By OLUDARE MAYOWA
I believe it is easy for us to preach peace after fueling the fires of an avoidable war. I saw posts where some people are asking, “Let’s have our friendship back.” Unfortunately, recent events have revealed many people’s true values, exposed their true selves, and revealed the deeper hatred harboured in their hearts against their so-called friends.
The opportunity simply presented itself for them to throw the stone of hatred, spewed the bitterness embedded in their hearts, and openly demonstrate their bigotry without restraint.
We could have supported any of the candidates or parties without descending into the gutter or into the abyss of ethnic profiling, denigration, and fueling hatred.
Many people throw caution to the wind in the name of promoting their candidates, putting their so-called friends and families in danger. They are now requesting the return of their friends; there was never any friendship in the first place; it was just tolerance and pretence.
You can not claim to be my friend while endangering myself and my family. It’s not possible for you to call me your friend while spewing hatred toward me and my people.
Many of us have prejudices and reservations about certain cultures and people, but friendship and relationships require us to respect and show understanding to what other people represent rather than openly demonstrating such recklessness.
We should be aware that careless words cause harm, create rifts between friends, and lower people’s self-esteem. We are not expected to be hurtful to our friends, but some do so willingly, believing that it will not matter in the end.
The wind has blown, and the feather has been lifted, revealing the fowl’s anus. Repairing the relationship’s damage in the recent past will require significant effort, not just sermonising and pretending that nothing has happened.
We should not dress wrong in fanciful garments or excuse wrongdoing in the name of politics; instead, the hurtful attacks, denigration, abuse, and hatred spewed by many should be condemned first if we truly desire reconciliation.
Nobody should be fooled into thinking that things will simply return to normal just because we want them to; this hatred will undoubtedly stay with us for a long time, and the consequences will be severe for all of us and future generations.
Each party must admit their mistakes and seek genuine forgiveness. There would have to be a concerted effort to restore and secure trust lost during the electioneering campaign.
