By
Ifeanyi Afuba
Unusual news popped out of Anambra State on
Sunday, August 6, 2017. The State’s long run of good press in security and
investment profile was suddenly interrupted with the insane massacres that took
place at St Philip’s Catholic Church on this day right in the course of holy
mass. Regardless of the casualty figures in dead and injured, the incident is
horrific as to ignite both outrage and benumbed silence. Yet, the sensitivity
of the incident begs against avoidable acts capable of aggravating the situation.
Unfortunately, even as the political and
security authorities are taking steps to contain the ramifications of the case,
hasty, uninformed and prejudiced comments have tended to blur and misrepresent
the issues.
The tragedy is too painful to be politicised and
trivialised. The feelings of those affected by that horrendous assault are still
touchy and tender like an open wound. They deserve our compassion, solidarity,
understanding and assistance. The circumstances demand soberness on the part of
the rest of us, not impulsive reactions, not whimsical tales, not flippant commentaries.
Distortion of events as some are doing on social media has the effect of adding
to the grief of the victims. In the face of the consensual view among the
people of Ozubulu and other credible sources that the tragedy arose from a deal
gone sour among their sons, the wanton interpretations that this was a case of
terrorism or political conflict only makes sense from the angle of escalating
tension. Such attitude insults the intelligence of the rest of us and visits
unspeakable violence on the emotions of the victims.
It is difficult not to believe that the bug of
conspiracy theory had since caught up with the Nigerian society. There is
hardly any development in the country today that is not subjected to all manner
of whimsical and magisterial interpretations.
A notorious kidnap baron is finally arrested after eluding the security
agencies for long and the next thing you hear on the internet is that it is the
stock in trade of his ethnic group; kidnapping is another way they are chasing
money. A government functionary decides to resign his appointment for personal
reasons and the story is taken over by outsiders who turn the matter into a
short work of fiction. If the coach of the Super Eagles loses an important
football match, then God help him, because he cannot escape a barrage of
criticisms from player selection favouritism to personal incompetence. Perhaps,
it is a quest for sophistication; a penchant to appear different and ahead of
others in analytical thinking.
But there is also the strong likelihood of
overriding partisan interest. A petty mind is wont to have a jaundiced view of
events. If not, why would an otherwise reasonable person choose to stretch the
imagination to the ridiculous point of inventing a situation that does not
exist? What is to be gained from this compulsive rumour mongering? If there was
no beclouding bias, what is the profit from engineering confusion and seeking
to cause disaffection in your society? If the motive in depicting the Ozubulu
tragedy as act of terrorism or political violence was to portray the Anambra
State Government as weak and incompetent, then, it was a failed propaganda.
Leadership response was swift, sure and sharp.
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, rose admirably to the occasion, arriving
the crime scene shortly after the shootings. The Governor’s prompt presence at
the site could only be attributed to a functional security system that has
served the State well for three and a half years; thus, the visit was backed up
by requisite intelligence communication and containment of the breach of public
peace. Naturally, the most immediate task was tending to the injured and
consoling the bereaved and the Governor did the needful. Anyone familiar with
the bureaucratic anonymity of our teaching hospitals will appreciate that the
Governor’s guarantee of underwriting the medical expenses of the wounded has
probably saved many a life that would otherwise have been denied appropriate
medical attention. It became known the following day that the Obiano
administration had also mobilised 50 more doctors into the medical team caring
for the injured. Discussions with the priests of the parish and witnesses as
well as initial police clues provided useful insights into the situation. Armed
with this information the State Government issued a statement outlining the frame
of the assault, and reassuring on protection of lives and property.
Obviously conscious of the need not to jeopardise
police investigations, the Anambra State Government’s advisory on the nature of
the violence was conveyed in the Governor’s broadcast to the people of the
state on Monday, August 7, 2017, a day after the State Police Command had
described the attack as a ‘private feud’ between members of the same community.
The Governor’s appraisal of the black Sunday as a ‘gang war’ converged
substantially with the police position. More importantly, the Governor made two
firm submissions. He pledged that the course of peace will be driven to a
logical conclusion through the prosecution of the suspects in the crime. Obiano
further avowed that by the help of God, such bloodbath will not take place
again under his watch! Mercifully, a number of useful arrests have been made
setting the time closer for the wheel of justice to begin turning.
END