Live to Tell the Story: The Futility of Dying for Others

In whatever you do in this life, don’t let anyone kill you. This might sound absurd, but it is the truth. A dead person can’t look back to see what happened, how they died, or what truly transpired. Even if they could, it would be filled with regret and "had I known" moments. You know, that kind of stuff.
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A dead person can’t possibly avenge themselves, even if justice is pursued on their behalf. It wouldn’t make any difference because death is final. So, the best course of action is to avoid any confrontation that poses a threat to your life. One of the biggest reasons to avoid being killed or maimed is that the person responsible might later repent and go scot-free, especially if they are high-profile individuals.

Many people have lost their lives, and at the end of the day, nothing happened. Most times, the family of the deceased receives compensation and moves on as if nothing ever occurred.

Why am I even writing about this? I was listening to a program on the network news when it was announced that one of our past heads of state, who ruled under a military regime, was launching a book about his time in office. The funny thing is that many politicians who were affected by his actions in one way or another were physically present at the occasion, as if they had forgotten what happened. Such is life, anyway.

The former head of state, Babangida, acknowledged that he was sorry for what happened during the June 12, 1993, election, when the presidential election was annulled despite a Yoruba man, Abiola, being declared the winner. However, Babangida not only cancelled the election but also arrested the declared winner. Abiola, who had won the hearts of the people, later died in prison, and his wife was also assassinated. Ironically, the very people who stood by him and suffered alongside him are the ones now benefiting from democracy.

What about those who lost their lives during the coups spearheaded by this same man who is now launching a book? Even the spokesperson for the event, Professor Osinbajo, spoke at length about how humans tend to forget and move on—especially when they are benefiting from the very oppression they once condemned. Everyone just laughed it off as if nothing had happened.

So, what does this teach us? No matter what, don’t kill yourself trying to please people. Some might say, "I would rather die than compromise," but if you die, life goes on, and the very people you die for will continue their lives—and possibly their atrocities. The best thing is to live and stay true to yourself.

Interestingly, the only past leader who didn’t attend the book launch was our immediate past president, Buhari. I guess he hasn’t forgotten what he went through during those turbulent times.