Too early, too soon, the nation was again thrown into mourning over the killing of innocent students in the troubled North East of the country. Over 40 students were reportedly killed in this latest savagery attack on schools in the region.
While no group had directly claim responsibility of the incident, the attack bears the hallmark of the dreaded Boko Haram group operating wild in the region. The group had been fingered for similar attacks in the past, most often leading to closure of schools in the affected state(s). Like the previous killings, the students were attack and killed as they slept in their dormitories in an overnight raid on their school - Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State.
Unlike in most civilize nations around the world where all the resources of the state would be mobilize into finding and prosecuting the perpetrators of such attacks, our politicians only gave the knee jack response, condemning the act, issuing statements after statements in a well familiar fashion, but little or no action has been taken to forestall such killings in another few months time, nor to bring the perpetrators to book.
As families of the victims mourn their loss and are preparing to bury the dead, bigwigs of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (P.D.P) including the Nigerian president were gearing-up for a big political rally elsewhere in the country, just how insensitive, selfish and little value is attach to the blood of our dying dreams. Not a single day of mourning was declared to reflect and grieve on this monumental loss of life nor was any day declared for any other recent attacks on defenseless victims of Boko Haram, instead, a high ranking member of the government was alleged to have orchestrate a failed blackmail of one perceived political enemy through associating him with the killings incident. No doubt, the administration seeks to escape its primary responsibility and score a cheap political point as the 2015 general election approaches.
As families of the victims mourn their loss and are preparing to bury the dead, bigwigs of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (P.D.P) including the Nigerian president were gearing-up for a big political rally elsewhere in the country, just how insensitive, selfish and little value is attach to the blood of our dying dreams. Not a single day of mourning was declared to reflect and grieve on this monumental loss of life nor was any day declared for any other recent attacks on defenseless victims of Boko Haram, instead, a high ranking member of the government was alleged to have orchestrate a failed blackmail of one perceived political enemy through associating him with the killings incident. No doubt, the administration seeks to escape its primary responsibility and score a cheap political point as the 2015 general election approaches.
These men - the ugly generation - won't leave the stage and would not let the beautiful ones live. They are trading the country's future for the gains of today - no, of their pockets. The country still do not have an education minister (just a supervising one) ASUP and COEASU strikes is ongoing and lots of schools are under lock and key in Boko Haram affected states, yet, the president is on a political tour in attempt to win the next general election. To the political class, winning elections seems more important than keeping the youths in school, protecting the lives of school children and creating jobs for the teeming unemployed graduates.
Things may not totally be hopeless now, but are definitely worrisome. It would be insane to not worry for the future if substantial number of higher institutions are locked down by striking lecturers and students are being killed in their sleep. More than ever, our education system needs a Moses not luck any longer.
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