Never Forget

We’ve boarded o, turning off my cell now.

Ahnahn why so harsh? You can’t even say goodbye.

Clingimus, the flight is only 45 minutes though

Lol. Pls die!

Hahaha. See u in a bit. I love u.

I love u 2.

Before you start to send out a broadcast with the above text as a ‘lost conversation’ with a crash victim, wait one minute. Touching though it may be, it was a product of my imagination. It was borne out of the thought that, like me, there was someone on the ill fated flight that didn’t like saying goodbye. I digress.

Nobody wants to die. Nobody. At the very base of it, regardless of how we get bogged down with living or how easily we joke about it – Oh Lord, please take me away – nobody really wants it. When, out of the blue, things happen that remind us of how easily this little life of ours can be snatched from us, we’re jolted back to reality. It doesn’t matter how short a period this is, it’s a rude shock of sorts that’s a subtle reminder every minute we’re alive is borrowed one.

It would be easy to sermonize and go on and on about what we already know is wrong with Nigeria, but that’s not me and that is definitely not what we need. It definitely won’t change the fact that we lost people. What I will be however, is that annoying voice on your shoulder – that nagging memory that will refuse to be forgotten. As a people, we’re too quick to forget, and move on. There is nothing wrong with moving on; I mean that’s an admirable quality, but not at the expense of a decent quality of life.

The President declared 3 days of mourning. The flags flew at half mast, and all his appointments for three days after the incident were cancelled. He visited the site, and he cried golden tears – A balm, I’m sure, for every aching heart. But after that, what next? The Sosoliso crash struck us all very hard, and we were promised never again. The authorities decried the situation and promised an investigation into the matter. It’s amusing how we’re always investigating. Sherlock Holmes would be proud.

It’s like a déjà vu, these same phrases and seeming actions as we’ve heard and seen so many times before: After the UN bombing, after the many BH bombings, after the outcry and investigation into the fuel subsidy scam (which by the way has suddenly become a sham. Surprise!). Why, as a people, we should continue to accept lip service, and veiled actions for really serious issues is totally beyond me. It’s gone on so long, that I imagine that ‘these people’ just yimu – screw up their noses in mockery – behind our communal backs, and say, don’t worry, Nigerians will forget it soon. They will move on and deal with it. I’m not even pointing to the fact that there have been no resignations, sackings or arrest made; it’s how barely a week after the said crash there are power outages at the Abuja airport and Planes are forced to circle around the landing strip like Vultures around carrion.

Maybe we really are tenacious, and are the world’s happiest people but surely, this reminder of how easily it could have been us (road travelers, don’t even start) should make us cry out with one voice to pressure a change, no? I mean, it’s become personal, yes? Maybe I’m a weirdo or I’m too aware of my mortality. But every flight I’m on, between Lagos and Abuja or Lagos and PH, and the engines so much as rumble louder than my stomach, I worry I’d pass on because of someone’s negligence or maybe even greed.

I’m hoping that we get to the point where this change we all need becomes inevitable.  I’m talking about a change within ourselves to the minutest bit, a change within the government, a change within the system and how things are handled are done, a change in our demand and delivery of quality service, a change within ourselves. I hope these lives we’ve lost count for something to us all, and we don’t forget easy.

My heart goes out to everyone who has lost someone. More than anything else, I know words will never suffice for the loss of someone you love.

So I pray. I pray for comfort, and some form of solace for today, tomorrow and every hard day living with out  the ones you love is.

Never forget.

 

Photo Credit: blogs.unpad.ac.id