TheNewsGuru

Tag: Mass

  • TNG Deal Breakers: A Mass for mass burial – the #EndSARS Endgame

    TNG Deal Breakers: A Mass for mass burial – the #EndSARS Endgame

    A Hundred and Three ‘only’ is now the official death toll of the #ENDSARS victims who will now be accorded a mass burial. Before now a long list of properties destroyed during the protest have been rebuilt. Pen Cinema Police Station is one such property that is a one-storey building testifying to the priority of the State. But for the dead, “picked up from various parts of the City (of Lagos, not Lekki), they will not be mourned because they are deemed to be non-essential. After all, until now the official position had been that nobody died in the course of the protest. And those who claimed otherwise were challenged to provide names of the dead. Since they couldn’t provide names, the faceless dead will now go six feet, nameless!

    And in the register of insurance, only some properties were insured and these also have been settled. Conventionally, insurance does not cover civil commotion and riots as these are on the exclusion list. However, these may also be covered under special peril cover for those who opt to be covered in case they suffer damage during riots and civil commotion. Like most mass deaths in Nigeria, the victims are not covered by insurance simply because they didn’t buy any. But does this absolve the State of liability? Not at all! The Nigerian government and the State government owe some compensation to victims’ families. Perhaps, this may be the reason they would be interred nameless so that government will escape financial culpability.

    Now that the endgame has come for the blame game of #ENDSARS, and after counting the material costs and losses excluding the human life (for human life counts for less in our world here) maybe we begin to ask questions about State responsibility towards citizens as enshrined in the Constitution. The time is now to hold accountable government officials for negligence in protecting human life. A hundred and three persons dead in any one event is a massacre. Already, we derive that from the various reports that occur around the earth; “Four dead in the US mass shooting” tells the story differently but captures how in Nigeria we have regarded this life given to us.

    About my Friend at the opposite end of the Earth

    Some 15 years ago, my friend and brother who travelled to Italy to seek greener pastures returned home for the first time. In the course of our trying to catch up with the time spent apart from each other, I asked him what happened to him with scars all of over him with teeth wired together. He narrated to me a near-fatal accident he had while going to work with a friend. He told the story of his survival and the lots of money paid by the Italian government as compensation to him and others involved. For any accident on Italian highways, the government pays compensation to victims on its insurance for that purpose, he explained. I was amazed to hear that a Nigerian immigrant could be afforded such coverage in a foreign country where he is not even a citizen but just a legal migrant worker.

    In our country, Nigeria, this would be like a daydream if it ever happened. Yet like all other countries established for the sole purpose of the citizens’ welfare and security, which are incumbent on governments to provide, this is nowhere in place. Had this been in place, governments in Africa would be more responsive and responsible. Imagine the Nigerian government having to pay compensation for the 103 officially acknowledged victims of the #ENDSARS protest, and indeed all other deaths caused by its inability to secure the life and property of her citizens, and the ministers in charge held accountable for the economic losses to the nation, they will do more to do their jobs. They would not dare to say, dead citizens were “picked from various parts of the City”: The dead being described like heaps of litter that obstruct roads that waste managers pick up!

    Fat too many are these ‘litters’ of human lives lost to the worst kind of violence meted out to fellow citizens. It is time to pause and take stock so that we can live lives worthy of our humanity.

    Imperatives of Civil Society Actions 

    The march towards greatness in any nation entails absolute consideration for every citizen and resident in that country. Often, civil society groups sue the government for one failure or another, either to raise awareness or pressure the government to act in the public interest. These actions often come to nought. However, it could bear more import and win a greater following if these court cases have the human element whereby the State is sued for negligence—for instance, the current ENDSARS, the CHIBOK kidnap and many more. The system has so impoverished a large swathe of the population that even those who can afford insurance, no longer have the means to pay premiums. Therefore, a civil society action can demand that government should take a global insurance policy that covers large parts of the population so that it can afford to pay compensation when the need arises.

    Palliatives that target the support systems of the economy instead of cash donations, will have a far-reaching effect, which is more impactful than the current efforts. Currently, civil society actions are not sufficiently embracing, thus leaving out the most vulnerable and critical population. Unable to defend themselves against any unfavourable government policy, these Nigerians are left to vagaries of policies that gradually squeeze life out of them.

    Commercial insurance is meant for those who can afford to buy cover for their assets. Although insurance is still the cheapest tool for protecting valuable assets, in Nigeria disposal income is hard to find in an economy that is pro-consumption. The gap ought to be filled by national insurance policies, like flood insurance which allows the government to respond to claims of citizens for compensation when the need arises

    The Future

    The future is already here with us– there would be more food shortages, flooding, pandemics and a lot more destructive events. Nations survive these events through modelling risk scenarios and planning for them. Insurance is typically one of the most important tools for planning against uncertainties (or certainties as occurrence today demonstrates) and recovery when they do occur.

    The first line of protection planning is safeguarding human lives. Both government and individuals ought to take necessary steps to minimize the loss of lives. The premium we place on the life of Nigerians will change who we are today as a people. It is the duty of the government and all well-meaning people to address the value of human life and its dignity. And if the government is not responsive enough, groups can organize to buy protection for their members.

    We must not just invite one Imam and Clergy to officiate a mass burial of Nigerians, let us give this event a name, and raise a monument and epitaph, which reminds us that we lost Nigerians through a government’s wrong response to protest and civil unrest.  In addition, let us use this event to ask the government to invest in human lives. An N250 billion National Shield Policy that provides for those who cannot afford insurance may be a starting point to start building resilience for the country. Of course, this measure does not preclude national emergency planning.

  • Catholic Church resumes hand shake during Mass

    Catholic Church resumes hand shake during Mass

    The Catholic Church has announced the resumption of the traditional handshake in churches, which was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    His Grace, Most Rev. Lucius IIwejur-Ugorji, the Archbishop of Owerri diocese said in a statement that worshippers were to resume the “Kiss of Peace” during Eucharistic and other events in the liturgical celebrations of the Church.

    The statement was signed by Rev. Fr. Cosmas Uzoigwe Personal Assistant to the Archbishop, and released through the National Director of Social Communications of the Church, Fr Mike Umoh, on Sunday in Abuja.

    The statement was addressed to all Priests and Lay faithful in Owerri Archdiocese.

    “It would be recalled that the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to pronounce stringent guidelines which affected our liturgical worship, and one of such was that which restrained all from shaking hands during Mass.

    “The resolution to commence the liturgical gesture of shaking of hands came following the proceedings of the recently concluded Second Plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria held at Orlu.

    “We thank God who led us through the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we pray Him to bless us always with His presence,” the Archbishop said.

  • Aregbesola: Governance as festival of the mass – By Owei Lakemfa

    Aregbesola: Governance as festival of the mass – By Owei Lakemfa

    Witness to history. Animated discussions. Banters. Back slapping. Roaring laughter. Seeming riot, but orderly. Various groups, including the elderly and children. Then the crowds burst into songs and dances. They herald the arrival of the host. He is clad in white with a traditional white dog-eared cap.

    He flashes his white teeth, raising a two-finger victory sign. Yes, he is the Governor of Osun State, or as his government prefers to call it, The State Of Osun. But the crowds, and protocols do not refer to him as His Excellency, he is simply Ogbeni, the Yoruba word for Mister.

    As he walks in, it is announced that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola  has arrived. No, he is not a unique person, he says he is simply at that material time the elected leader of the state. Traditional drumming and songs take over. He breaks into a dance with the fine dance steps of an accomplished traditional dancer. The crowd breaks into a frenzy, dancing as if it were a traditional festival. People do not rush to shake his hands or press against him.

    They see him quite often, sometimes in the streets. So he is like a familiar neighbour. As he dances, the edges of the crowd seems to be bursting with wild dances, including by street toughies called the ‘State Boys’.

    Then he raises his hands to signal a stop. The drummers go silent, the songs taper off. The Master of Ceremony tries to take control. Then one of the market women breaks into a popular song. It is about the market women being the soul of society. The Governor’s mother, Madam  Saratu Aregbesola, known as ‘Iya Olobi” (Kolanut merchant) was a market woman. So the women have a pride of place in the state.

    Aregbesola shakes his head as if resisting the temptation to stand up. But he has no choice, the crowds are getting back to their feet, the drums come back to life. He is again on his feet with traditional dance steps. The frenzy is on again.

    Then after some songs, Aregbesola takes the microphone, faces the market women and sings: “She bi omo oloja niwa…”(Aren’t we the children of market people?) The rest of the crowd take over and the market women take centre stage as the most honoured group; they are the mothers who ensure natural and economic reproduction and production, take care of the family and make society run. While leading the vocals, Aregbesola seems transported to the past when his mother was his world.

    Soon, the songs and dances come to an end. It is like the opening glee of the traditional Yoruba Alaarijo (Itinerant) drama groups who perform a musical (opening glee) before beginning their stage plays. Although it is a state function, but the sweating crowds are at ease. There are no security details pushing anybody around. It was like a family meeting or a communal reunion. In a sense, part of the attraction to state functions are these collective dances and songs which the famous Palm Wine Drinkers Club in Nigerian tertiary institutions would call “gyration”.

    What the Aregbesola government did in the state was to incorporate the traditional system of Village Square meetings into governance, giving the people, a sense of collectivism, communality, consultation and mass participation in governance.

    When the university system began in Nigeria in 1948, there was a sense of alienation between the ivory tower and the populace. There were strenuous efforts made to bridge the divide between ‘Gown and Town’. Part of the efforts were  building  cultural centres like the Mbari Mbayo in Oshogbo and the Ori Olokun in Ife.

    However, the alienation between government and the people was far more pronounced. But what the Aregbesola government did was to put the people at the centre of governance and try to involve them by demystifying state events and turning them into festival-like ceremonies in which the governor and the governed, the high and the lowly  interact. With the dances and songs over, the National Anthem which promises that: “The labour of our heroes past, Shall never be in vain” is played.

    Then the ‘State of Osun  Anthem’ in Yoruba is rendered. It is a patriotic and Pan-Africanist anthem which emphasises  hard work. In part, it tells the populace: “There is work to be done for our land, for our fatherland…Our belief is that everyone is born equal. We need to work, to work and work to create wealth…Yee children of Oodua, rise and take your rightful place. You are the light of the entire Black Race.”

    The crowd recites this like a pledge. Then, Christian, Islamic and African Traditional Religion prayers are offered. The  Special Adviser to the Governor, Biyi Odunlade, then takes over, rendering enchanting panegyrics in Yoruba to which the crowds nod, snap fingers and concur as they soak in the poetic lyrics which sometimes take the form of chants.

    Finally, the programme begins. When it is the turn of the governor to speak, he begins by breaking into songs, the dances resume, the drummers heighten the tempo and more bodies are soaked in sweat.

    Finally, his speech, often laced with proverbs and wise sayings, is delivered. Quite often, the speech is interrupted by somebody from the audience breaking into a song and the crowds, as if on cue, join. On such occasions, the governor rocks from side to side, breaks into practised dance steps, then like a skilled conductor at the opera, weaves the songs to a stop and continues his address.

    Sometimes, as the crowds quieten, he raises his own song and the dances resume. Speeches and programme over, the governor takes his leave, sent off with dances and songs. Various persons move to talk with him; he seems to have time for everyone. He rapidly gives appointments with aides taking note. Sometimes, it is a mother trying to cope with feeding her children. Such cases are quickly attended to.

    On this particular day, November 26, 2018 as the programme reached a climax, the Ooni of Ife (The Cradle of  Yoruba Civilisation) Oba Adeyeye Enitan  Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, in fitting into the atmosphere, sprouts into instantaneous creativity. He teaches the crowd a song he crafted while sitting in the audience:

    Aregbe wa so Osun (thrice)

    Osi fara sinlu o.

    Se lama ranti O (thrice)

     Fun ise rere Ogbeni

      “Aregbe came to Osun.

    He served with commitment.

    We shall always remember

    The good works of Ogbeni”.

    In  Osun State, a cultured, warm and hardworking people, blended with a charismatic and committed leader. Under Aregbesola, it was indeed, ‘governance unusual’.

    This Wednesday, May 25, 2022, Aregbesola who has moved from Osun State to central politics as Interior Minister, turns 65.

  • Pope calls for humility in Christmas Eve mass

    Pope calls for humility in Christmas Eve mass

    Pope Francis Friday called on the faithful to value the “little things in life” and show solidarity with the poor in his Christmas Eve mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

    Some 2,000 members of the public and 200 religious figures attended, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing as part of measures against the coronavirus, the Vatican’s press office said.

    Those who had not managed to grab a ticket watched on huge screens outside St Peter’s Basilica.

    The 85-year-old Argentinian pontiff recalled the shepherds in the tale of the nativity, who lived modestly and were witness to the birth of Jesus.

    “That is where Jesus is born: close to them, close to the forgotten ones of the peripheries. He comes where human dignity is put to the test.”

    He called for people to seek out “littleness” — in “our daily lives, the things we do each day at home, in our families, at school, and in the workplace”.

    “Jesus asks us to rediscover and value the little things in life,” he said.

    Francis, formerly the Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio, called for more solidarity with those living in poverty.

    “On this night of love, may we have only one fear: that of offending God’s love, hurting him by despising the poor with our indifference,” he said.

    It was the second such Christmas Eve mass during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Last year, barely some 200 people — mostly Vatican employees — attended.

  • 53days-in-hell: Kidnapped Edo Reverend Sisters hold thanksgiving Mass

    The Catholic Diocese of Benin Metropolitan on Monday held a thanksgiving mass for the safe return of three Reverend Sisters and some other catholic faithfuls who recently from kidnappers den in Ovia South West Local Government Area.

    Recall that gunmen had on November 3rd stormed the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Convent in Iguoriakhi, Ovia South West local government area and abducted their victims.

    The Reverend Sisters spent 53 days in the kidnappers den before they were rescued after their abductors fled.

    Those abducted were Sister Veronica Ajayi, Sister Roseline Isiocha and Sister Frances Udi while the aspirants were Maria Massingne, Anne Ocheni and Vivian Iwhu.

    Archbishop of Benin Catholic Diocese, Bishop Obinna Akubeze, urged the federal government to treat criminality as criminality.

    Bishop Akubeze said the mass was to thank God for answering their prayers they offered in faith.

    Akubeze said the federal government should act as a government when in dealing with crimes and issues of herdsmen.

    “Six of our sisters were kidnapped by unknown gunmen and we have been praying. We are thanking God for answering our prayers. Our prayers were effective and they were freed. We thanked the police and DSS. They really worked. The youths should be given jobs.

    “With faith in God, we saw it through. The government should act as government. They should treat criminality as criminality and all these nonsense of killing, kidnappings will stop. A herdsman cannot destroy your crops and kill you. Killing is a crime. Government should do their work.

    “The kidnappers should repent. If they continue their way, God will forgive them and they will join the society again. Some people want them to be killed but we want them to repent and begin to behave like good citizens.”

    Recounting their ordeal in the kidnappers den, Sister Veronica Ajayi described it as horrible and painful.

    Sister Ajayi said their constant prayers made one of the kidnappers wanted to learn the ways of God.

    She said, “The experience with the kidnappers has helped me to trust in God more. This expericnd will help me to help others keep their faith in God. We were sleeping when they came. When they were taking us away, I kept trusting that God has a reason for it. We were praying for the kidnappers.

    “They also say their own prayers. One of them wanted to learn our prayers. They did not say why we were kidnapped. We were praying for their conversion.”

    Edo State Deputy Governor, Hon Philip Shaibu, said the new security architecture being planned with security chiefs would secure all parts of the state.

    “We already have a security architecture with the security chiefs which we are working on to ensure all parts of the state is secured.

    “With the policy government has put in place for employment and expand our economy, we will be able to pull out a lot of these youth to the labour market. Kidnapping will be eradicated in Edo.“