The Blood Of Abel

“What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10). I am not sure that some people think thoroughly before taking rash actions with grave implications.

Killing a fellow human is a rash action that comes with grave implications if you are caught, and some people do get caught. Even if you get away with murder, there will be consequences at some point. Ifuen (antidote) cannot protect you forever.

You just kill fellow human beings for the flimsiest of excuses and assume you will get away with the act? The hot blood that ran through the veins of Abel still runs in the veins of many people and it does not delay. It cries to God for instant justice. Where there is delay, it is interim. Ultimately nemesis will catch up with the killer(s).

When Dr. Rahman Adedoyin, hotelier and proprietor of Oduduwa University in Osun State, decided to kill Timothy Adegoke, a post graduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, who consistently lodged in his hotel, he must have felt that it was another routine job.

Timothy was murdered in cold blood. His only crime was that he trusted and patronized Adedoyin’s hotel, enriching him from his comparative little resources. What Adedoyin did not know was that Timothy’s blood was not cold. It was red hot like Abel’s and in no time things started falling apart. It is not necessary to recall the details, but he has been sentenced to death.

As I was writing, the news came that the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has come out to debunk the rumour that he plans to pardon Adedoyin by exercising his prerogative of mercy. The governor has no choice. He is eying reelection and how he handles this case will partly determine his reelection bid. Nigerians have become increasingly critical and vigilant of those who govern them. Why use another man’s reggae to spoil your blues? Gov. Adeleke has to do what Timothy’s sympathisers expect of him.

There are two things I want to remind us of: the first is one of my favourite and often used quotes, “three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” Adedoyin’s accomplices’ squealed on him while his son is still at large. They did not want to go down with him. Two, always let your spouse, parents or family know your whereabout.

Timothy gave his wife details of his movement and that helped in solving the case. Any outing you cannot disclose to anyone is bend-bend waka. As a rule, my wife or family member must know my where about 24/7.  If it is in the office, I inform my colleagues. I developed the habit as a bachelor. While I was living alone, if I was going outside my usual routes, I would write where I was going to, who I was going to meet, put it in a sealed envelope, addressed it and placed on my table. There are some men who feel that it is a sign of weakness to tell your wife where you are going to. That is their choice and we are in a free world.

Our second case today is the General Overseer of Altar of Solution and Healing Assembly in Rivers State, Chidiebere Okoroafor. He has been sentenced to death for killing of his choir mistress, Orlunma Nwagba; her friend, Mrs. Chigozie Ezenwa and her 11-month-old baby, Christabel Ezenwa.

Those of us who believe that life starts at conception can add the unborn baby of Orlunma to those he killed to bring the number to four people. What was the reason for these senseless killings? Okoroafor impregnated Orlunma. Orlunma asked her friend to follow her to meet Okoroafor. Instead of owning up to his actions, he resorted to a killing spree. How he thought he could pull this off and get away with these murders still beats my imagination. He had probably never encountered a determined Nigerian Police Force.

He is not the first man of God or clergy to get entangled in a sex scandal. Some smart ones owned up and honourably resigned. But he is a hypocrite. He wanted to have his cake and eat it. In addition, he is not just running a church, but a business. The scandal that would have arisen from Orlunma’s pregnancy would have been injurious to his church/business. But it still would have been better than the killings. His lawyers’ grandstanding of appeal notwithstanding, I doubt if he can escape the hangman or lethal injection.

Our last case is a catechist. He killed his lover and kept the corpse for days before he was caught.  He might face the death penalty if convicted. What reputation was the catechist trying to protect? I have met some very pious catechists, one who lied a lot and another who stole church money. Some people who kill do not have an idea of how difficult it is to dispose of a corpse. My dog died some years ago. Burying it was a challenge.

There are no cemeteries in Nigeria where animals are buried. I felt if I buried it in the compound, neighbours across might feel I am performing rituals. I also felt that if I took the dead dog and buried it in the bush out of town, the owner of the land might just turn up and make trouble. If I buried it in an undeveloped plot of land, those who have developed theirs might feel I came to do rituals there and cause trouble. Things you consider simple and straightforward can easily become complicated.

I used to watch a crime and investigation channel. The evidence that nailed some culprits happened in the course of disposing of the corpse. It can be blood stains in the car booth. Some culprits washed their cars with bleach, thinking they had erased the evidence. In the course of investigation sniffer dogs, infrared lights and other special chemicals unearth the evidence. Tyre marks on lonely earth roads where the victims were buried also exposed some culprits.

Sex is a pleasurable human activity that God created. I have not been able to find words to fully describe the pleasure it gives. God created it to take place within marriage only, but its allure is so powerful that it has been impracticable to keep it within marriage from time immemorial. It is this spread that has put many people in trouble. Always remember that sex is a double edged sword. Before you engage in it, think of the downsides.

 I was listening to a YouTuber who advised that we should not allow our erection to dictate our direction in life. Erection here covers sexual urge of both sexes. Sexual urge is powerful. It makes people let down their guards. It makes wise people become foolish. It makes disciplined people become undisciplined. It makes pious people impious. Everyone owes himself/herself a duty to avoid getting into “yawa sex wahala” (sex that brings trouble). In addition, may God inflame the gift of self-control that he has given to us as an additional weapon against yawa sex. Amen.

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