The Lagos Catholic School Terror Attack
By Adeola Aderounmu
One week ago, precisely on the 15th of March 2020, Lagos residents woke up to probably the most devasting bomb blast in the history of the state. The blast was heard in the larger parts of Lagos.
As at the time of writing this blog, the Lagos State Government is yet to provide official comments on the terror attack but no amount of cover-ups or sinister developments would be possible to hide the devastation that befell the residents of Abule-Ado along the Lagos-Badagry axis (opposite my beloved but expired Festac Town).
The first sign that the government would be seeking a cover up was from the various reasons given by various newspaper and media outfits on the immediate cause of the bomb blast.
The terrorists (whoever they were) acted with precision planting the bombs on a gas-pipeline. Lives were destroyed property worth several millions were ravaged in the blast.
As a blogger my attention was mainly on the catholic school in the vicinity. Bethlehem Girls College was brought to total ruins. The principal Reverend Sister Henrietta Alokha died in the bomb attack. Reports stated that she rescued many students before the roof collapsed on her.
Total casualties were put at a moderate 15 lives including some students. Based on the extent of the damaged and the widespread impact of the blast, it would be worthwhile to carry more investigation and to have a thorough, independent enquiries into these claims. But who dares?
As a background to this latest blast, it may interest my readers that l have personally been taking on the governors in Western Nigeria (through their handlers on the social media anyway) on matters relating to: 1) Fire 2) Tanker Driver Accidents/explosions 3) Safety of lives generally in Yorubaland.
In Februray 2020, what appears like a listening ear from Mr. Sanwo-olu resulted in a response where the Lagos State government promised to handle further explosions or tanker accidents as sabotage. The government promised to investigate such.
The Abule-ado / Catholic Girls school bomb blast is the first major test since the government made that pronouncement. Some of us will wait for as long as it takes to see how Sanwo-Olu and his gang in the LASG respond to this: investigations, arrest, prosecution and so on.
One week after, nothing has happened. But wait we will. It probably takes time to find the perpetrators for that was not an accident! It was a planned terror attack on the sovereignty of Yorubaland.
In my dealings with the governors of south west Nigeria, they are (hopefully) aware of my suggestions on the need to be proactive in securing Yorubaland. They know what they have to do, they only need the courage to do so. The Ooni of Ife I do hope is in the frame or loop and that together they know that they are the custodians of Yorubaland.
We can’t go on like this as a people. By all means, we must secure Yorubaland and make it safe for ourselves, for our children and for our children’s children.
Nigeria faces an uncertain future. Nigeria is not working and the dream that it will work is equaled to an illusion of the mind. For those who lack a common sense of history, Yorubaland was better in the 1950s than it is today. Have you sat down to ask yourself why other countries and nations in the world improved and Nigeria including Yorubland suffered severe retrogression?
Anyway, without digressing too far, my heart goes out to the families (and in fact friends) who lost so much to the bomb blast. The blast came home and got me. It got to us because this is our home in Amuwo Odofin Local Government. That which we feared is now at our doorsteps!
May the souls of the departed find rest. May the living find the courage to carry on, against all odds.
A View From The Scandinavian 