Oriire 44 and our double standard, By Festus Adedayo

The recent announcement of the release of captives from Oriire brought a wave of collective rejoicing across Nigeria, underscoring a universal sense of grief and shared humanity that transcends regional differences. This moment of relief served as a powerful reminder that sorrow and joy can unite a nation, momentarily setting aside bitter divisions.

To contextualize the complex emotions surrounding such events, the author draws upon an ancient fable from the animal kingdom. The story features Ìjàpá, the Tortoise, a notorious trickster, who envies the popularity of Ẹkùn, the Leopard, as the forest's circumciser. Ìjàpá devises a plan to frame Ẹkùn by hiding a stolen calabash of palm wine in the leopard's den. At a gathering, Ìjàpá feigns distress over the theft and leads the animals to the planted evidence, securing a guilty verdict against Ẹkùn.

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He who digs a pit for another will surely fall into it.

However, just as the leopard faces exile, Ògòǹgò, the bird king, intervenes. Recalling the proverb, "He who digs a pit for another will surely fall into it," Ògòǹgò reveals Ìjàpá's deceit, pointing to palm wine stains on the tortoise's shell and the lingering smell on his fingers. The animals, realizing they were duped, banish Ìjàpá and exonerate Ẹkùn.

The moral of this fable resonates deeply with the Nigerian experience: those who attempt to harm others often expose their own malicious nature. The article reflects on the past 56 days, marked by the abduction of 39 pupils and six teachers in Oriire Local Government, an event that plunged Nigeria into sorrow and momentarily unified its people. The author suggests that this shared experience of grief, much like the fable's resolution, highlights the dangers of deception and the eventual triumph of truth and justice.

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When you dig a pit for your enemy, don’t dig it too deep, for you may someday fall into it yourself. More fundamentally, those who attempt to destroy others often expose their own malicious nature.