Scrolling down my twitter feed today, I strongly felt the urge to write. Of course, I have conquered the tendency of seeking a larger audience for my rants. I have come to find safety in the fact that WhatsApp statuses disappear after 24 hours and that it can only be seen by my inner circle, that is, those who which to see it. Nonetheless, I grant this an exemption.

The gory event that took place in Kano yesterday leaves one in bewilderment. Eyewitnesses have pitched themselves against experts in a war of words that has since ensued. A gas explosion or a bomb blast, what difference does it make? Lives were lost!
For a person living more than 500 kilometers away from the 'true north' like me, truth might seem to be distorted. But is it?

"Many Feared Killed As Explosion Rocks Sabon Gari Area Of Kano" were the words Channels TV used in reporting. What is 'Sabon Gari'? According to Wikipedia, a Sabon Gari (strangers' quarters or literally new town in the Hausa language, plural Sabon Garuruwa) is a section of cities and towns in Northern Nigeria, South Central Niger and Northern Cameroon whose residents are not indigenous to Hausa lands.

According to multiple news sources, the explosion happened at a place called Aba Road. One who is familiar with how streets are being named in those parts of the country needn't much deductions to know it was an Igbo settlement. Or else why Sabon Gari?

Moving forward, a well-oiled propaganda machinery which is usually readied for occurrences such as this was quickly switched on. Its bye product? Well, you've heard it: a gas explosion from a welders workshop. I'm no ordnance or explosive expert but like every other Lagosian who has seen one or more, I should be able to identify a gas explosion when I see one. A gas cylinder explosion should have caused a huge fire that would burn fast. How that level of physical destruction could be simply attributed to a gas cylinder explosion defies logic.

Lets go on...

Last month, I wanted to satisfy my curiosity about something new I had just learnt. And so I went to my WhatsApp status and posed the question: "What is the Pact of 'Umar?" I had anticipated quite the engagement because I was sure I had lots of muslim acquaintances, but alas, I would be disappointed. Only two people replied: a christian and a muslim leaving me with a warning from the former and assurances from the latter. Why didn't I get more replies? Maybe they genuinely didn't know or maybe those who knew felt I would be better off in my ignorance. But after seeing how Deborah Yakubu was gruesomely murdered last week and how the government is handling its aftermath, I think whatever confidence the assurances of my muslim friend managed to instill in me has since dissipated.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18z6nze4xQCT49GWgPlhMNXKV00hhJ2Ew/view?usp=drivesdk

If one were to view these two incidents with the lens of the north's antecedence in these kinds of circumstance, a pattern clearly emerges. More striking is that regardless of the cause of the explosion, to say these two events are unrelated is to deny history. The coincidences are simply incoincident. I mean why would a welder have need for a gas cylinder? Do electrodes now run on gas?

On to the next one...