31st October, 2012
By Isaac Asabor
If there is any evil in our contemporary society that has assumed a worrisome dimension, it is undeniably the unprecedented and callous manner in which innocent lives are being cut short by some unscrupulous individuals. Inconsequential value has been placed on human life in our country.
Millions of people find it difficult slaughtering chickens, goats and other domestic animals. But ironically, there are equally millions of people who seemingly take pleasure in exterminating the lives of others without even blinking their eyelids. The issue of killing others and placing less value on human life is not just about those criminals that prowl the streets at night with guns and daggers. It also concerns those that work in offices and other business outfits that want their colleagues dead. The life of any man in the estimation of these wicked people is just a pennyworth.
It is germane to say that screaming and gruesome news headlines in newspapers cast in the similitude of “Man Strangles Woman To Death”, “Banker Shot Dead”, “Landlord Hacks Tenant To Death” neither hold readers spellbound anymore. Paradoxically, most newspaper readers are beginning to see screaming and gruesome news headlines as one of the elements of a good newspaper or magazine.
In a state of lamentation over how fast human lifes is fast depreciating in value, a friend of mine jokingly opined that criminals may not resist the deal of exchanging human life for a wrap of Indian hemp merely to sustain and nurture their addiction. He may not be wrong because so many people no longer see the lives of others as priceless. The manner people are killed these days, either physically or spiritually, indicates that human life has totally lost its value. One may not be wrong to say that life is pennyworth in the estimation of criminals and those that are involved in spiritual wickedness in high places.
Be that as it may, no sane human being will agree to trade the lives of others on a platter of money. The value which humanity has literarily placed on human life is so inestimable that it would continue to defy monetary estimation.
Right from the womb, the life of man has been under the threat of extermination. Apart from typical criminals whose stock in trade is the killing of innocent human beings, most youths in today’s permissive society are wont to be committing abortion as if it is a norm. In Psalm 22 verse 10, David said “From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.”
Though, this piece is not a sermon, suffice it to say that David also in Psalm 139 verse 14 said, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Life is so precious and valuable that a hackneyed aphorism aptly says “Life has no duplicate”.
In fact, one of the sacred commandments which God gave to Christendom through Moses on Mount Sinai in Exodus chapter 20 verse 13 is: “You Should Not Murder.” Many Christians are aware that when Cain violated this command by killing his brother, Abel, God was angry with him.
It is pertinent to ask; Why do people terminate the lives of others? The answer to this question is provided in 1 John chapter 4 verse 21: “And he has given us this command: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” The truth is that most people that claim they love God do not love God. If they do, they would also love their fellow brothers and sisters. Many people hypocritically claim they love God whereas they do not love him. The Lord in Isaiah 29 verse 13 says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules by men. “
From moral perspective, does it mean those who enjoy killing others, either by physical or spiritual means do not have conscience? They are supposed to have it since conscience is physiologically inherent in any living human being.
The inspiration to write this piece emanated from the fact that human life cannot continue to be taken each passing day through wicked acts. Also, the inspiration to write this piece is to sensitise fellow Nigerians that we cannot continue to live in this Hobesian state of nature that is short, brutish and nasty. The society we are presently living in is not too different from the proverbial dog-eat-dog society. As it is today one cannot confidently walk to a fellow human being to ask for a direction without his decision provoking an atmosphere of mutual suspicion. People now walk with their hearts in their mouth and watch their backs while walking. The mutual suspicion that pervades today’s society is so obvious that people now suspiciously answer phone calls, read e-mails and worse still chat with friends on social media networks.
Gone were the days when families, particularly in Lagos, would spread mats outside their compounds and fearlessly sleep with both eyes closed until 6.00am the next day. In 1987 I ignorantly woke up at 3.00am on a particular day thinking it was 5.00am. Then, I took my bath, wore my clothes and hit the streets of Fadeyi in Lagos on my way to work. When I trekked to the intersection of Herbert Macaulay Street, Ikorodu Road and Agege Motor Road at Jibowu, I was accosted by some policemen under the bridge at the popular intersection right in front of the defunct Faze 2 Night Club. In response to their request, I explained to them how I found myself on the road at that hour, and at the same time showed them my identity card. They saw reason with me and gave me a bench to sit on while they carried on with their duties. When it was some few minutes after 5.00am, they assisted me by “authorizing” the first “molue” that plied the road to Lagos Island to drop me at CMS bus stop. That was the Nigerian Police Force of 1987. I wonder what would have happened to me if it was the Nigerian Police Force of 2012. Anyway, the foregoing narration is to explain how valuable life was in the past and how friendly the policemen were. This is not to say that the security situation then was very perfect but it was tolerable. At that time people were not slaughtered on streets like chickens. Back then, a policeman was truly a friend. You can walk up to him and ask for direction, and he would assist without being funny.
Still in the same nexus, night life then was not frightening as youths were able to commute at any time of the night to have fun at night clubs that cluster together on Allen Avenue and it environs. Names of night clubs that readily come to mind among others are Klassic night club and Peak night club. On Ikorodu Road, Lagos, Caban Bamboo night club and Faze 2 night club held sway. While around the Alagomeji axis in Yaba, Kakadu night club and Hotel Pussy Cat. Back then, it was not that difficult shuttling from one of these clubs to the other as nightlife was very lively and secure. If I may still ask, how come we no more value the lives of other people? If men were to be in their sane self I do not think there should be any issue about a peaceful co-existence. We are no more our brother’s keepers. Where did we get it wrong?
For us to get it right once again, I believe the security situation should not be left for security agents alone. We, as individuals, should begin to have the fear of God and place high premium on human life. We should not be reducing the value of human life through evil deeds to the extent that it is today literarily valued as a pennyworth. In my view, there should be a paradigm shift on how we love one another in the society. We should begin to see the other Nigerian, irrespective of tribe and religion, as a brother or a sister.
•Asabor wrote in from Lagos. E-maile: [email protected]