PLEASE KINDLY LEAVE THEM ALONE

Caleb Zadok

(07034655913)

I had an experience about two weeks ago at Abuja. We went on our usual day to day activities; on one of the hot afternoons we were thirsty going along airport road we saw these vendors selling water and other products on the roadside and to our amazement they began to run away from us instead of selling their wares.

With a little calculation I was able to understand that they mistook us for task force that normally harass them on the road and seizing their wares. All efforts to convince them that we are not the task force they presume us to be proved abortive: The question is, why should the government intimidate and humiliate those people trying to earn their living in a legal way when there are a lot of graduates out there among them who have been denied jobs just because they have no one to stand by them and to help them. The security challenge we encounter today should be a big lesson to the authorities, a lot of prominent Nigerians including the US has opined that part of what is happening in some parts of the North is caused by poverty;  in a way I seem to agree with that even thought I condemn in its entirety the actions of these people who express their frustrations and grievances taking peoples' lives and maiming others however, one thing our leaders should know is that, the more they continue to enrich themselves and widen the gap between the poor and the rich, they are equally endangering themselves and the future of their children and of the entire nation. 

With the way our nation is greatly endowed with both mineral, natural and human resources which is being enjoyed by only few who have created so much gap, I doubt if the peace we are ever looking for will come our way.

I say please leave those vendors alone to earn their living. Which is easier? hawking on the street or becoming men of the underworld terrorizing people? 'Tis a big question for the leaders to answer. I say again leave them alone to earn their living and do not trouble them any longer for it is better to hawk the way they do than lacking what to do and start hunting everybody both on the road and at home. The choice is our leaders'.