This definitely is not about the movie; it is something much more than that. It is about an event I witnessed that happened right in front of me. It is about the reality of the state of terror that exists in the heart of beastly men. It is not a parochial standpoint for this one incident is like the onion bulb; filled with folders of compartments that are closely interwoven into a more bizarre show of strength exhibiting defence in a society that is becoming anarchical.
My uncle has always told me as a child that each family in Nigeria is a government in itself. According to him, we provide security for ourselves, water and even run public tap for others outside the compound, electricity through alternative power sources generated by means other than the service providers, roads, just to mention a few.
His analysis could not have been more apropos as I witnessed for the first time in my life, broad daylight robbery. It all looked like a scene scripted to perfection for some blockbuster movie except that this was no hallucination or some acting. It was an armed robbery around 4pm. A loud sound triggered my attention. It was not a thunderous one so I had presumed a tyre must have burst in motion but then I realised a man was holding on to this chest on the motorcycle right in front of the car I was in. Suddenly, the bike fell with both the driver and passenger. Then, bails of money scattered on the tarred road. Alas, it was then I realised I was observing a robbery.
I did not know what to do, as I was unusually calm yet perplexed with no apparent fear clutching my heart, I gazed. Astonishingly, as the motorcycle hit the ground, the big, fat Hausa man who it occurred to me must be a bureau de change man, jumped on the armed rubber who was wearing a sky blue shirt on a blue jean with a blue cap. The robber must be a man in his mid-thirties at most. As the Hausa man jumped at him, he pulled himself lessening the impact and unfalteringly shot at him. I could not tell whether he weaved it or the robber missed his shot because the Hausa man was promptly back up chasing the rubber in circles.
With everything at a standstill with deafening silence in this sweltering sun, the robber pulled back and picked up a double barrel that had dropped from him. However with the Hausa man closing up fast on him leaving no space as he tried to cock the gun, I ducked. Not hearing a sound, I peeped through only to see the assailant hitting the head of the victim relentlessly as he dashed for cover.
As the Hausa man walked by me with blood on his head, it gave me chills. The ruthlessness was incomprehensible. I realised this was indeed not a movie scene. He slowly walked to pack his money and as I watched my new hero, what came to mind was “a man who tries to save his life loses it.”
He had lost his life not only to gain it, but also kept all his money with a pyrrhic victory. I realised truly that Hausa men are never afraid to die whereas, the police that manned the junction for traffic control about a metre away, had scampered for safety.
All of these brought me to the conclusion that what we need is not just a change from the old order and the political bigots that parade our leadership positions with self-aggrandised achievements flattering to deceive after failing ponderously from ruling us but a purge of those clandestine condescending political imps that are representing us.
I am not here to lend my support to any individual but to give credence to the yearnings of our people that a change is so desperately desired. However, I canvas that we need to purge ourselves of the self-serving, crooked, garrulous, substance lacking, self-imposed, befuddled, and fiendish individuals who lead with despicable latitude. Let the people show that they own the conveyance title. Let us show that regardless of whom we choose, we can install them or remove as we please. Let us end the reign of deception, the times for cowardly acts are gone. Now, is the time to put an end to outlandish absolvent of tyranny, shame, looting, manipulation, malevolence, detached leadership?
We should no longer let our people be killed by trepidation. Religion, geographical positioning, ethnicity should not stand in the way of our unison of purpose. We will not accept our children taken from us into sex slavery and criminalisation while some people issue distorted facts, reeling out gibberish from dysentery mouths, which do nothing than swallow tea like maggots from poultry.
From a man thankfully to God for not being hit by stray bullets,
ADEKANYE ADEYINKA .O.