Efio-Ita Nyok|17 November 2016
The video of the gruesome murder of a 7-year-old boy beaten to pulp and later burnt to death in Badagry Lagos State for attempting to steal Garri, a popular staple in Nigeria, yesterday went viral.
According to Nigerianbulletin.com, 'The yet to be identified boy was on the verge of stealing Garri from a shop in Badagry but he ran out of luck. The 7 years old boy was beaten black and blue, tied up and set ablaze by the angry mob'.
This incident has drawn the condemnation of numerous individuals popular among which is Ogoja, Cross River-born Prince Thomas Abi Jr. Prince Abi has condemned the lynching of the affected boy in the strongest of terms. He queried why this boy could be a recipient of such inhumanity when those who have stolen our common patrimony walk freely. Excerpt:
'Why is mankind so wicked? Why is the heart of man so evil and heartless? Where is the love in our hearts? Have we become monsters that we do not have human sympathy? Have we become so bad that we do not have human sympathy?
'Oh humans! This young chap was lynched because he stole garri. Garri! I mean garri. Meanwhile we have looters of our common patrimony moving freely without anyone harassing them or lynching them.
'People who have set this great nation backward are moving about blaring sirens yet we still can not think. Why is the poor man so empty? Rather than killing a little boy because of garri why not venge your anger on all those that have caused us great pain. All those that have refused to execute contracts, stolen monies meant for the provision of health care, good roads , pipe borne water, rural and urban electrification, building of schools and the adequate provision of social security. Yet we do not think and so lynch our fellow poor men and women who are struggling to survive.
'Until we reorient ourselves from mental slavery we are headed no where. Until we think and set a goal for ourselves , this country is heading to the gutters.
'My fellow country men and women, why not hold all those that have put us in this situation where we are retrogressing rather than killing ourselves.
'We must show love my people. We must preach love and show mercy to the weak, downtrodden, the lowly heard and the poor in the society.
'Never again must we kill our people. Never again must we venge our anger on those who are only struggling to survive.
'My people we need peace. We need love and compassion for one another.
'I strongly condemn the lynching of the young boy in Lagos who stole garri in strong terms.
'It is wicked, barbaric, senseless and highly lampoonable', the social commentator concluded.
Taking the laws into our hands and engaging in this type of jungle justice is highly condemnable.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org
