By Ken Tadaferua
A young father. A handsome husband. A brave, patriotic and decorated soldier. Now he is gone. I do not know him personally. But I mourn in anguish for him. His young child will never see him again. His young wife turned widow will be ashen in sorrow. Yet he is only the latest casualty in a senseless terrorist war that has claimed the blood of so many souls. A stupid war waged by Boko Haram. How many have died? How many more will die? When will this disaster called Boko Haram stop?
Tonight, our politicians and leaders will retire to their warm beds and even warmer wives. They may not give a thought to the cold body of the young man called Abu Ali or any of his fallen colleagues. This is a nation that forgets easily. A nation that consciously breeds today, the terrors and wars of tomorrow. Boko Haram would never have been. Niger Delta militancy would never have been. But we ignore the signposts of tomorrow’s bloodshed when we impoverish the people.
Today, an army of millions of young, uneducated, jobless, restless and extremely poor Nigerians is growing and on the march. But the politicians and leaders are too blind to see. They are too focused on stealing the commonwealth. They are too concerned with devising divisive stratagems from religion to region. They are too busy building the destruction of the country. They are deaf for the wax of the devil has plugged their ears and their eyes are blind for they look but see no vision. Think about it. On both sides of the blood shedding divide, either as militants or extremists or soldiers we donate our young to untimely death.
Over 60 million young Nigerians live in extreme poverty, desperation, ignorance in a country that provides them no education, no water, no healthcare, no jobs. A country that teaches them that hate and killing is the only way to be heard, that hating and murdering fellow citizens in the name of religion, region and tribe is okay. This is a nation lost.
As we bury Lt. Colonel Ali and as we move troops against Boko Haram in the north and the militants in the Niger Delta, let us remember that all of these troubles were avoidable. Let us learn from the past to redress the present and future for the auguries are dark and pregnant with far worse tsunamis. Unless we can hear the roars of the massive waves in the distance we will all be consumed.
I mourn and weep for you Lt.Col. Abu Ali. I mourn and weep for this nation that kills its young. Rest in peace Abu Ali. May God Almighty shower the lights of Heaven on your soul. May your young family receive divine protection and love. And may this nation of voracious politicians and greedy elites and blind leaders remember to provide for the education and well being of those you left behind. May you be the monument upon which the wickedness of sacrificing our young to the produce of our greed and neglect will be stopped. Farewell gallant soldier. Lieutenant Colonel Abu Ali, I give my last salute. It is well.
*Tribute to Col. Abu Ali killed by Boko Haram terrorists on Friday, November 4 in Borno State
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