Ah s**t, here we go again.

It’s been a pretty rough year for us Nigerians (we can same about every year since this country was formed, but that would be for another day). Hardly a day goes by without there being reports of kidnapping, terrorist attacks, or inter-ethnic clashes. We are in a boiling cauldron that is primed to explode into a full-scale disaster. Where to begin? Who do we blame for our present predicament? It was established before that being a citizen of Nigeria is an automatic handicap. But with a recent rise in the spate of kidnappings, clashes between Fulani herdsmen and every other tribe, and a resurgence of the Islamic militia group, Boko haram, being a Nigerian is better categorized as one of one thousand ways to die. And death, unfortunately, has made a permanent home in our nation today.

Last week the airwaves were filled with the story of a young female graduate, who was brutally murdered by a psychopath amid a job hunt. The news brought the nation to its knees (at least online) as various people mobilized themselves via the popular micro-blogging platform, twitter to create a hashtag in search of the missing lady. Eventually, she turned up dead with her murderer now in police custody awaiting arraignment. Her death sparked a lot of emotional reactions with many questioning why Nigeria is hell-bent on stifling the life out of their future. Tracing the educational trajectory of a typical Nigerian student, you will come to understand that getting into a tertiary institution, completing your degree, and getting a slowly becoming-redundant certificate in this county is at a difficulty level akin to the 12 labors of Hercules. On that last day when you are done with your final exam, celebrating with your peers, basking in the moment with no thought of what tomorrow may bring, the country is slowly setting up hindrances and obstacles to crush your dreams. Now another light has been snuffed out by a nation dancing on a powder keg.

But why her?

Immediately the news of her demise filtered into cyberspace. Everyone came out of their shell to claim their one minute of fame. The self-proclaimed male feminists saw an opportunity to castigate their gender, imploring them to “be better” and “do more”. It is a shame really, if only such a deep and thought-provoking message was passed across to her killer. She would be alive today. Ladies came out en masse to start narrating near kidnapping experiences and how security agencies should place a greater focus on ensuring women are protected. I guess the men can go and seek protection from whatever God they serve. The wannabe-influencers got their best graphic designers to create artworks to mourn her passing. Oh, I’m certain, just a look at that beautifully designed poster with the signature of the designer sticking out like a sore thumb would provide closure for the grief-stricken family members of the lady and help them to move on. The sorosoke generation came out en masse to do what they do best. Soro. Talk. All bark, no bite. With every passing day, you begin to realize if we think we had it tough in the hands of the corrupt leaders who have refused to cede power to the younger generation, the ones coming after them, when they are through, nigeria as we know it would cease to exist.

There is no deep thought process for these children. Everything to them is a fad. To “catch cruise” if we are to use their lingo. Three times this year, terrorists have ransacked various secondary schools, and where was your favorite Twitter influencer? Providing in-depth analysis to the silhouette challenge because apparently, raising awareness on the kidnapping of school children is not a cool enough cause that would help put them in trending and if they are lucky, ride the popularity wave to verification.

Fulani herdsmen have been running rampage in the south and where was your favorite male feminist? Attending another c-grade nollywood movie launch in Lagos, as it has been established that as long as the violence never reach Lagos, it is not their cross to bear.

As at the time of writing, these “bandits”, as they are now called, have ransacked Christian communities in Kaduna, killing multiple persons. What are you hearing from female freedom fighters? *crickets*. After all, since it is churches that were attacked, let God fight for his people while we engage in twitter wars over who has the most toxic fans Tacha or Erica. (If you do not know those two names, trust me, you are not missing anything)

So why her?

The truth lies inherently in the flawed psyche of the present generation. The combination of herd mentality, a desire for constant validation and wide-seethed ignorance that is prevalent among the current crop of youths, has brought us to this conclusion. People want to be outraged because it makes them feel good about themselves. They pat themselves on the back after retweeting a retweeted tweet. Telling themselves that they are making a difference. They look for the latest trends to hop on only to get likes and online validation.

“Oh, you liked the pic of that girl that died, outstanding. You are a good person. You have done your part in making the world a better place. Oh, you saw the quote I posted on my page, mehn that was so deep. You don’t know how many souls you have touched. Thank you for doing your part in making the world a better place“.

Then, like all trends, when they fade into obscurity, so do most of those people. Retreating to their caves and various lives where they are just moving through the motions, adding no inherent value to themselves, their families and the society at large. The rest remain in the cyberspace, afflicted by delusions of grandeur, planning the next great Twitter revolution/hashtag. That is, of course, until the next season of bbnaija is on their TV Screens and then they surrender themselves to be reprogrammed into mindless bots cheering for idiots.

Enough of all these buzz words that are being thrown around” we need to have these conversations, we need to have these honest discussions” because that is where they stop. As conversations and discussions! Stop talking and start taking action. Stop sorosoke and start duro soke. Take a stand. Do something! Any slowpoke can sit down from the comfort of their home and hide behind a screen to complain about the status of the country, but what are you going to do about it? Have more conversations? Pfft!

All lives should be valued equally. The killing of improvised Fulani men should elicit the same reaction as a murdered graduate. A crime has been committed, people are dead, we should be angry. Evil is evil and we should stop trying to put it on a scale of preference because a society that decides to place the needs of a few over many has its days numbered.

I will leave you with this quote (the irony is not lost on me) from Martin Niemoller

First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.


https://revoluth./2021/05/06/the-pseudo-science-of-selective-outrage/