Monuments and Memory: Reflections of History in Our Present World.

History is not just about events and dates, but it's about the impact and legacy and the lesson learned most especially. Every part of the world has different histories, and some of these histories shaped how things are being done in the world today. Some of these things used in remembering history are monuments, because the sight of them tells a story about what happened in the past. Monuments give us the picture of the past in the present world. However, some history depicts harmful or horrible occurrences that happened years back, like war, slavery, oppression, etc., while some history depicts courage and people who made extraordinary lasting impacts.

Now, the question is:

Should society continue to recognize and celebrate people who have controversial legacies by erecting monuments in their honor? From my perspective, I believe the things around us have a way of affecting us either positively or negatively; they shape our thoughts and also connect with our emotions. Mounting a statue of an individual whose legacies remind us of suffering, injustice, or pain have a way of dealing with our emotions when we come across them in our societies. For this reason, erecting such a monument should not be encouraged because of our overall well-being.

Taking you down memory lane, I recalled a TV documentary/adventure. The show is about slavery and how those people are inflicting suffering on people because, as they are talking, they are also showing us the monuments that were erected to give more clarity about everything that happened. Watching it sent a cold shiver down my spine; I could feel the pain they endured. Even after the show ended, the images and stories lingered in my mind throughout the day, because I'm an emotional person. They cause pain for other people because they are in pursuit of POWER. Imagine mounting that type of monument with a painful history in a public place; I'll keep feeling bad anytime I come across it.

I believe a public monument should bring about reflection, victory, and inspiration instead of pain. And in our world today, I noticed that the majority of the monuments around us are of good value, and they bring meaningful contributions to the society instead of harm. These are people who made sacrifices and fought for freedom through selflessness. This made me remember the Fajuyi Memorial Park in Ekiti. The first day I saw his statue, I asked questions about it, and I was told about the courage and sacrifice he made in the society; he's indeed a great hero. Though I feel sad because he was killed for being loyal, I am glad at the same time that he laid down a good legacy.

The majority of these monuments are for teaching purposes, but it's best to be in black and white or kept in a place far away from the society, like a monument park or historical park where people visit once in a while for educational purposes. With everything I've highlighted, erecting a monument of individuals whose history reminds us of pain or oppression will make it seem as if we are celebrating them and also support their actions, and this will pass a bad message to the present and upcoming generation.

^{This is my entry for hive-learner prompt for week 204, episode 02}.

^{Image belong to me}

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