A brief recap of the events attached to those dates. Their significance to daily living.
9/11
That morning, I could remember blaring at the screen of the black and white television my grandfather had cherished so much. I wasn’t a fanatic of the news, but my grandfather had always convinced me against watching cartoons and other programmes which were not highly educative and brain reforming, by always staying tuned to the Nigerian Television Authority, the popular NTA 2 Channel 5, So painful I can’t remember the frequency now; for the 9pm news telecast by the popular Cyril Stopher in Newsline every Sunday I think! Pardon me if I didn’t get his name correctly. But I am very sure that his first name was Cyril. Grandpa was a news freak. It was the only thing that mattered to him in the media world. And it explained why he was so vast in his knowledge about the history of our beloved nation.
So many dates have passed by in history: 10/60 is notable for the independence of my beloved country Nigeria, 02/07 was the doomsday for the military cantonment that went up in flames at Ikeja, making me see what a bomb looked like for the first time in my life, from the particles of the explosives that filled the streets.
We lived in one of the quarters that belonged to the Federal Government at the Government Residential Area at that time, which was a neighbourhood of the military base where the aggravated explosives expressed their ferocious anger. I had such disdain for the news, that evening because my heart thumped seriously at the various rumours that wrung the air. Some said the world was coming to an end. Others said the military wanted to regain their hold on power and hence a civil war had broken out like an epidemic.
I had watched a couple of war films, and believe me, no one with the right sanity would ever wish to experience the real version of what was displayed on the screens. 6/8 was another remarkable figure that remained indelibly stringed to my memory. It tingled my curiosity nerves, to see much excitement and exhilaration at the death of a human. One of the ruling dictators of all time, General Sani Abacha had kicked the bucket. I reminisce the cluster of students adorned with white and blue uniforms, spilling out of the compound of the Immaculate Heart Comprehensive High School, infiltrating the bridge, just to have a glimpse of the ambulance whose deafening sirens spurted the obituary of the late dictator.
February 27, 2007
Each of these dates or codes as I would love to tag them have a lot of significances attached to them. For the bomb blast at the military cantonment on February 27, 2007, I cannot but relish the memories and observations that trudge my mind about that day. People from far and wide the city of Lagos died that day. Some made unimaginable journeys to the canal that ended their lives. While there was no recorded casualty of those of us who were even neighbours to the massive inferno. The major lesson here to be learned is that fear kills faster and surprisingly better than any disease or any other weapon in the world. It just occurred to me why someone would make a journey, miles to his or her own grave on an issue they were not even sure about, and that’s exactly the same problem we face today in humanity. We take laws into our hands. We assume too much. When someone you had a duel with hums a tune, you assume he is referring to you or making mockery of you, and without proper investigations, you take actions that you regret for life.
You break relationships that were meant to be there forever. You desist from plunging into that business just because of your silly assumptions that you may never make it. Victims of that blast died just because of one thing – the fear of the unknown.
What are those deafening sounds you hear in that dark room that fills your mind with evil thoughts. Someone has walked that part and has died or failed, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to happen to you. What is the bomb blast in your life that has made you digress from your goals and destination into oblivion? The problem is not the problem, but your attitude to the problem. Go after your dreams. Kill your fears and drive it into oblivion instead. When goliath the giant threatened even the Most High God of the Israelites, King Saul saw himself being trampled under his feet. The Israelites saw themselves being squashed his spears and bows. Eliab and the other brothers of David saw the glory of their family being destroyed. But guess what! David saw the head of the giant being fed to the birds of air and the beast of the field. He saw the mighty falling just with a sling and stones. Behind the shield and spears, he saw the Living God of armies. He saw the giant of all giants. Treat your challenges like a David today and you will see your goliaths falling woefully. Don’t let that bomb blast send your dreams and visions to their early grave. You can make the difference.
June 8, 1998.
Until that date and ever after, I still remain dazed at how the whole nation could rejoice at the dead of a fellow human like themselves. The death of a human being especially a loved one has always been a thing of sorrow, agony and pain. Most people concerned don’t even survive the experience. There are stories of wives who died because of the grief of losing their husbands and vice versa. Fathers who could never scale through the grieve of losing a child or children. Friends who have that one person they could never do without, until the cold hands of death snatched these ones away from them. But on this fateful…. Or would I say glorious day, the death of a man, unleashed the recessive joy in every soul. Mothers shout in singing and so much joy. Children went haywire in delight. Fathers heaved a sigh of relief – like a boil had been slit open, and the cold rush of sanity trickles down their spine.
It’s a day that would remain indelible on my mind and it makes me wonder, just as it should make you ask the question about yourself. What would be the disposition of people towards you when you eventually die? Would you make so much impact like Dorcas in the bible whom the people cried and held Apostle Peter to ransom for her death?
Would there be any traces or evidences of the lives you have touched by the time you are gone? Or would there be so much joy just like there was when the General Sani Abacha gave up the ghost? Are you so full of yourself? You think that the success you have attained is by your own power and wisdom, and you refuse to acknowledge the Lord God Almighty? Always remember that you were born one day, and someday death would come knocking at the door. It is better late than never now, to treat that servant that works for you right. Now is the time that you can start being fair in judgement towards your co – worker, business partners and associates. As a husband, have you been mean to your wife, treating her like scum? Have you shattered the heart of that girlfriend who’d always have your back even when you treated her badly against the wish of her family and friends? As a woman in your matrimony, can your husband consider you a wife or knife? Are you supportive to your husband? Are you a safe covering for him during lapses? As parents, when are gone, what will your children be remembered for? I remember looking through the condolence messages at the burial of my grandfather and a major caption drew tears from my eyes: “HE IS THE MOST PEACEFUL MAN I HAVE EVER TALKED WITH. HE REVIVED MY MARRIAGE FROM DEATH AND NOW HE IS DEAD.” Think now! And don’t have a June 8, 1998 memory when you are gone.
September 9, 2011
As I stayed glued to the small 14’’ inch television, I watched the tallest buildings in America become debris in less than two hours. What an inhumane act as my favourite news caster – Cyril recapped the event. America had fallen of guard. The wall had cracked and the lizard had intruded. I never understood the meaning of that event, until the moment a small voice ambushed my mind about it “9/11” and then I switched on the computer to unleash this article. NEVER LOSE YOUR GUARD!! Just when America rested on their laurels on their achievements on cracking terrorism, they were stunned by the deadliest attacks that stayed made an indelible dent in their history. Claiming almost 3000 lives and 6000 casualties were recorded; with a net worth of $10billion infrastructural damage done on the economy. It is difficult to attain success. And it is most difficult to maintain success. Just at the moment you think you have arrived! NEVER LOSE YOUR GUARD. You never would know who that archer is who is still ready to strike you down. Watch out for that wolf in sheep clothing, whose never happy that you are married, have kids, success at your workplace, have become a business mogul; when they have not figured out what to do with their lives. Not everyone who smiles at you is a friend and not everyone who frowns at you is an enemy.
I remember one of the reports has it that, one of the four planes was meat to crash the pentagon - which was the seat of power into ruins. But the passengers overpowered the hijackers of that particular aircraft. What a heroic feat. I thought to myself. What or who are the hijackers of your aims, goals, destiny, vision and dreams in life? Who are those who have said ‘you can never make it’ ‘you can never be an entrepreneur’ ‘you can never be a writer’ ‘how can you possibly be an engineer when you are obviously poor at math?’ it’s high time you stand up to those challenges and words of opposition that has threatened your abilities. The passengers of the American airline took the bold step against the hijackers. And today! The pentagon is still on its feet. What the passengers of the failed to do, became an inspiration for the ones of the airline aiming for the white house. The inspiration here is this: never let the failures of the others in the same field as you demoralize you. It should be a boost. You want to be an entrepreneur? Look for those who have failed at it. Knowing why they have failed is your own step to being successful in less time. They have failed so you won’t fail. They have spent years so you would spend months or even minutes. Be wise.
It’s not a crime for a failed relationship to put your back on the ground. It’s not bad if that write up is not fit to move a soul, let alone an audience. It’s not bad if your business plan sucks. The worst thing is giving up.
So today set yourself free like Nigeria on October 1, 1960, and get rid of the useless fear that killed hundreds of people on February 27, 2007. Live a positively memorable life, so the date you die won’t be like June 8, 1998. Stand up to your challenges like the September 2011 passengers of the American airline and carve out the date of your life people will never forget for good.
In your article you have pointed out that history is very important to know, because it keeps us from making the same mistakes over and over. I was particularly interested in Nigerian history that you have written, because we in the United States don't often get or quickly forget, events that have happened there and have great significance for Nigerian people.
For example, no one here except those of Nigerian descent know or remember the events of February 27, 2007 in Legos that resulted in many lives lost through panic. It reminds me of what happened here in Houston during hurricane Rita where everyone decided to get on the road to escape the city when it was unnecessary to do so and so many suffered and died as a result of being out on the hot highway with very little food and water stranded without gasoline. A bus carrying nursing home elderly burned and many died. Their nursing home in Houston was undamaged and probably never lost power during the storm that was minor.
I just watched the movie, The Last King of Scotland, portraying the life and times of Idi Amin of Uganda. I noticed how the people cheered when he became president… And then again they cheered when he was exiled and unfortunately, not killed like so many he had killed. A dictator of dictators.
Here are a few words I think you may have gotten wrong: Blaring should be staring. Stringed should be singed. Spurted probably should be announced. September 9, 2011 should be September 11, 2001. September is the ninth month of the year. Of guard should be off guard. Meat to crash should be meant to crash. The plane that was brought down by the passengers was meant for the White House because another plane had already hit the Pentagon. And the Pentagon is not the "seat of power."
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