(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 I am coming with a newlywed 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 wreaks 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 to leave all this horror behind and begin a new life elsewhere. The new environment was not utopia, though; it had its own many problems, as aforesaid, but come what may, it would be a safer haven.

We had been preparing for the anniversary for the past few days. I feel unnerved and bridled today following some unfortunate incidents in my two countries of origin and residence—Nigeria and India, respectively. Coincidentally 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 costs lives. Not only that, I was devastated even 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 died. Her crime was simply defying them and marrying the man she loved! How barbarous could humans be?

The other incidents, however, are more gruesome. From Nigeria, I watched a clip of some able yet unarmed youths being slaughtered like chickens in the worst, inhumane, barbaric manner one could ever imagine. I wish I had not watched the video shared on Facebook, for my mind was further traumatised 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 hanged 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 this happened in just three days.

I feel literally numbed. I lack any ease or 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 a few weeks or a few months, and 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!