“There is fire on the mountain and nobody seems to be on the run.
There is fire on the mountain top….and no one is a’ running.
One day the river will overflow and there'll be nowhere
for us to go and we will run, run...
wishing we had put out the fire...”
-Asa’s Fire On The Mountain
If you know me, you know I have no qualms in spending the larger portion of my day roaming the world wide web in search of tomfoolery and brain-touch inducing activity. It was on one of my merry virtual reality strolls, just this morning, that I came across the madness and mayhem that has swept through the city of Jos.
Now I’m not one for bandwagon climbing, I hate squashed sitting….squeezes my well-rounded hips (DON’T JEALOUS ME!!) for one thing. But today, I had to kindly ask someone to ‘dress’ for me as I joined the bandwagon of Nigerians discussing The Jos Crisis…yes, I even adopted the fancy name too….I’m an all or nothing kind of girl.
Before your eyes glaze over with Heard It All Before Special Glaze & Ointment, I will tell you that I don’t know the specific details; neither the economic nor religious basis, for this particular crisis. Or indeed any other that has occurred in Jos in recent times so I’m not about to wax lyrical on the joys of Islam over Christianity (or vice versa). Or how the killings are probably more a reflection of economic frustration thinly veiled by a veneer of religion culminating in battles for the Good Lawds sake. But as I said, I know nothing about the madness in Jos. *ahem*. Honestly, I have no in-depth analysis of the situation, I’ve only visited Jos once and I have no friends from Plateau state(…can you believe that Loyola students?!?!).
BUT, the reason for this article is that as I continue to hear of the Jos riots, then the loss of property in Jos, then the killing of some people in Jos, THEN the slaying of children and young mothers in what appears to be mass numbers (hell, even one child is one too many!), I -like many other Nigerians- sit and think, “That kind of sucks you know. Well, its not reaaaaally MY problem like that sha. I mean the government should handle it” etc.
Today that thought was quickly followed by two others. For one thing, it’s started in Jos but there is every chance of the mayhem spreading if it is not contained…just like militant activity spread from Rivers state to the surrounding states, I believe its only a matter of time before the madness spreads like a bushfire. Yes, a bushfire. Lol. So who knows if I will be able to say “Its not really MY problem like that sha…” by this time next year?
Secondly if the drama, indeed the Mexican soap opera one might be tempted to call The Rich Also Cry, that has been playing in Aso Rock recently is to be believed, the presidents (all 3 of them) don’t have time for Jos. Between the Tom and Jerryism of the ailing and hearty, the deployment of hoards of (apparently jobless) soldiers on one of YOUR president’s return to guard him from what I can only assume is a fear of someone shooting him with the vaccine for mortality, and two full houses of working senators and government officials who from all indications believe that ruling is best done by mass pepper-souping, big-stouting and skirt-chasing, Jos will not be saved by politricks.
If Jos is to be helped, it’s up to us; ordinary people with a sympathy for suffering human beings…and an understanding that actions yell louder than words ever could.
So while we cant all go a-volunteering in Jos…hell, I thought about volunteering for all of 5 minutes, after all I happily considered going to Haiti to help (partly due to the sunshine and heat. Don’t judge me until you’ve witnessed the weave-scattering breeze of the English isles). My volunteering dreams were cut off sharply by the honest admission to myself that I’d much rather die by the earth splitting …than by an Aboki’s swiftly approaching machete. YES, I am your regular garden-variety coward.
Now as a mini-amazon myself *cough* you might be forgiven for grabbing pistons and catapults in the belief that this is some form of call to arms for all Nigerian youth, especially in the diaspora. It is not. (Odiri put down your curling tong…..No, Andie that mascara stick is not the one). Yeah, so its not. This is more to ask for suggestions on ways we can help.
Homies, bestoes, hypothec niggas, children of God, what can we do to help?? I am so sure there must be something that we can do. I thought about donating to the Red Cross for instance? I know, I know it might be a tad late with the number of people already dead but surely if they have even one child in need of treatment whose healing we can contribute to, it might be worth it. We can work individually or as a team…basically I just need suggestions on what I can do to help but I can’t be bothered to ask you all individually….only have 650 free minutes etc.
And a “Let’s just pray for them” won’t do. Sorry.
