Yes you read right!! I wont pray for Paris, before you judge, take a few minutes to read through.
On the 13th of November, we watched the News in shock as we saw what had happened in Paris. Multiple planned suicide bombs by terrorists that left scores of people dead and many others seriously injured.
Naturally, this is a shock to Paris, and the world in general and we mourned...or better yet, still mourn.
Now fast forward to few hours later, I started noticing flag colours of France on almost every BBM contact I had with their faces in the photo. I came online, almost every facebook contact had the same profile picture. Hmmmmmn!! Very strange!! Then the hashtag #PrayForParis started to trend!! Wow!! Really??!!
Trust Nigerians, we are the leaders when it comes to copying, but if you sincerely take a survey, not up to one-third of them took a minute to #PrayForParis.
Maybe this whole trend is just our normal way of saying we are current...or we have the news at our fingertips...or maybe another avenue to "feel among"....give it 5days and watch it fade.
Okay!! Come back home, let me brief you on more "CURRENT" things happening in our very own backyard that we all seem to be oblivious about...that isnt "trending"...neither are we "praying" about!!
- Between 2009 - 2015, Bokoharam has killed roughly 17,000 Nigerians. No green white green!!
*Hold on, there's more!!
- January 3–7 - 2015 Baga massacre, Boko Haram militants razed an entire village and killed over 2,000 people.
*No facebook wailing
- March 7, 2015 - Five suicide bomb blasts leave 54 dead and 143 wounded in Maiduguri.
Did we weep?? Noooo!! Just a few ohhhs and ahhhhs...that was all.
- June 22, 2015 - Maiduguri Mosque Bombing - 30 killed at a crowded mosque by 2 young female suicide bombers.
*wait for it, there is still more.
- July 1-2, 2015 Mosque Massacres - Boko Haram militants attacked multiple mosques between July 1st and 2nd. Forty-eight men and boys were killed on the 1st at one mosque in Kukawa. Seventeen were wounded in the attack. Ninety-seven others, mostly men, were killed in numerous mosques on the 2nd, with a number of women and young girls killed in their homes.
* we didnt even fly the flag half mast!!
I can go on and on, but this would be reopening wounds that are healing in the lives of affected people.
My friend Ekemini said,
"Nigerians have been numbed to the death and suffering of their own. Many have become indifferent. We now compare casualty figures like ordinary statistics, as if they aren't human lives.
But we are quick to condemn the tragedies in other nations, quick to sympathize like altruistic angels. We overlook our own pain to console others.
Our hypocrisy knows no bounds. SHAME ON US!!!"
I am no pessimist but I quite agree with what Ekemini said...I am a realist!!
Some folks may say, Paris cared during the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.
I am not concerned about Paris, the whole essence of this write up points an accusing finger at YOU!! What did you do then?? What are you doing now??
I share in the pain of what people in Paris are going through, I empathize genuinely...but Nigerians, is this the way forward?? Jumping at every opportunity to show solidarity when your home is in shambles??
Did we ever think to channel this solidarity and put relevant authorities in our country in the hot seat so we can see results?? Or do you think Paris achieved so much peace by changing DPs and Facebook Profile Pictures??
So once again, No!! I wont pray for Paris! I wont put up a mere flag showing solidarity when my brothers and sisters die in my country like flies and no one blinks. I chose to go down on my knees, and pray for people who have lost and are still losing, the people in the hospitals suffering strange incurable ailments that have no name, I chose to pray for that little girl that has lost her family in sudan, I chose to pray for people dying from hunger in war torn countries...no I wont pray for Paris, I chose to pray for families that lost friends and families in the Russian Crash and nobody remembers!! Nobody feels their grief!! I wont raise a flag for Paris, I chose to pray for girls sold into sexual slavery to ISIS...
On a final note to Nigerians, NO!! I wont pray for Paris because the evil we pray against in faraway France lives and blossoms in our backyards.
#MayThisWorldKnowPeace
JustVikkytorya
3 comments:
Sincerely, I'm amazed at the way we think in this Country. Would you stop doing what is expected because of what people say or your own conviction? You just talked about France supporting us in the #BringBackOurGirls Campaign. It appears a lot of us seem to have forgotten so soon. If you truly pray for your country everyday, you would also #PrayForParis. Did I also hear you say "jumping at every opportunity..." . Let me remind you that the #BringBackOurGirls trended more on twitter than on facebook. An average Nigerian do not know how to use Twitter, and also Facebook has got the highest number of users across all social media. In addition, the owner of Facebook was in Paris a couple of days back so you should see the reason why the idea of Profile pictures changing came early. But, another thing, aint we Christians? Are we suppose to neglect our mandate of interceding for people irrespective of colour and tribe. Another question, what if God forbids, we had loved ones in that attack, are we going to be this myopic? Next thing you'd hear is the "Whites are racist", are you not one with this kinda attitude? If you truly supported and prayed for the #BringBackOurGirls and still do, you won't have a problem to #PrayForParis. I read the articles on Facebook, saw the trend on Twitter, saw Celebrities show their support, the videos on Youtube, I watched EPL matches where armbands were worn,I listened to the songs jeered towards the #BringBackOurGirls and I supported and prayed. Another thing we should note is there are a lot of intercessions done for us by people we don't know. If you truly feel for them like you claimed, you would #PrayForParis because love only knows action and not words nor feelings. I hope for a future when we care about our people and genuinely pray for others irrespective of our plights and feelings. I long for when we would start thinking from both inside and outside the box. I long for when we can intercede for others irrespective of what we are going through and not minding what people think but our own conviction as Christians. You can't preach Peace when you think about yourself first. Don't blame others for anything, just do your part. #iPrayForParis #iPrayforNigeria #iPrayfortheWorld #iPrayAgainstTerrorism.
I will respond to the hashtags at the bottom of your lengthy piece.
Thats the spirit I am looking for!!!
The one that doesnt make one death more or less important than any other.
Concern shd be general..
There was a bomblast at a funeral in Baghdad, people died, people are still dying in Iraq, Sudan, Syrian, people are dying of "common hunger"....yet nobody is #prayingforthem because it isnt paris...c'mon!!
Lets be fair...and once again...
#letsprayforworldpeace
I agree with the fact that there are a lot of bombings, killings and attack in the Middle East, but another thing again is how are the government of these countries managing it in terms of publicity? One way or the other a lot of people who aint current don't get to hear nor see them. Whatever the case, the prayer would go on. #iPrayAgainstTerrorism.
On a lighter note, you sure know how to keep someone glued to your write-ups no matter how lengthy. #ThumbsUp. ITSK awaits us! :) ;)
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