Je Suis Nigeria!!!

Something terrible happened recently in Nigeria and France. It left over 2000 people dead in Nigeria and 17 or 19 dead in France. The world followed what was going on in France. Even Nigerians followed it. The calamity occurring within our borders seemed minute compared to that occurring in the outside world. We didn't forget home though...once in a while we would glance at the news tracker, shake our heads and continue to watch.

Our president felt safer sending his condolences to France than mentioning the horrible occurrence that happened in the nation he swore to protect. Even CNN reported how the world's reactions to both tragedies was as a result of the actions of their presidents. The president and people of France saw the death of 19 people as a national tragedy and the president of Nigeria saw the death of 2000 people as a nuisance that might affect his campaign. I actually saw on Facebook where a guy said, "France is more important than Nigeria...besides the people killed in Nigeria were all poor anyway."

That statement shocked me. It doesn't matter how much money they had in the bank. They were people too. Every life should matter. Another said that's not something new in Africa. CNN says that the western world sees it as a form of civil war. I really don't get. African lives matter too. I don't blame them for devaluing african lives. Africans do the same thing to themselves. We are treated the way we treat ourselves. My heart bleeds for the victims of France. My heart breaks for those of Nigeria.

This is not the Nigeria I used to know. It was reported that the reason the news of Nigeria's massacre didn't break out soon enough was because there wasn't enough tvs and cameras, that and the fact that nobody really wanted to go into the hot zone. We had a TV before France did. When you get down to the nitty-gritty, one can't help but wonder what happened to the "labors of our heroes past..."? Was/is it in vain? Why doesn't it bother us enough that people are dying every day. It terrifies me. It's all I think about. Why aren't human lives sacred anymore? Why kill just because you can? It's not fair.

Stop killing our people. Stop taking our women and girls. Stop hurting our children. If you're bloodthirsty kill yourselves. It's that simple. France dealt with their issues immediately, they didn't want it to get out of hand. We all watched how it all went down. They eliminated the immediate problem. We already let ours get out of hand. Isn't it time that we put a stop to it? If we need to ask for help, let's do so. It scares me to think that some day I might bring children into this world and they'll still meet Nigeria like this.

I never read the papers anymore. I'm sick and tired of reading about mass deaths and killings. I'm tired of hearing people argue and point fingers. I'm worried that we aren't showing enough emotion for the people that are dying every day. I really hope our hearts aren't that hardened. I hope it isn't that it's become something we're used to. We really shouldn't get used to it. We really shouldn't let other people cry out for us.

We're weary...I know that. Let's turn to God then. Let's ask Him to intervene. I'm sure if we cry out collectively as a nation, He'll hear us and deliver us. We shouldn't because we're faraway from the terror zone, take it in stride. That's risky. We need to find a way to stop this.

Nothing justifies killing to me. I can't just hear about people dying and have a normal day. I won't. Everything's going to spook me that day. Then when I start to think of families torn apart and displaced...I can't imagine what they must be going through.

The other day, a Nigerian professor was analysing what happened in France. What about what happened in your country sir? You were quick to judge and make accusations as well, maybe you should keep your energy for solving our country's issues first. Stop poke-nosing, our problems are bigger.

I am an advocate of peace. And I wish that one day there would be peace. Not only in Nigeria, but worldwide.

For this reason; #JesuisNigeria #JesuisCharlie #Jesuislemonde

#NaijaNiMi