Bamishe’s Death: The Destructive Ambition Of The Average Nigerian -By Adetayo Omotoyosi Adeolu

As I opened my laptop to scribble down my thoughts, I am taken back into the world of Williams Shakespeare’s tragic play. I am once again reminded of the destructive nature of the average human being sauntering this earth.

Every human born of a woman has an ambition whether positive or negative. Unfortunately not many know that too much ambition if not subjected to critical reasoning will ultimately lead to downfall of the characters involved.

Macbeth which primarily centers on the destructive ambition of a couple is playing out in the lives of the average Nigerians.

Macbeth’s ambition caused him to be disloyal to his cousin and king. Macbeth’s initial thought after finding out that he could be king is murder:
“My thought,whose murder yet is fantastical, shakes so my single state of man. That function is smothered in surmise, and nothing is but what is not” he said.

On the 7th of March, 2021, the lifeless and mutilated body of a 21-year-old fashion designer by the name Oluwabamishe Ayanwola was found after days of intensive search.
It was reported that the deceased had boarded a government set-up BRT with number 240257 to Oshodi at 7pm from Chevron bust stop.
The innocent lady did not envisage that would be her last trip on earth before her sojourn to the great beyond.
It was learnt that her body was sighted by some passersby who claimed she was thrown out of the BRT in company of a jeep. As suspected, this is a money-heist situation.

According to one of her relative who confirmed her death, he said, “The picture of her corpse was first sent to us. We went to confirm and she was the one. The picture of her corpse is gory, it shouldn’t be shared. She was taken to Morgue on Sunday. Police found out about her death Saturday night.

“A passer-by alerted the police at Ebute Ero. On getting there, people trying to see if she could survive fled on sighting police officers. She didn’t die immediately she was dumped.

“When the police got there, she was not on panties. She was naked. They didn’t take off only her top. Some of her body parts were tampered with and missing. Investigation into the cause of her death continues”.

Bamishe killers mirrors the average Nigerians and their destructive ambition for wealth. The hook or crook mentality that has eaten up the Nigerian society as is being witnessed among the agile youths in the country.

Nigerian leaders have mortgaged the future of the youths with their lackadaisical attitude emboldened by massive corruption and looting. The youths have been rendered useless and left to their faith. In their quest to fight back or survive as the case maybe, a number of Nigerian youths have doubled their ambition damming the consequences that lies ahead.

What else could justify the killing of Bamishe if not destructive ambition? In this case, the driver who is the chief suspect swallowed by his ambition to ‘blow’ as it’s often used in the Nigerian parlance to refer to someone who is successful.

A lyrics of a song recorded by Olamide and Lil Kesh portrays the destructive ambition of these musicians and the society in general.

The chorus goes thus;

“I dey pray to Jesu (Jesu), ko wo wole (Kowo wole o)
If money no enter, I go do blood money o
I dey pray to Allah (Allah)
Kowo wole o (Kowo wole o)
If money no enter, I go do blood money”

Logo Benz song by Olamide and his former signee tells the story of the average Nigerian who will delve into money ritual if God does not answer his prayer by blessing him financially. The desperation to get rich even if it means taking other humans life for ritual could be felt in that song. Unfortunately many Nigerians still dance to the sing till today. Some do that because they just want to enjoy the moment by shaking their bodies or see it as a norm.

This writer cannot fathom why ritual killings has not been of national discourse yet, among the national assembly members. The federal government led by President Buhari should declare a national emergency on this scourge of ritual killings.

Ambition in itself is a good drive if channeled to a positive path and with controlled measures in place.

When ambition overwhelms man, he relegates his reasoning capacity to the background and this can lead to his eventual destruction.

Adetayo Omotoyosi is a PGD student at NIJ, Lagos.

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