While the sounds of gunshot filled the air, bullet casings stained with the blood of the innocents flowed like a river, agony and cries of the casualties of war filled our visions, our memories filled with bitterness, meshed with fears of how we have been oppressed and how the powerful had once again triumphed in a grand style for all to see.

The bearers of ‘Ogun’ had once again visited the land, clad in a camouflage of the Nigerian Army, marching in like the Trojan soldiers, thus, Lekki Toll Gate became the battleground for survival.

Alas, it was a war between two voices, while the former cried for freedom clamouring for their rights to live a better life amidst sorrows, hunger, unemployment, tears and blood, saying enough is enough.

Like the children of Israel were in the hands of Pharaoh, but without a Moses, they cried for liberty, the latter came in like a thief in the night, raining from above the showers of bullets upon the former, and once again putting to silence the voices of the former.

Dawn came upon the land, Lekki Toll Gate became a field of massacre, no one took pleasure in what ensued during the horrors of the night, the bearer of ‘Ogun’ as usual were not at the scene of the massacre, while the Pharaoh of the state said he did not have an inkling how Lekki Toll Gate became a war zone over night.

Anarchy was let loose, the whole country was in chaos, resentful citizens took over the streets of Nigeria, what was meant to be a peaceful protest suddenly became a tug of war, hoodlums took over, sanity was a thing of the past, you could see flames of fire everywhere, the whole country was on fire, looting was in top gear, even the opa ase (staff of office) of the Oba of Lagos was not spared, how much more respecting the ori ade. Amidst all these, our dear President played God and watched the sons of men run wild.

Away from the war zone and the cries of agony by families that lost their loved ones to the heartbreaking and unfortunate event that happened at the Lekki Toll Gate, another event that occurred during the week had left many Nigerians shocked and devastated, as similitude events also happened in some states. Lagos was the first state to reveal unto the sons of men what had been hidden from their very nose a long time.

Who were the four lepers that sat at the gate of Samaria on this particular day?  Were they waiting for the gates of Mazamaza community to be opened to them? Was it an angel in white that appeared to them and told them before you is a land filled with milk and honey? I kept asking myself how could this be?

Alas, the gates of Samaria had opened, a big warehouse stored with bags of rice and garri with numerous packs of noodles and bags of semo. Inscribed on them was “not to be sold COVID 19 Palliatives.”

In no time, the four lepers had reached out to the members of Mazamaza community and beyond, ‘wahala for who no get bicycle o’

It was a time of plenty amidst chaos, as people trouped to the warehouse to carry as much as he or she can carry, stepping on one another, passing through mashed land to pass across safely, bags of rice flying all over, not minding how heavy it is, not when a bag of rice is being sold for more than 35,000 Naira. Surely, God has once again rained manna from heaven or do we say this was compensation from above, or do we say the masses had rightfully looted what belong to them?

While the entire country was still in the frenzy of why would COVID 19 palliatives be tucked away from plain sight and not given to the masses, Osun and Illorin also came into limelight as warehouses were discovered filled with COVID 19 palliatives, as usual, the four lepers informed the masses again, and once again it was a time of plenty in the land.

Then, I began to ponder, were these palliatives kept in preparation for another pandemic? How come there is so much hunger in the land and some set of people still decided to hoard what rightfully belonged to the masses, was this done out of sheer wickedness.

So many questions left unanswered, who do we hold responsible for all the hideous acts, do we call the masses looters in such a case like this? Or do we call the keepers of the palliatives a Joseph that sees beyond?

Nigeria has gotten to a point where hope is barely worth holding on to, people are faced with the harsh realities that their life mean nothing to the ones that swore to serve and protect them, the masses now fully understand the level of decay and rottenness that has eaten deep into the system of government, Nigeria is currently running on auto-pilot, and only fate knows whether it will land or crash.

Recently, in a movie, I heard this statement, “any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.”

I hope we walk away from this landing of ours, but considering the chains of events that have happened this past week, I discover that the mess Nigeria is in calls for a deep retrospection if we are to land safely and not crash.