What is the worth of the Nigerian life? -By Sesugh Akume

Emmanuel Akem

In Nigeria we hardly value human life. The expression ‘sanctity of human life’ means absolutely nothing to us, it’s just another fancy expression. If we hardly value human life as precious, let’s not even go to human capital.

Earlier this week, Tuesday 15 August, Emmanuel Akem died reportedly in a road accident on Akwanga-Abuja road. Akem was a director at INEC, he it was who introduced the concept of the PVC and card reader towards more transparent and difficult-to-manipulate elections, and oversaw its buy-in and implementation. Many of us would admit that the PVC and card reader gave the people a stronger voice in the 2015 elections and more faith in our democracy. We have many unsung heroes in Nigeria working quietly behind the limelight to make our system work.

I asked, and was told that a bus avoided a pothole and ran into his vehicle. However he didn’t die on the spot, he bled and died after 3 hours of excruciating pain and helplessness. Such is the worth of the Nigerian life. There were no healthcare facilities to attend to him. He was taken to one healthcare facility after the other but they were helpless. His family came in all the way from Abuja and met him alive dying, but there was nothing they could do to help. He later gave up. What a way so see a loved one’s last moments!

Such an asset, wasted. We fail to see these connections, but there’s a direct link between corruption and the failure of governance, and potholes on our roads. There’s also a direct connection between corruption and the failure of a non-existent healthcare system in Nigeria. Those who should fix it don’t, they’d rather go elsewhere to enjoy what others have put in place. What we in turn do is burst arteries in defending these ones tooth and nail. Actually our Stockholm syndrome is what’s killing us the most, and we refuse to see.

How many more precious lives shall we keep losing daily through needless and avoidable deaths? What is the worth of the Nigerian life? May the soul of the departed rest in perfect peace.