BY KINGSLEY ODIASE
It is 61 days to the end of the year 2017. In a little village of Iroti in the swampy area of a riverine community in Ogun State where she resides, still mourning the death of her husband of 35years, the weather seems to have simmered down; the young men are getting set for the tales by moon light; only the women who returned late from the farm that were still inside the house. Looking outside, the message was clear – the stage was set for moonlight.
In fact, tales by moonlight was not new to the people of the agrarian community. It is one of the legacies left for the new generation of the inhabitants of the Iroti community by their ancestors, some of whom were still alive, but have virtually completed their role on this side of the divide, literally looking for the cross-over.
Tales by moonlight has stood the test of time. Anyone who does not have one or two stories to tell about a normal evening in Iroti village is always passed for a new generational citizen of Iroti. Although it is not a standard yardstick for determining the age of any person in the community, the ‘real villagers’ are quick to offer it to anyone who cares in determining the age of any person in the community.
This was the situation until the quiet and serene atmosphere in the village was punctuated by gun shots in the community that left in its trail, wailing and crying after the people had ran in different directions and scamper for safety. What followed was two lifeless bodies of a boy and two girls. Several months after this incident, neither the diviners in the village or the conventional security agencies have been able to provide an answer to the puzzle – who killed the two villagers?
The killing of the two villagers and the inability to find an answer to the puzzle of who was responsible is a transcendental one which finds expression in Iroti village.
In recent time, while several puzzles sorrounding several killings in the past are yet to be resolved, the figure of unresolved killings continued to soar.
For instance, there is the unresolved December 23, 2001 murder cases of a former Minister of Justice, Bola Ige; October 19, 1996 murder of Dele Giwa, a savvy journalist and one of the publishers of News Watch Magazine; the June 4, 1996 murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, the perceived winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election; the November 12, 1995 murder of James Kaito, a journalist and a former writer with Tell and Tempo Magazine after he was abducted. The list is endless.
The recent murder of Kemi John brings to light once again that the figure of unresolved murder cases will continue to be on the rise.
Barely two months after, men of the Nigeria Police, Lagos State command are yet to make a statement on the alleged murder of one Kemi weeks after commencing investigation.
Kemi was said to have been murdered on August 25, 2017 at her Lagos residence.
An eye witness and a niece to Kemi who gave her name as Ayo Jackson said that Kemi died from the head injury she sustained after falling from a push when one Osahon Ogboru came looking for one Obi Vivian Ehimwenma who has travelled outside the country because of some family issues
She said she later reported the matter to the Police at the Ogba Divisional Headquarter who later visited the scene of the incident.
When our correspondent visited the residence of the late Kemi, the door was locked, as the area was deserted.
Barely two days after the incident, Policemen attached to the Ogba Divisional Police Headquarters in Lagos visited the scene of the incident as they commenced investigations into circumstances of her death.
Though the Police personnel declined speaking with journalists on the matter, it was reliably gathered that they had narrowed their investigations to one Chief Priest Osahon Ogboru, an in-law of Vivian Obi who had earlier lived with the late Kemi.
The question that readily comes to mind is how long are we going to continue like this.
Observers see the scenerio as an unpleasant one which does not tell well of a nation whose security personnel have always excelled in international assignment.
It actually goes to show the value Nigerians and their leadership attaches to the lives of their citizens.
There is a need for a clarion call for all stakeholders to prevail on government and security agencies to recommit themselves to attach more value to the lives of Nigerian if the nation must be seen as actually giant of Africa.
