiwa.

The Government should play its role,ensuring that the course which Saro-Wiwa died “fighting” for,is judiciously accomplished.

The press and the media in general should consolidate on this foundation built by Saro-Wiwa at the expense of his life.
The virtues of truth should remain forever consolidated. The media should in no way,compromise in truthful information dissemination.
Journalists should follow this path of bravery,as they serve as “watchdogs” over the ills in our dear country.

Worthy of mention are the unsung heroes who died with KEN SARO-WIWA in this course,collectively known as the “OGONI NINE”;Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and
John Kpuine. May their souls rest in peace.
“They may kill the messenger,but they can’t kill the message”.
May the memories of his life and death live on.
May we draw strength and motivation from the passion which he died for.

God bless Journalism.
God bless Nigeria.

WHEN RIP BECOMES THE ANTHEM

“There’s no love in the heart of the city…How can the seeds grow when the Garden is weary.”

I got home late on that tragic friday’s night,silently,I thanked God for helping me through the day as I stepped into my room. Unknowing to me,some of my mates now known on the internet circle as The Aluu4 weren’t having as much blessings as myself on this day.
Stressed out from the day’s campus “hustle”,I sat on my bed as I pulled out my phone from my pocket. In seconds I was on the internet,”3 UNIPORT STUDENT “ROBBERS” BURNT TO DEATH IN PORTHARCOURT” was the topic of discussion that welcomed me to a popular internet forum. I later confirmed it was 4 of them.

As I read through the page,I saw his picture,he was handsome,”clean”,and looked like every other kid from a “good home”,but beside his clean picture was another picture of himself and three other young men,unclad,battered and masked in their own blood,sitting there on the floor,helpless,devastated and visibly lost on the road to their own end.

I read through the robbery allegations. Naturally, I made ignorant conclusions and RIP was all I could say. Yet a voice, deep inside kept telling me, “these boys could be innocent”.

The next day,I got a link to the Video,the video of a mob lynching the four UNIPORT students. At the very first stare, I got aches in my head, the impact of the planks on the head of an already battered human, by another human! At that point I imagined how these boys felt at the verge of a painful and humiliating death.
It was at this same point rationalism hit me hard! I asked myself “shey na because of only laptop and fone this people wan waste these fine boys?”
What answer did I get? I heard a voice in the video screaming “Die! Die!!”,and yet another one screaming “put fire! Put fire!!”. Then I told myself,”Here comes another case of RiP…”

…The match-stick was lit,and one of the most barbaric event in this part of the world and in this century,climaxed! Human set human on fire! I could hear one of the boys scream hard for the very last time in his life as the fire engulfed their already battered bodies.

Worst of all,these young men were innocent of the allegation which preceded their death.
But even if they were not…
In this century and age,shall we still live under the depravity of “jungle justice” and mob lynching?

These were four generations set ablaze,they were promising young men.
These were talents set on fire and dreams yet accomplished burned in flames.
These were Nigerian Students murdered by a mob,majority of which never passed through the stress of sitting for JAMB exams.
Then I went to Chiadika’s facebook page,and it was flooded with the anthem “RIP”.

The question remains,HOW LONG SHALL NIGERIAN STUDENTS SING THE ANTHEM “REST IN PEACE” for fellow comrades?
This is happening at the wake of Mubi Killings…we said RIP.
Grace Adie Ushang fell…we said RIP.
Cynthia Asokogwu…we said RIP.
The attack in UNIJOS…we said RiP
AND NOW,THE “ALUU4″…
Do we still say RIP and just move on like nothing happened.
Do we fold our arms and watch as our land is been fed with the blood of Nigerian students.
Should we take the law into our hands and shed more blood as suggested by anger…
Is the Nigerian Government and its citizens willing and ready to protect the Nigerian Student.
These questions,though rhetorical,can only be answered if Justice is served to the appropriate quarters.

Nigerian students are the “seeds” of this garden called Nigeria…
How can these seeds grow when the garden is “weary”.
You can tell,if you envision the picture I paint.

RIP Ugonna,Chiadika,Tekena,Lloyd.
#Aluu4. #JusticeForAluu4.

-EJEAGBASI FRANK.

FOR THE FALLEN SOLDIERS

Just blossomed but a beautiful life
Set out,yet to start the aluta strive
Celebrations and matriculations in full hype
Into a bright future,yet to dive
Tears of tomorrow’s story I wish I could wipe

In your eyes,I saw a dream to thrive
A beautiful sunrise in disguise
You dare to reach the Iroko’s height
Oh why did you leave us in blight
Sitting by the fire,yet feeling cold -thats our plight

The story was going to cut like a knife
Behind your smile stood Ive
As darkness lurked in distant sight
Oh why did you leave before the flight
Sitting in oblivion,but you’re gone -thats our plight

THE UNTOLD STORY OF A WOMAN

A man was sick & tired of going to work everyday, while his wife stayed home. He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed, ‘Dear Lord, I go to work every day & put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through. So, please allow her body to switch with mine for a day.’
God, in His infinite wisdom, granted the man’s wish.
The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman. He
arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, woke the kids up, set out
their school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, drove them to school, came home & picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners & stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping, then drove home to put away the groceries, paid the bills & balanced the check book. He cleaned the cat’s litter box & bathed the dog. Then, it was already 1 PM & he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, sweep & mop the kitchen floor. He rushed to the school to pick up the kids & got into an argument with them on the way home. He set out milk & cookies & got the kids organized to do their homework. Then, set up the ironing board & watched TV while he did the ironing. At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes & washing vegetables for salad,
breaded the pork chops & snapped fresh beans for supper.
After supper, he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids & put them to bed. At 9 PM He was
exhausted, though his daily chores weren’t finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love, which he managed to
get through without complaint.
The next morning, he awoke & immediately knelt by the bed &
said, ‘Lord, I don’t know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to
envy my wife’s being able to stay home all day. Please, Oh! Please, let us trade back.. Amen!’
The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, replied, “My son, I feel you have learned your lesson & I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. But, you’ll have to wait nine months, though. You got pregnant last night!”

This is just a clue as to why your mother is the best woman in the world! And also an incontestable fact as to why you should HONOUR, CHEERISH and SUPPORT your WOMAN!

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