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The animal called dino

Published

6 years ago

March 9, 2020

By Tunde Odesola

Ever since I was a kid, the printed word held an amazing fascination for me than both the television and the cinema. In the last three years, you can hardly catch me seated before the mega screen of the cinema or the screen of the television. This isn’t to say I’ve grown to dislike the TV or the cinema. Nor is it because I now love news, sports, geographic documentaries, comedy, crime investigation and music less than I used to. It’s because globalisation is pushing Man to the cul de sac of hurtful individualism. Gone are the days when family members sit together to enjoy soaps on TV or series on radio or blockbusters at the cinema – no thanks to the emergence of phones, tablets, iPads etc as purveyors of digital video and audio services from online retailers such as Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Roku etc.

These new mass media dominators are eclipsing traditional print and electronic media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio and outdoor advertising. Today, there’s no radio station in the world I can’t access on my phone in real time. Today, my phone not only serves as a tool for wellness, calling, texting, buying and selling, travelling, research etc, I also have the full complement of all the stations on Xfinity live on it, availing me the opportunity of watching live football games, among many other amazing programmes.

Last week, I was browsing in the social media sea of my weather-beaten phone when a video sailed in onboard the ship called WhatsApp. Though the video wasn’t a documentary by National Geo Wild, it was, nonetheless, from the animal kingdom. In the video, a huge dinosaur was seen before a mirror in a cozy apartment. Dinosaur is a big word, you know. But most great things come in small packs. Because of my love for the printed word and for simplicity, I looked up the word ‘dinosaur’ in the dictionary to see if it has a short form and ‘dino’ popped up. Wow! So, the word ‘dino’ is the short form of dinosaur, I thought to myself as I suppressed a burst of laughter.

The dino in the luxurious apartment that looked like a hotel must have strayed in from the wild because it was clearly a misfit in the habitat. Strangely, when it opened its mouth, it began to sing like a human being. This stupid dino must have been overawed by mistakenly finding itself in a human environment and couldn’t help exhibiting the animalistic traits in it. With crooked fingers, the dino tried futilely to video itself in its new-found human environment, using a phone. It attempted to focus the camera of the phone it was holding on itself in a bid to show its face to the human world. But its wish won’t just materialise; the camera won’t lighten up the face of the animal. The pudgy fingers failed to capture the monster’s face on the phone’s camera. Or maybe the camera sensed rightly that the hand holding it was a beast’s, not a human’s – hence, in protest, it blurred the face of the dino into an evil mask unworthy to be shown to humanity. The animal also sang a song of sorrow in the background.

That was when I remembered the late Fuji maestro, Chief Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, in his 1981 evergreen album, ‘Suuru Baba Iwa’, which contains the classic song about the gorilla that wanted to become a human being. In Barrister’s tale, the gorilla failed to remain in isolation for seven days as God instructed it, jumping out to celebrate anticipatory victory on the sixth day of a seven-day miracle. Just like the gorilla in Barrister’s song failed to become a human being as a result of impatience, the dino in the WhatApp video fell short of exhibiting humanistic ideals because of insane greed as captured in the brainless song of lamentation that it sang.

This is the Yoruba song the dino broke into, “Bami gbe o (4x)/Bukata mi, enu mi ti fe, bami gbe(2x)” Translation: “Help me bear them (4x)/My financial commitments are enormous, help me bear them (2x).”

For believers in Darwin’s theory of evolution, the video could earn them bragging rights because it showed the dino replicating human’s manipulative trait. After the first few lines of its supplication to God for assistance in its financial obligations, the dino, in subsequent lines, revealed the real intention why it shot the video – to bask in the opulence of ill-gotten wealth. Knowing full well that children resonate with the masses, the dinosaur cleverly began by begging God for assistance in the payment of its children’s school fees and the payment of its staff salaries. Then it went ahead to the raison d’etre of the video, listing its houses in Dubai, USA and London as some of the financial obligations God should help it bear.

The madness is surely not in its early stages, it seems advanced. The madness gripped the dino by the scruff, seized its soul as it listed the cars in its garage to include Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, begging God to sustain its ostentatious and greedy lifestyle. As the foolish dino was singing about its perishable earthly possessions, it simultaneously showed off the apartment’s elegant interior, videoing the mirror, kitchen, television, trash can, carpet, chairs, lamps, stools, table, drinks, curtains, ashtrays, neighbourhood etc.

How much low can it sink? To think that this dino has no record of inheritance or industry to justify its profligate status highlights the degeneration in the zoo called Najria. To think that this dino was only a fledgling a few years ago and now shamelessly flaunts thousands of hectares of grassland with edible fruits, nuts, vegetables and game for gluttonous consumption show that some animals are shameless thieves, and this fact tears the heart asunder. To think that the dinosaur, who later became one of the leaders in the animal farm, could think and act worse than a maggot is quite disturbing.

I wish human beings can seize this dino and drag it to the psychiatrist for a comprehensive mental evaluation because it needs help urgently. Dinos are extinct creatures, we must keep this last dino alive to teach future generations our story of greed, stupidity, laziness, bigotry, gluttony, avarice, wickedness, deceit and corruption.

I just can’t stop pinching myself and asking, “How did this dino stray into humanity? How?”

Tunde Odesola is a seasoned journalist and a columnist with Punch newspapers

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Featured

Mother, Two Children Hospitalized As Urhobo-Itsekiri Crisis Claims Over 80 In Agbassa

Published

2 months ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A midnight raid by armed militants, believed to be of Itsekiri origin, has left the Urhobo Agbassa community in Warri, Delta State, shattered, with local reports estimating the death toll at over 80.

The attack, which began late on August 17 and stretched into the early hours of August 18, was marked by widespread arson, gunfire, and brutal killings.

Survivors say the assailants wielded cutlasses, guns, and other dangerous weapons, setting homes ablaze and slaughtering those unable to escape in what authorities suspect is an escalation of the long-standing ethnic conflict.

In addition to the more than 80 feared dead, dozens were injured, and entire families displaced. “They destroyed everything,” one eyewitness said. “Our community has been reduced to ashes.”

The profound human cost is embodied by Ms. Folorunso Edijana Patience, a resident of London Opi Street. She was at home with her children, Ayomide Covenant and Omolade Precious, when the militants struck.

In a desperate bid to save her family, Patience fled into the thick forest along the Warri–Sapele Road. “I just ran with my children in the dark. We didn’t know if we would survive,” she recounted to local authorities. By dawn, Patience and her children emerged from the forest, bloodied and wounded. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors described their condition as critical.

Her trauma deepened when she learned that her elder brother, Oghenejakpo Daniel, and younger brother, Oghenejakpo Victor, were killed in the massacre.

“This family has been devastated,” one hospital staff member said. “She escaped with her children, but she lost her brothers, her home, and her peace.”

Doctors at the initial hospital warned that the injuries sustained by Patience and her children could worsen without advanced treatment.

The family was later transferred to the Specialist Hospital in Asaba, where their condition remains serious.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police led a delegation to the hospital, acknowledging the severity of the survivors’ situation.

Security operatives from both the Nigerian Police and the Army have since launched joint patrols in the area.

The attack has drawn condemnation from human rights groups and diaspora organizations. Amnesty International described the violence as “barbaric and indiscriminate,” while international outlets, including CNN and the BBC, have highlighted the massacre as part of Nigeria’s deepening communal conflicts.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a press statement, called the killings “an assault on humanity” and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

For Ms. Patience, however, justice feels distant. With her children injured and her brothers buried in mass graves, she is left with the same question haunting many in Urhobo Agbassa: where do we go from here?

Featured

Survivor Narrates Narrow Escape As 87 Killed In Agbassa Mascara

Published

2 months ago

August 21, 2025

Editor

The Urhobo Agbassa community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State has been plunged into mourning after a night of unimaginable horror left over 87 people dead and dozens more missing.

Armed militants, widely believed to be of Itsekiri origin, launched a coordinated midnight attack that reduced homes to ashes and shattered countless lives.

Survivors described the attack as a scene from hell — gunshots, screams, and flames lighting up the night sky.

“It was like the world ended in a single night,” one police officer told reporters.

“There were bodies everywhere — children among them — burned beyond recognition.”

Among those who narrowly escaped death is Mr. Asidje Akporuaro, a 34-year-old Urhobo man whose life turned into a nightmare simply because he refused to join the militants.

For months, Akporuaro said he had been pressured to enlist in the militants’ campaign for control of oil-rich territories around Warri.

According to him, when he resisted, the threats began.

“They told me I knew too much about them,” he recounted in a trembling voice. “They said if I didn’t join, they would kill me — and they meant it.”

His fear became reality on the night of August 15, 2025 when the attackers stormed Agbassa, targeting his home specifically.

“They came straight for my house,” he said. “They weren’t just attacking the community — they came to finish me,” he narrated.

With only seconds to spare, Akporuaro grabbed his two eldest children — Okeoghene and David — and fled into the darkness.

They hid near a riverbank, listening to the crack of gunfire and the screams of neighbors being slaughtered.
Hours later, they were found, beaten severely, and left for dead.

An eyewitness described the scene:
“I saw him lying on the ground, soaked in blood. They had beaten him and left him to die,” he said. “I shouted, but there was no help.”

Akporuaro was rushed to a local clinic before being transferred to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed he had sustained severe internal injuries from the assault. He remains in critical condition.

A doctor at the hospital, who asked not to be named, said:
“His case is one of the worst we’ve seen.”

Since the attack, Mr. Akporuaro has gone into hiding. His home was burned to the ground, and his family now lives in constant fear.
“I don’t have a place to stay,” he said. “Every night, I hide in different places because I know they are still looking for me. If they find me, they will kill me.”

He added, “I can’t even go to the police station — I don’t know who to trust. My only wish is for my family to survive this.”

Local sources confirmed that several residents who had previously refused to cooperate with the militants have either disappeared or been killed. Security forces say they are investigating the allegations but admit that the terrain and scale of the violence have made it difficult to track the attackers.

The Agbassa Massacre has sparked widespread outrage. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, condemned the killings as “a grotesque violation of human dignity.” Protests have erupted in London and Toronto, where diaspora groups demanded accountability from Nigerian authorities.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a statement from Abuja, described the killings as “a senseless act of terror” and ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to Delta State. Yet, for survivors like Akporuaro, hope remains faint.

This latest atrocity has revived painful memories of the Okuama Massacre of 2024, where 17 soldiers and more than 100 civilians were killed in another oil-linked conflict. A recent documentary by News Central TV, titled “One Year After the Okuama Tragedy: Where Do Survivors Stand?”, questioned how many displaced families have truly found safety.

For Mr. Akporuaro, the question feels deeply personal.
“I lost everything — my house, my peace,” he said quietly. “Now I live every day just trying not to die.”

As aid agencies struggle to reach the affected areas, the Agbassa community remains a ghost town — empty streets, burnt roofs, and the lingering smell of smoke.

“This community has been broken,” said one displaced elder. “We have nowhere left to go. Only God can help us now.”

Featured

Over 200 Killed In Yelewata Massacre As Survivors Grapple With Fear, Loss, And Trauma

Published

4 months ago

June 15, 2025

Editor

The village of Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, has become the latest site of mass tragedy in Nigeria following a coordinated overnight attack by suspected armed herdsmen that left more than 200 people dead and dozens more injured and displaced.

The attack, which took place in the early hours of June 14, targeted Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) shelters and residential homes in the area. Eyewitnesses account say the assailants stormed the community from multiple entry points, torching homes, opening fire on sleeping residents, and trapping many inside burning buildings.

Local security volunteers described the scene as “a war zone,” with charred bodies recovered from the remains of burnt homes and many still unaccounted for. Entire families were wiped out in what locals now refer to as “a night of hell.”

The Benue State Government has confirmed the killings and has called for increased federal security presence in the region. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during a visit to Benue on June 16, condemned the killings as “senseless bloodletting” and promised that “those responsible will be brought to justice.” The attack has since drawn sharp condemnation from Amnesty International, local civil society groups, and human rights observers.

– A Family Torn Apart, Twice –

Among the survivors is Olumide Michael Makinde, a 39-year-old father of two who says this is the second time he has narrowly escaped death in Nigeria.

Makinde was living in Owo, Ondo State, in 2022 when St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church was attacked during Pentecost Sunday Mass. Over 50 worshippers were killed in the Owo church massacre, including his stepfather, Mr. Maxmillian Ogunleye. His mother was among the dozens injured and left permanently incapacitated.

“The whole town was shaking. I lost my father. My mother never walked again after that,” Makinde recalled.

Fearing for their safety, Makinde, his pregnant wife, and their young son fled Owo in the aftermath of the attack and settled in Yelewata, where they hoped to start over. The family began farming, enrolled their first child in school, and welcomed a new baby girl in January 2023. For a while, peace returned, until the massacre of June 14 changed everything.

Makinde recounted the horrifying night his family was torn apart once again.

“We were sleeping when we heard gunshots. Everything was on fire. People were screaming. I grabbed my son and ran into the bush. My wife, holding our baby, ran in another direction,” he said.

Hours later, at dawn, he found his wife bleeding and crying, lying in a pool of blood. She had been raped by two attackers while hiding in the bush.

“She survived only because she was holding our baby,” he said, visibly shaken.

Makinde rushed her to a nearby hospital while the fires still raged in Yelewata. When he returned to what used to be their shelter, it was gone. So was nearly every home in the area. The camp had been burned to ashes, entire families reduced to nothing but smoke and silence.

– No Place Left to Run –

Today, the Makinde family, like many others in Yelewata, is devastated, emotionally, physically, and psychologically. The trauma of surviving two massacres has left deep scars.

“We have nowhere to go. We’ve run twice. We’ve lost everything. My wife… she can’t even talk about what happened,” Makinde said, holding back tears.

Their belongings, livelihood, and sense of peace have all been lost, first in Owo, now in Benue. More than anything, the family says they live in fear. The fear of what might come next. The fear of being forgotten. The fear of being attacked again.

“People think we’re just IDPs,” he added. “But we are people who have been hunted twice.”

For survivors like the Makindes, the massacre at Yelewata is more than just another tragic headline. It is a daily reminder of how fragile life has become in many parts of Nigeria, where homes are turned to graves, and families carry trauma they may never fully recover from.