I was born in Bariga, bred in Abule-egba, hustled in Mushin, working in Maza-maza; all in Lagos State. All the places that harbored me ain't cool places at all. They are GHETTOes. Places that have at least a market in them which runs for twenty four hours a day; this is a clear evidence that living live there is survival of the fittest.
Everyone in these places cherishes a kobo of their money, and anyone who tries to make them become a kobo poorer, except the police force or strong forces intervene, pays with his/her life.
Many lives have been wasted in the course of jungle justice all because of the assumption that the victim must have stolen from many others, aiding much pain. Majority of the beaters are always of the opinion that it's a revenge for their stolen property.
It's quite a pity... Many of the beaters ain't saints themselves.
I'm not justifying from any angle that stealing for any reason is right, but then, there are other ways to solve the problem than wasting a life. They are humans like us too. They have the right to live, then why do we end their lives when all of us put together cannot give a life?
Maybe we haven't really asked ourselves deep questions about why they steal so cheaply like they do.
*Some are due to frustration,
*Some survival,
*Some habit, no doubt
*Some way of life.
None of the reasons are physically engineered, mind you.
That was how a young guy was nearly burnt in a market the other day for what he was innocent about. He paid an old woman for what he bought from her. The old woman on the other hand, didn't remember that the boy had paid, cried out "Ole!"(thief!) after the guy had left. The old Yoruba woman cried so pitifully and fell to the ground, letting loose her wrapper that guys angrily spread out in groups in search of the guy. A group saw the neatly dressed guy in front of another seller negotiating the price of an item he wanted to buy. In anger and revenge, they dazed the guy, and started shouting "ole!"
The news spread like weird fire, more angry guys ran towards that spot. Slaps and punches were flying in the air, all targeted on the guy's face or neck. The guy initially was fighting back because he believed the best way to defend is to attack, not until more guys came to the scene.
When the drama was getting to the point of guys rolling tyres to get the guy burnt, some men from Iya-Oloja (Mother of Market) came and insisted that the case would be settled at the office of Iya-Olaja.
Iya-Oloja ordered the old woman to be summoned to tell her own part of the story. The victim spoke after the old woman, who already hung her wrapper on her neck revealing her dirty faded shimi skirt, gave her tale. The guy was bleeding from the cut parts of his already swollen face. When his narration got to the juncture when the old woman used his money to complete the balance she gave to a man that bought some items before him, the old woman furrowed her eyes like she saw a spirit.
"Oto ni o!" she exclaimed softly. "O fun mi l'owo l'oto! Yei! T'emi bami l'eni! Ah! Omo mi, (she knelt down now) jo, dariji mi. (it's true o... She exclaimed softly... He truly gave me money, I've met my end today! Ah! My child, forgive me... She started crying...
I know many more are guilty as caught and/or accused, but in all, two wrongs can NEVER make a right.
NO TO JUNGLE JUSTICE!
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