JeSuisCharlie! Tu est Baga?

Tears in flow like oceans

As lives take a run for their life

Terror unleashed in sounds of bombs and guns

Blood moon in the dusk

And the rising dawn meet bodies on the ground as ground

Wailings in the north

Baga shouts for her womb is being crushed

In pains, tales take the turns as stains

But who hears the cry?

            Je suis Charlie! Far away from a distance beyond the Atlantic, this statement resonates within every fabric of my bones. 12 people were brutally murdered by Islamic extremists in France and the world have stood as one against every form of terror. As C-Ronaldo got his well-deserved award as the best player in 2014, FIFA shouted “Je Suis Charlie”, Facebook vibrates with sounds of concern and various media outlets have joined in the unified campaign for the fight against terrorism and the right of freedom of expression.

            However, even as it trickled into the mediasphere that over 2000 people were massacred in Nigeria (#Baga), the burning of campaign buses took the Center stage and got more attention. No top government official addressed the nation on the issue, campaigns went on as normal, and it will not be surprising to know that some do not even know that the #BAGA story is happening at all. The Question in my mind is: What is the Value of a Nigerian Life? Little wonder we have heard experiences of Nigerians in their own embassies outside Nigeria, The Indian episode, the Malaysian issue, the South African issue had a high profile Nigerian affected so it got little attention  etc.***sighs***

            Je suis Charlie! Tu est Baga? O yes Je suis baga! The timeline of the two events presents an opportunity to condemn terror in all parts of the world and compare the responses of two nations. This article describes the tale of two cities, their responses and lessons to be learnt. “…At least 12 people are dead after three hooded gunmen armed with Kalashnikovs attacked the headquarters of a French satirical magazine and opened fire on journalists and police guard”( Source: Guardian), notice the reaction that follows:

•  The president cancelled schedules and addressed his nation on the issue, whilst  also visiting the place of attack
• The security alert level of the nation was raised to the highest
• Mr Hollande cleared his diary in order to visit the scene and later held an emergency cabinet meeting on security
•   Nicolas Sarkozy, the centre-right opposition leader and former president, called the incident an “abject act” and an “attack on our democracy”
•   French Muslims too expressed outrage over the terrorists. Hassen Chalghoumi, the imam of Drancy and a Muslim moderate, declared that “their barbarism has nothing to do with Islam”.
•   Days after, a multi – security agency operation is carried out and the terrorists are identified and killed in a shoot -out with the police.
•  A march of millions of people is organised to show that “France” as a nation is not intimidated, to demonstrate the freedom of expression which they stand for as a nation, parents joining the walk with their children. A placard caught my attention: “I am a Muslim and I am a Jew”.

The Next City:

•  No address from the president, even his media aides (even if it is to come out and say that we are investigating the matter).
• Things are going as normal (Dem don dey die for that area before na shey?)
•  Majority of the media reports are from international media (what happened to our indigenous media outlets now?) 
•   The major matter is the fact that some people burnt campaign buses allegedly shouting Sai Buhari ( Ehn, they were buhari supporters dey say{because they shouted his name} without investigation, na the matter big pass oh)
•   It’s even more important to some international peeps than Nigerians
  
• lindaIkeji
•   From the reports I read, it happened on the 3^RD of January, then the president announced on the 12^{th of January} during a campaign that he has given a directive for an investigation to be done (Kudos abi?).
  
   
•  The next thing is that they are arguing about the Numbers, its 150 (no mind all those people wey dey say 2000 abi? 150 stil no big reach).Etc….

            So much sadness as this post is prepared, that I am moved to tears. This is no political post to attack, but to bring to the fore that Nigerians need to value themselves the more. France understood the importance of standing together as one in the face of terror and the world joined them in making the statement. Nigeria did not show much of a concern, hence few people were around to show their concern.

            I encourage today that we begin to see this nation as one body. Even though, recent situation has seen this nation volatilely arranged along ethnic, religious and political fault lines, we should look beyond and demonstrate the pride of being in Nigerian. As I watched the march on BBC website, they sang the La Marseillaise" (National Anthem), expressing their oneness as nation. This rare form of unity sends a strong message and that is what Nigeria as a nation should be aiming at.

           I Salute the efforts of the soldiers risking their lives to end the terror reign in the Nigeria.Insurgency is a problem that calls for national attention, it is not a campaign tool, it is not an APC or PDP issue, it is not a northern problem, it is a threat against the Nigerian people and we should fight against it together. Je suis Charlie! Tu est baga? Oui, Je suis baga.

#JeSuisCharlieTuEstBaga