Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Jungle Justice

In recent times, i have noticed an ill being perpetrated in our society which no one seems to be speaking or bothering about. It's a mind bugging issue which the appropriate authorities need to step into.

Several weeks back, around the area where i live in Lagos, i noticed two spots where there appeared to be burnt tires and was wondering why there was a riot. My only memory of tire burning on the road was the Babangida and Abacha days when we had incessant demonstration by different groups.

Well curious me, i asked the driver of the cab i was in why there was a riot. Then he said 'sister, eyan na ni'(those are burnt human beings). Eh! I shouted. He went on to explain they were thieves who had been caught in the act by neighbourhood boys. I wanted to know what they stole and everytime i saw someone who could have some information, i got no answer. Nobody seemed to know. It bothered me that for so many days, the charred remains lay on the road while people drove or walked past just avoiding the spot.

This last Sunday, hubby and i drove past an area close home again and saw the same gory sight, infact, the burners were still in the act, looking for more tires to increase the flames bursting like they were making sacrifice to a blood thirsty god. I was not able to find out anything this time. My guess is i would hear 'they are thieves'.

My question is if it's right to just go on a rampage and start taking the law into our hands. Definitely, the punishment for stealing in the Federal republic of Nigeria is not lighting a human being who might have the potential to change on fire!

So many people think it is good because it will reduce the number of miscreants but i envisage a situation where innocent people are set ablaze or one where hoodlums decide to just kindle a fire on anyone they have a feud with. All they have to do is shout 'thief, thief' to get support.

Definitely, our security system is porous and needs to be improved but it is no excuse for citizens to take law into their hands.

I recall a few years ago when a boy of about nine years was set on fire close to the national stadium because people said he stole. I wonder what this boy must have stolen.

These jungle justice masters need to be curbed i believe. I can only say what i have seen in my area. How can we tell how many people are being burnt daily all over Lagos? If these people feel so passionately about crime, why not join any of the law enforcement agencies and help wake them up? It is sad that the law is being taken into the citizens' hands and no one seems to be raising an eyelid.

There is probably be a law binding people from doing these kind of things. We need a system where crime is dealt with properly. I believe also that if the people have faith in the law, they might seek it as an alternative to taking it into their hands.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

7 Blissful years!

There's this guy i know so well, he had a friend for about a year, he thought they were getting too close, people were talking about their relationship, he was not ready for a boy-girl relationship, he had a frist class to make and his studies to face! So he told the girl, please let's give each other some space, i like you but i'm not ready for a relationship and i really don't see a wedding dress!

The girl agreed and gave him space..a lot! She liked him but she's got her pride..thankfully school went on break...time to heal! She heaved a sigh of relief!

School resumed and one night, the young man is back in her life..telling her he loves her in a shy manner. A week later, they were officially girlfriend and boyfriend...the relationship was too good to be true. They'd break up so many said..

Well, six and half years after the shy profession and even the 'shyer' acceptance , here was the guy in a lovely suit and the lady in a beautiful wedding dress(he did see the wedding dress afterall) at the altar making vows of forever to each other.

August 14, a very memorable day, would have made their pure relationship 7 good years. Years they both don't regret but thank God even more, they've started another count. A count they believe would be even happier than the other with God's help.

Stop guessing, it's hubby and I and i'm so glad we found each other!

how i love everything about you, everything you are, you'd catch a falling star if i asked you!...you chased me i caught you, so glad we found each other...(words not originally mine)

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Lazing Around and Characters

Men i've been so lazy these days, infact the whole of last week i was on a mini vacation and i was just sleeping and sleeping (i thought i had caught a bug..)), hubby asked me to come to abuja for the week, was i glad or what? I was treated to breakfast in bed for the whole week, though my system was messed up and won't take the food..It was still fun, i felt like lazy old Garfield!

I had planned to complete my book then, i actually had a deadline of July 31st but i missed it due to the fatigue i was experiencing, i guess my body needed the rest and demanded it. Now i'm back, i'm back, i'm back!!! Guess you can tell the song i'm singing....

I picked up again and i have set a new deadline which i'm not telling, not that i plan to miss it but i'll keep it to myself. The dilemna i have now is with the character names. I got a suggestion from aloted this afternoon to name the guy Boye, i actually think i like that name, the main character was Tade but i read a book with that name recently so i decided to change it, i think i'll take that suggestion. Vain person, she was saying i'll have to acknowledge her and i'm saying no way! Does she have to ask? Can't she allow me to use my discretion?

I'm trying to decide how my weekend will run since i have the whole of it off, doesn't always happen on my kind of job (the present one)but haven't come up with a plan yet, hoping hubby will come home, will make it more fun yeah? I will definitely be able to go to church this weekend, been quite a while, been attending online for a while...

Ok i'll stop rambling now, work calls....