#BlackSunday...and heaven wept..

I awoke grateful for the gift of a new day, the sunlight, the air, the sounds, even the fear of traffic… in my joy and gladness, I felt sadness, despair, and pain for once again, we are left speechless by the tragedy that could have been avoided, and which ideally should never have happened.

As I set out for work, everything around me ensured that the sadness was refreshed every inch of the way, the newspaper headlines, the drive-time programming on the radio, and the sullen faces; how could I forget? It was a black Sunday indeed on June 3, 2012, and days before, heaven wept in anticipation...

On Friday and Saturday previous, it rained, no it poured, the heavens opened up and the tears fell and swelled as rain, little did we know that it was a sign of the sadness to come.

It rained and wouldn’t let up, and the winds were strong and steady, the heavens knew what we didn’t know… it shed its own tears before, that we may shed ours after.

We awoke to whispers of an explosion during a church service in Bauchi, and how lives were lost and a lot more injured, this was just after news of a ghastly motor accident that robbed many of their lives along the Lagos Ibadan expressway… we were still trying to come to grips with these when fate smiled, knowing that the heavens had already shed tears of anguish, knowing what was to come.

From its majestic place of pride in the Abuja to Lagos skies, death came calling and refused to be placed on hold!

For the little angels still too young to have made lasting friendships or cultivated enemies, the families who have had to embark on that journey of no return, to the others who have been named as father, brother, sister, mother, aunty, uncle, wife, husband, daughter or son, as we mourn your sad loss and abrupt passing, we pray the Lord your souls to keep.

Today we all mourn the passing of these souls, as we shall mourn tomorrow, months, weeks, and years to come; as reality sets in; of friends never to be seen and warm embraces never to be felt again, we shall forever mourn, as memories of loving smiles, mild kisses and the warmth of friendship now violently ripped from our reality, we shall mourn and pray the ferry-man takes them home to rest in peace.

How many more shall we mourn while no one takes responsibility for the pain and the anguish, for the lack of security and safety, for the sorrow that is fast becoming a way of life for Nigerians? How many more shall pass through the shadows before we shall feel safe again as a community, a people, and a nation? When shall our lives be valued as they should be?

We sat; wined and dined and went about our daily routines, oblivious to what was ahead… the skies saw it coming, the sadness, the pain, the sorrow, the violent stillness, and the endless quiet that was to blaze a trail of despair, the heavens sensed it and in pain, cracked with thunder,  steadily, fiercely…

… and heaven wept.

#BlackSunday – R.I.P brave souls as you swell the ranks of saints and angels in Heaven...