One;a sum of Tragedy.

    If you die a soldier in combat you’d be called brave, it is a privilege to go forth a hero.  When you die for a cause you understand, you know without a doubt there are blessings in the grave, No man dies for something if he is certain there’s nothing to gain. But when you die as I did, in the middle of a conflict that is not your own, you die a figure; One of ten, one of hundreds, one.  Caught between the cross fire. No medals, no mementos.  You perhaps will get a place in the local dailies, as another random doctored index. Your household will mourn, the nation might  grumble and life will go on.

     I am one of the many who have gone. I was at the church in Madalla, the school in Yobe, in the streets of Maidugri, at the college in Yadi, in the forest of Sambisa. I am in every place blood is shed, reported and unreported.  Those conversations you have about how the butcheries have gone too far, where you sound passionate but know deep within that talk is all it would be, I had them too. I spoke of how somebody had to do something, I forgot I was someone. A frown creased my brow with every new story, I was livid at the killings but secretly I was pleased neither I nor anyone I treasured was a victim, till I was one and they were too.

     I could have spoken out louder, but I didn't. We should have protested, but we didn't. They promised to protect us, but they haven’t. I understand we have to live, and as long as we are alive we think empathy for the dead is enough. Sadly, it isn't.

    I am telling you this today so you would do what I couldn't; save yourselves, save your children. To tell you there is no honor dying a victim of circumstance. You will only be a number in a well written condolence message, a shadow in the beer parlor conversations, a thought behind a broadcast message.  You will only be one, a lingering memory of terror that has fallen. Don’t have faith in the lie it may under no circumstance get to you. Fire burns as quickly as it burns far when it is left unattended. In the embrace of insecurity we are all potential victims.