The Sun, ThisDay & the attacks
By Odimegwu Onwumere
"Turn away from evil
and do good; seek peace and pursue it" - (Psalm 34:14).
There is no rationale to why Boko
Haram should bomb the offices of The Sun and ThisDay newspapers
in Abuja and Kaduna on the 26th April, 2012,
killing scores of guiltless people.
This makes terrorism irresponsible
and useless. This double attack on the Nigerian media is a war against
civilization. There is no optimists laudable endeavour in this to fight media men in Nigeria.
Pressmen were supposed to be friends to all, but it is inopportune in Nigeria. The
government and politicians they criticize the most, even, still know that they
cannot operate without the Mass Media. Conversely, why attack pressmen?
Journalists could be killed, but journalism cannot be killed, no matter all the intimidation against the pen-pushers, who are the society’s watchdog.
While journalists are down-to-earth
people, it is palpable that Boko Haram and its members are haughty, because the
latter’s objectives are fundamentally against humanity and in every respect
evil. The Nigerian state could have accommodated Boko Haram if it’s
intrinsically objective without any form of violence. But as it is using
bombing and slaughter to advance its undefined course, makes the group immoral.
And Boko Haram does not know that its awareness would have been since
eliminated from serious public discourse, if not for the media it has started
bombing, which has been giving it a voice, as it’s the occupation of the media
to make news.
This Boko Haram is becoming the
worse of terrorists groups and its rebirth of attacks in Nigeria is informing
citizen about different types of terrorism; and that every leader, every
government, every association, and every union should step-up across the line
of these monsters for humanity to have a breath of an enlightened human
existence. Peace is the price of an empire. No one should wish to pay the price
of struggling in an empire or for an empire with violence. With violence, right
would always go wrong, which will take humanity back.
Reckless killing of innocent
Nigerian citizens by Boko Haram is not terrorism; it is a war against humanity.
It wouldn’t help this group if it continues to terrorize citizens, and it
cannot achieve anything with the indiscriminate of dropping bombs. Attacking a
group or people that expressed their forthright opinions about what they feel
should be the ideal, is misinterpretation of opinion to mean disrespect. Very
bad!
It is the obligation of the press to
fight for the progress and reform and transparent Nigeria. Who wants the press to
support and tolerate injustice and corruption and terrorism? Let the publishers
and staff of The Sun and ThisDay take heart. Those that lost
their lives in the attack are deeply commiserated. Their attackers and killers
are enemies against the good people of Nigeria. The attackers and killers
have thrown away the universal commitment to human rights, and they have
stopped being seen as great people, who the world could have been entrusted on
tomorrow.
Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, the Publisher of
The Sun; and Chief Nduka Obaigbena, the Publisher of ThisDay
should not be deterred by these attacks, which were carried out purposelessly
by Boko Haram. We could not see any sense in the Boko Haram’s explanation that
it attacked, because the companies were publishing against its defense.
Rather, The Sun and ThisDay
have produced serious research and development efforts required to produce
strategies and trained personnel who can fight crime and work to encourage the
political and economic reforms in Nigeria and beyond that will meet
trendy needs and trim down the foundations of terrorism and divergences. The
Sun and ThisDay may perhaps see the attacks from the lens of a
political weapon, rather than an expression of anger as claimed by Boko Haram.
Notwithstanding, the Holy Bible said
in Romans 13:1-7 that, let every person be subject to the governing
authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist
have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists
what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers
are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one
who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he
does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who
carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection,
not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
It is a pity!
Odimegwu Onwumere, Poet/Author, Media/Writing Consultant and Motivator, is the
Coordinator, Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State (CONIRIV); and Founder,
Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Rivers State.
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