(20): My Apathetic Wedding Anniversary

Muhammad Muhsin Ibrahim

@muhsin234 (Twitter)

Sunday, 01^st June 2014, marks my maiden wedding anniversary. Unlike today, I was filled with happiness beyond expressing this day, last year. I was all the more excited that we were, pragmatically speaking, honeymooning outside Nigeria, starting in Cairo, where we would have an eighteen-hour transit, and India, where we still are, essentially though for studies. My euphoria was, nonetheless, shattered by two fears since we were airborne:  first, India was often described in the news as religiously a volatile country; and second, as being ‘infested’ with lusty rapists. I am Muslim and coming with a newly wed wife! Though after spending almost a year now, I discovered that although the religious schism of course exists and the rapists rather ravage, some stories are untrue, or just being exaggerated. 

Yet, I was spirited in another way, for I was ‘escaping’ from the wrath of the infamous, dreaded Boko Haram (BH) unthinking insurgency that wrecks havoc on my region and state, Kano. No one was, and is, safe. Everyone can be their next victim directly or indirectly. Someone amongst your friends, family or neighbours has definitely been a victim of either the BH attacks, or the lax Joint Task Forces (JTF) counter-attacks. Thus, it was a thrilling experience that one was leaving all this horror behind, to begin a new life elsewhere. The new environment was not utopia, though; it equally had its many problems as aforesaid, but come what may, it would be a safer haven.

We had been, for the past few days, preparing for the anniversary. I today feel unnerved and bridled following some unfortunate incidents that happened in my two countries of origin and residence—Nigeria and India respectively. Coincidently enough, the obnoxious occurrences relate to what I thought I had run into and from. The libidinous Rapists struck here, and the lethal Insurgents assaulted there. Both did what they are best at so hard, for each attack cost lives. Not only that, I was devastated the more by yet another distressing story in our neighbour, Pakistan. A three-month-old pregnant woman was stoned by her family, in a court building and in front of people till she dies. Her crime was simply defying them, and getting married to the man she loved! How barbarous could humans be?

The other incidents are however more gruesome. From Nigeria, I watched a clip of some able yet unarmed youths being slaughtered like chickens in the worse inhumane, barbaric manner one could ever imagine. I wish I had not watched the video shared on Facebook, for my mind was further traumatized a few minutes later. A first class monarch (Emir) of Gwoza, Borno state, was killed on his way to attend a burial of a counterpart in Gombe state. From India, two teenage sisters were gang-raped and hung from a mango tree in a village in Uttar Pradesh by some beasts in human skin, including two police officers. How disgusting and heartless! O Great Lord! All these happened in just three consecutive day’s period.

I feel literally numbed. I lack any ease, nor excitement to go anywhere, for anything. I just want to remain indoors, undisturbed. But the thoughts are not going away; they are in fact hunting and tormenting. I wish I could crush all those assailants and save the world from their heinous activities. I somehow think I am being unreasonably empathetic, sympathetic and mawkish. But I can't help it.

Besides that taunting psychological deportment, our matrimony is very much worth celebrating. We live peacefully and happily all the way through the lunar year. This is in stark contrast to what happens these days: some marriages last for a few weeks, or a few months, some far less. We feel blessed by Allah and extremely grateful to Him, and then to all our families, friends and well-wishers. May He bless us the more in the years ahead, and reward you the more.

And to all those victims, I pray to Allah to rest your souls, and grant your loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss. To those who ended your lives, may He expose them and punish them accordingly. Ameen!