A world in crises

Events around the world seem to point to the fact that the world is bracing for its doomsday and may be nearing its end soon. There are violence and terrorist attacks here and there, just as hunger, poverty and natural disasters have stagnated developmental efforts in many nations, while many other belligerents have been devastated by wars. EMMANUEL ADENIYI chronicles some of the frightening occurrences the world over and reports that man’s inhumanity, if not checked, could fast-track the fulfillment of prophecies about the world’s eventual end.

The documentary evokes the feelings of sadness, fear and empathy. With its lucid message, the impression created is that a bleak future awaits the world, and Nostradamus’ prophecy of the world plummeting into the abyss of crises may soon catch up with us all.

Entitled, “Syria: The Wounds of War” and broadcast on Aljazeera,  it wove together the compelling narrative of war in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR) and the groans of injured Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters who were brought to Germany for treatment after sustaining varying degrees of injury while fighting against President Bashar Assad government.

The conflagration in the country is still burning, consuming everyone it comes in contact with and has even transmogrified Syria into an ogre that eats its own at their prime.

The Western Asian country is a metaphor of global unrest that conjures up the “provisional existence” of a lot of people across the globe and their lack of faith in a glorious future, no thanks to global cataclysm. It also gives a surmise that no nation in the world is witnessing absolute peace, while peace – that priceless “commodity” – has become elusive that each country fights tooth and nail to have, albeit in vain.

The stark reality is that the world is reeling under the weight of crises. Besides, the enormity of global upheaval is so frightening that the “wars” and catastrophe mankind failed to end years back have turned a daemon poised to wipe it out of existence.  

It needs be said that ghommids in human form are here with us. They have commenced their art of warmongering – they start a war, set the pace for cataclysm and allow the hapless to bear the brunt, while they snicker behind them. 

Where humans are not directly responsible for disasters that kill in droves, nature – the punctilious but vindictive host – strikes where it hurts most to avenge its despoliation, while man, a mere tenant of this transient terrain, runs around in anguish. 

Terrorist attacks and indiscriminate bombing across the globeAside the Middle Eastern countries that have continued to witness the spate of terrorist attacks in the last few decades, countries in Africa, Europe, North America and parts of Asia have become a new haven for terrorists who detonate bombs at will leaving behind hundreds of dead people and many others who carry with them the permanent badge of disability. 

From Afghanistan to Iran, Iraq and other Arabian countries caught up in the vortex of killings and bloodletting, the bombers, mostly on suicide mission, have remained undaunted in their resolve to send many innocent lives to their early graves.

The March 2004 Madrid train bombing that left 191 people dead  and over 1,000 injured comes to mind readily. The same incident recurred in July 2005 when 53 persons were killed by four suicide bombers, while about 700 got injured in London multiple bombings. 

Scores of terrorist attacks have similarly been recorded in different parts of Europe in the last 10 years. The intensity of terrorist attacks on Europe and other parts of the world has clearly shown that these ghommids are relentless and their devilish mission is not race, tongue or territory-bound.

In Africa; Nigeria, Kenya and Somalia have not been finding it easy in the hands of Boko Haram and al-Shabab extremists. While Somalia has literally been grounded by al-Shabab and turned it to a failed state, the fear of the terror group is now the beginning of wisdom in Kenya, as it has bombed the country several times in the last few years to avenge Kenya’s intervention in Somali crisis. 

To put it succinctly, Kenya catches cold each time the ghommid of al-Shabab sneezes, while many eastern African countries, too, live under the perpetual fear of the Islamic terrorist group.

Nigeria, too, is still having a running battle with the daemon of Boko Haram – the twin brother of al-Shabab in West Africa.  Though the government has been claiming “victory” over the sect, its operations are getting daring by the day, and anytime it strikes, the country weeps.

China, Indonesia and India have been having their own share of terrorist attacks as well. The Urumqi market attack that left 31 people dead and scores injured recently signposts the murder of peace in the Asian country. Indonesia and India, too, cannot forget in a hurry the deadly attacks that al-Qaeda has caused in the countries. 

Poverty, starvation In other African countries with no history of Islamic terrorism, the rate of “terrorism” waged by hunger and poverty is unarguably frightening. From Zimbabwe to Eritrea, down to the Republic of Chad and Malawi, many live in want, as hunger – the “terrorism” of the belly – towers over their capacity to provide themselves food and other basic necessities of life. 

Asian, South American and some eastern European countries are not exempted from the scourge of poverty as well. Citizens in these countries battle with the “terrorism” of want, while many have even been reported to have died of extreme want.

Full-blown warsWhile some African countries such as South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR) and northern part of Mali have been thrown into a full-blown war, the international war between Ukraine and Russia is getting messier each passing day. The outcome of these wars, experts have warned, could even begin another in some other countries across the globe.

The Syrian debacle has proved unsolvable, despite efforts to end it by the world’s super powers. Since the war broke out, hundreds of people have lost their lives, while it may consume more as it rages on.

Stockpile of nuclear weaponsNorth Korea as well as other nations, like Iran, Pakistan, China, Israel, India, USA, France, Russia and Britain have been stockpiling nuclear weapons in the last few years, while many of them have been testing their weapons, possibly in readiness for war. The 2012  Federation of American Scientists’ (FAS’) estimate of nuclear warheads in the world puts the lethal weapons at over 17,000, while about 4,300 of them are reported to be ready for use. Perhaps, the world should pray against the detonation of another Little Boy and Fat Man – the two bombs – detonated over Japan in 1945, or other newly developed bombs, otherwise the world, like gas, might evaporate sooner than prophesied.   

Natural disastersThe list of countries that have witnessed natural disasters in the last few years is endless. Virtually every part of the world has experienced one natural disaster or the other. From Haiti to the recent flooding in the Balkans, nature has created an impression that it is unhappy with the mankind. Currently, scores of Turkish coal miners are still missing after an explosion caused a pit to collapse, killing at least 238 workers.

Organised crimes, gun attacksThe world currently sits on a keg of gunpowder, judging by the spate of organised crimes and gun attacks that have sent many to their early graves. Schools and public buildings are often attacked in the United States of America and Britain, as well as in many parts of Europe. The 2011 Norwegian mass attack by Anders Behring Breivik that left 77 persons dead is reminiscent of the precariousness of the world we live in.

Clerics reactSome clerics, who spoke with Sunday Tribune, said the happenings around the world were a clear indication that the end of the world was at hand.

The General Overseer of Holy Ghost Assembly Church, Ketu, Lagos, Reverend John Abiola, explained that the biblical prophecy stating that the end of the world would be heralded by catastrophic happenings was true, adding that Jesus Christ had predicted these terrible occurrences during His earthly ministry.

The Imam of Answarudeen mosque, Osogbo, Alhaji Suleiman Akewusola, also disclosed that Quran had foretold world crises, but charged Muslims to prepare themselves for the impending end, as nobody knew the exact time that this would happen.

The elusiveness of peace in the world With the level of crises in the world and man’s search for solutions in spite of the persistence of these crises, it is evident that peace has deserted the world. Even the world’s leading economies cannot claim exemption, as different challenges throw up themselves daily and gnaw at their efforts to make peace.

It needs be stressed that man’s activities are largely responsible for the elusiveness of peace across the globe. His inordinate ambition, greed and quest for power have compelled him to bite off more than he can chew as he rides roughshod over other people.

Shall we then say that the horrendous happenings in the world signpost that it is on the threshold of oblivion, or what? 

Whichever way, that Yoruba’s dictum is instructive for us all – Aye n lo, a n to o (the world trudges, we ‘humans’, follow).