Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Agbedo is a Professor of Linguistics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and contributing analyst to USAfrica
Retired Colonel Hassan Stan-Labo, a Nigerian security consultant and defence strategist, appeared on Arise News TV Morning Show, on January 3, 2024.
Little did the viewers have any inkling of the heart-wrenching sobs that were in the offing, threatening to sear the soul of a soldier until he came to the sticky point of trying to wrap his head around the seemingly elusive terrorism fight. It left many wondering why it is so difficult to fix Nigeria’s insecurity mess.
“Buhari failed; Tinubu is failing,” emotional Colonel Stan-Labo spoke, sobbing out his grief and frustration at the apparent lack of political will to tackle the menace. “We are beginning to witness a semblance of what happened in the last administration. The political will is weak. One would have expected the Commander-in-Chief to come out in helicopter in a military gear to assure villagers that ‘we can get this rubbish done with,’ and even talking to the service chiefs to produce perpetrators of the dastard act. This is the sort of decisiveness we expect from the Commander-in-Chief. Is it so difficult to crush these guys? What is happening?” At that breaking-point, the Colonel snorted out a tremulous ‘Kei!’ and stopped suddenly. Starring blankly into the studio cameras, the emotionally-quaking soldier started working his teeth around the orifice, his mouth gaping and closing intermittently like a stranded fish on the beach. Within that brief interlude, he flashed his even row of teeth in a mechanical parody of a strained grin, his lips trembling involuntarily as he struggled unsuccessfully to conceal the tortuous emotional volcano racking him. Eventually, when he managed to resume his speech few seconds later, the retired Colonel merely blubbered all through for the next few minutes, agonizing over the perennial human carnage on the Plateau. The once-vibrant communities have become a tragic spectre of killing fields and mass graves. The poignance of these silent witnesses tell excruciating stories of lives cut short and lumped together like a jumbled pie in unmarked (resting?) places; painful narratives of families torn apart, and communities left in despair, miseries, travails, and tribulations.
Col Stan-Labo’s sobs agonized over the killing fields and mass graves that bear testament to a profound crisis that extends beyond the physical realm, echoing the deeper impact on the collective soul of a society. Mass graves, often unmarked and hidden from plain sight, embody a sombre reality. The lack of recognition for individual lives lost in these communal unrestful places reflects a dehumanizing aspect of the tragedies that led to their creation. In the face of mass graves, the dignity of the deceased is stripped away. The absence of proper burial rites and the anonymity of these final ‘resting’ places compound the tragedy, underscoring the devaluation of human life in the throes of violence and conflict. Mass graves stand as stark reminders of a society where empathy is eroded. The sheer scale of these burial sites numbs the collective conscience, making it easier to overlook the individual stories, dreams, and aspirations buried beneath the soil. Col Labo’s tears underscore the unsettling message that repeated exposures to killing fields and mass graves can lead to a desensitization that corrodes the innate compassion within communities. The shock and horror that should accompany such discoveries gradually give way to a needless acceptance, marking a silent retreat of humanity. The soldier’s sobs address the silent griefs of victims’ relatives. In the midst of killing fields and mass graves, the air is heavy with the heart-wrenching cries of relatives who grapple with the unbearable weight of loss. These anguished voices tell a story of pain, despair, and the profound impact that violence has etched into the fabric of families and communities. Relatives of victims often find themselves navigating a lonely path of grief. The weight of loss is accentuated by the silence that surrounds it – a silence that echoes in the absence of their loved ones and reverberates in the haunting landscapes of killing fields. The cries of relatives carry the burden of unanswered questions. In the absence of empathy and justice, the grief is compounded by the ambiguity surrounding the fate of their loved ones. The search for truth becomes a relentless journey fueled by desperation and the need to honour the memories of those lost. Col Stan-Labo’s sobs mirror the heart-rending echoes of grief and cries of relatives in the wake of killing fields and mass graves, which form a haunting symphony that reverberates through the annals of human history. The tears shed light on the often choregraphed hollow promises and empty rhetoric of the government that usually accompany the grisly theatre of killing fields and mass graves on the Plateau.
In the light of Colonel Hassan Stan-Labo’s emotional breakdown during a live television show, it becomes pertinent to unpack the metaphoricity of a soldier’s tearful sobs in the face of the unfolding ugly scenario of Plateau’s killing field and mass grave imageries. In a poignant moment on national television, Retired Colonel Stan Labo couldn’t hold back hot tears, becoming a metaphorical depiction of anguish and frustration as he bemoans Nigeria’s descent into killing fields and mass graves. For me, Colonel Labo’s tears provide a metaphorical lens through which one encapsulates the collective grief felt by many Nigerians in the face of escalating violence, killing fields, and mass graves. His emotional display serves as a cruel representation of the nation’s pain and anguish. This emotional plea underscores the deep-rooted pain experienced by those who have dedicated their lives to the nation’s security. Colonel Stan Labo, a retired military officer, unveils the emotional toll of witnessing Nigeria’s tragedy. His tears bear witness to the heartbreak of a seasoned soldier who has dedicated his life to protecting the Nigerian people, only to witness their descent into chaos. Labo’s sobs echo the collective pain of the Nigerian state grappling with unmitigated violence and attendant avoidable loss of lives and property. His emotional plea transcends individual sorrow, embodying the shared grief felt by countless citizens who yearn for a return to peace and stability. Colonel Labo’s tears serve as a powerful wake-up call, demanding urgent action to address the root causes of the killing fields and mass graves. His emotional plea transcends political boundaries, emphasizing the human cost of the crisis and the imperative for decisive measures. By shedding tears on national television, Labo amplifies the voices of those affected by the violence. His emotional display brings attention to the urgency of the situation, urging both the government and the international community to prioritize the safety and well-being of Nigerian citizens. As a resonance of empathy, Labo’s tears create a profound connection with his audience.
In sharing his vulnerability, he bridges the gap between the military and civilians, fostering empathy and a shared sense of responsibility in the face of Nigeria’s deepening crisis. The emotional display on national television mobilizes public sentiment. Labo’s tears become a catalyst for collective action, encouraging citizens to demand accountability, transparency, and comprehensive strategies to end the violence plaguing their nation. Colonel Stan Labo’s tearful plea serves as a catalyst for advocacy. His emotional expression becomes a powerful tool for inspiring change, influencing public discourse, and pushing for the necessary reforms to restore peace and security in Nigeria. In laying bare his emotions on national television, Labo unveils the human toll of Nigeria’s crisis. His tears remind the nation that behind every statistic, there are real lives, real families, and real pain – a poignant reminder of the urgency to prioritize humanity over political considerations. The tears humanize the crisis, breaking down the stoic image often associated with military figures. By showing vulnerability, Colonel Labo underscores the human toll of the violence, emphasizing that behind the statistics are real lives, families, and a profound sense of loss. Labo’s tears symbolize a broader discontent within the military ranks. His emotional response reflects the frustration and disillusionment that some members of the armed forces may feel when leadership fails to provide the expected guidance and support in times of crisis. Labo’s emotional breakdown has the potential to impact the morale of military personnel. When a high-ranking officer expresses frustration, it may resonate with those on the ground, potentially affecting their motivation and sense of purpose in addressing security challenges. The emotional display on a public platform conveys a message of discontent to the broader public. Labo’s tears serve as a visible expression of frustration and disappointment, prompting public discussion on the perceived inadequacies in the government’s response to the Plateau carnage. Labo’s tears highlight a demand for leadership empathy. His frustration stems from the belief that the President’s physical presence at the scene of the carnage would convey a sense of understanding, empathy, and commitment to addressing the plight of the victims. The emotional breakdown becomes a form of advocacy for holding the President accountable for his response to the security crisis. Labo’s tears send a powerful message that leaders must actively engage with the human impact of such tragedies, beyond mere policy or administrative measures. In essence, Colonel Stan Labo’s emotional breakdown is a touching expression of frustration, demanding a more compassionate and responsive leadership in the face of the Plateau carnage and the broader security challenges in Nigeria.
Colonel Stan Labo’s tears, a soldier’s poignant response to the victims of the serial carnage on the Plateau, underpin the profound emotional toll that relentless violence inflicts. His tears, laden with the weight of witnessing tragedy and loss, convey a narrative that goes beyond military duty, reaching into the realm of shared humanity. Labo’s tears reflect the sorrow of a soldier who has witnessed the grim reality of serial carnage on the Plateau. The emotional response unveils the human side of military service, where duty and compassion intersect. The tears serve as a testament to the soldier’s compassion amidst the harsh realities of conflict. Labo’s emotional reaction underscores that, beyond the battlefield, soldiers are profoundly affected by the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire. Colonel Labo’s tears express a shared grief with the victims and their families. In that moment, he becomes a conduit for the collective pain felt by those directly impacted by the serial carnage, highlighting a bond that transcends uniform and civilian attire. Colonel Labo’s tears shift the narrative beyond cold statistics. Each tear represents an unspoken story of lives lost, families shattered, and the harsh realities faced by those directly impacted by the serial carnage. It emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the human cost of conflict. As a retired officer, Labo’s tears symbolize the weight of leadership responsibility. His emotional response suggests a deep sense of responsibility for the safety and well-being of those he once led, emphasizing the enduring impact of violence on both soldiers and civilians. On a final note, Colonel Stan Labo’s tears stand as a powerful testament to the emotional toll exacted by serial carnage on the Plateau. They bridge the gap between the uniformed and the civilian, uniting all in the shared pain of conflict and advocating for a more compassionate and proactive approach to resolving the underlying issues.
Hey! Is anyone listening to the spattering downpour of a soldier’s tears? Perhaps, there seems to be no respite in sight yet for the soldier’s tears as newspaper reports suggest that killings Plateau had not abetted in spite of presidential assurances and marching orders to the service chiefs. There are headline reports of killings of an Imam, (which bear the rage of reprisal attacks that has the grave potential of eliciting more killings in hundreds), an Okada rider, and the burning of a monarch’s palace in Bokkos by enraged women protesting, alleged, arrests of ‘victims’ of the 2023 Christmas season massacre.
All these represent disquieting optics for the unending human carnage on the Plateau.
Will Col. Hassan Stan-Labo’s painful sobs ever cease?
Only time will tell.
