CHILDREN’S DAY 2019: A HAPPY OR SAD ONE FOR RIVERS CHILDREN?

Can the #ChildrensDay2019 celebration in Rivers State be described as a happy one? Are the ‘Happy Children’s Day’ wishes really in order? I ask these burning questions because of recent happenings in the state that have children and their welfare at stake.

A.

The first event being the severed head of a 42 year old man deposited in front of the gate at Community Secondary School, Rumuekini. How did I hear of this pathetic story? I was on my way to work on Thursday, and thought it would be an uneventful journey (my thoughts are never met yeah?). I walked a little past the makeshift bus top and waited for a bike, keke or cab to come by, as the ones stationed were empty and not ready to move. Then came one and picked I and another lady standing next to me.

Then the driver began with small talk. 

“Me I no wan dey drive for this place again o”, he said.

“Wetin happen?”, the other lady asked because I wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

“Hm. You no hear say dem kill person for night? If you hear as e take happen, fear go catch you”, he added.

I was quite indifferent, as all I wanted was to get to the office in good time. After all, the story of people being killed wasn’t a new one.

“Dem butcher the head comot, go drop am for School Road” the driver said with so much disdain in his voice. Now, he had my attention. 

“Na Chima wey get block industry for this road here. Dem say him dey him house o, dey watch film for night. Naim him go off gen dem shoot am dia. Come enter house ask the wife to go bring kitchen knife, cut the head comot. E no end there o. Dem tell her make she bring bowl, use her own hand carry the head put inside the bowl. Naim dem come carry am comot. Dis morning na, see as people dey go School Road. Na dia dem see the head of the man. Me I no go o. I no fit see that kain tin”, he explained.

Intermittently, I and the other lady had fillers like “AAH! SHUO! HEEEY!” as he narrated the gory tale to us.

“Chwoi! Na so that one don go like that?” the woman asked rhetorically.

The first question on my mind was WHY? What was the motive behind the act, so I asked the driver.

“Some people say the man dey cult na. Na so dem talk o”, was his answer.

The I began a conversation with both of them. The most important part of it all was how this was going to be tackled and for how long it would last. The driver and indeed the three of us concluded that the people who a good number of us may be waiting on to tackle the mess (the ‘authorities’), may not have the capacity to do so because they may be in one way or the other entangled in the mess. 

We drove past the deceased’s block industry and the driver pointed it to us. It was deserted. I looked around and on the other side of the road, just across the industry were some young men seated close to some shops. There was an ominous cloud above them and some calmness around them. The driver also pointed out the School Road leading to the Community Secondary School where the severed head was dropped. Then he brought our attention to some of the students who were going back home, stating that the school had asked them to go home. 

The other lady in the taxi sighted her niece on her way to school, attempted calling her to inform her, but we had driven past her. She wasn’t successful. 

I got off at the junction and while trying to cross, overheard the firing sound of some bikes and accompanying siren, turned to see about three overloaded okadas and a Police van with few persons at the back speed pass the junction and turn towards the Uniport end of the East-West Road. I eventually crossed the expressway and stand on the median to observe. Few more okadas and another Police van sped pass. Of course, the scene had caused some people to stop and stare like myself.

I got to the office and hinted someone who I knew could expedite action to get the full story. The full story eventually came in (I can't say how exactly). 

It corroborated the driver's account, with even more details, some of which included that the man had two children, and the severed head was placed on a table in front of the school gate. The most important detail was how the incident left some of the students of the school traumatized, with some of their guts unable to stomach the sight. So, they ended up emptying their stomachs of the breakfast they probably had before getting to school. 

Investigations have been launched; the Police has said. Nothing said about providing psychological help for the traumatized students.

B.

The second incident is that of the video that went viral over the weekend. I first saw it on WhatsApp and just waved it off, not being sure of the location. The message that accompanied the video was:

"We heard that the out going SS3 and SS2 have a clash and today they (sic) was going to be a fight between the two classes. They planned to bring in different weapons for the fight (war). So some SS2 boys decided to bring in their own weapons yesterday maybe to come and show their mates that the (sic) were ready for the fight. They brought in guns and grenade teargas. While they wear inspecting their weapons one of them mistakenly detonated one of the grenade teargas and all hell broke loose."

I looked at the video again and it kinda looked like a school building in Rivers State and familiar uniforms.

Then other messages came in, confirming the location to be Rivers State. So, I went back and watched it again. Students were literally jumping from the first floor of the school, then the girl behind the camera started running and shouting “Blood of Jesus” endlessly.

The Rivers State Police command released a statement, saying it wasn’t #Cult related or a #TerrroristAttack as speculated on Social Media.

It went on to say the students responsible were arrested and questioned, but were later granted administrative release as they are minors. From the reports, over 20 students were injured, but thankfully, no lives were lost. Indeed, I feared for those students, that even if no life could be lost, there would certainly be some broken bones from those jumps I saw in the video. It was a panic situation to say the least. 

Reactions are still trailing this particular incident, with chairman of the senior secondary schools’ board saying the Police was too hasty with its conclusion that the incident had nothing to do with cult activities or gangsterism pertaining to the arrested students. Well, it doesn’t look as though this one has reached its logical conclusion.

Many questions have been raised so far, by persons concerned about the rising cases of cultism in schools within the state. One of such is the security personnel available to man government schools, which reminds me of a report I did some time ago about some security personnel who were disgruntled over the non-payment of their salaries and subsequent retrenchment. This matter lingered and had no end in sight. The job was contracted to a firm, and there was an unresolved issue, with some people beginning to say the agitations of these men were political. Not surprising at all, because propaganda has become the order of the day in the state, especially during the political season. Good thing is that season has ended for now.

Politicking and the main part of it may have ended, and now is the time for governance, as some would say. While we are at it, I’ll like to ask a very important question. What happened to the FREE SCHOOL BUSES the government of the state boasted of after its first year in office? Pictures below can buttress the point I’m trying to make:

Are these buses still in operation? What happened to them? One can't help but wonder how the #SecondTerm would be for the people at all levels: federal, state and local.  These school children would need to given more attention. They are made to face a number of conditions that they ordinarily shouldn't face. I see them board vehicles themselves to school and cross the roads or wait for someone to help them. Just imagine what they have to face on major roads without pedestrian bridges. I mean, how many pedestrian bridges do we even have in the entire Rivers State?

The question I asked as the headline of this post still stands. Is the #ChildrensDay2019 a sad or happy one for children in Rivers State? Questions begging for answers.