The social media was agog last week because someone chose to act. A parent saw a terrible act and decided to intercept. This intercept has led to some actions and comments on her timeline as well as some blogs who publicised the story.

Of course the blame game was not left out of the whole episode. Teachers, parents and peers were apportioned a good chunk of the blame but these are faceless names. Anybody can be a teacher, parent, friend... anyone can be anything but not anyone can be you. Let’s take a look at your stake in this matter. Yes your stake in the sexual violence.

What would you have done if you were Michale Matthew?  Her account states that people were recording the act on their phones! These could have been males or females or both, and I ask to what end? Perhaps to project the rapists as heroes, or to permanently inflict the pain on the victims who apart from the physical and emotional trauma would have to deal with social trauma? Not being able to say ‘NO’ to any sexual advances because their suitor is armed with a video that shows her violation.  She wears the stigma that may as well predefine her career choice.... prostitution maybe? While the rapists gain bragging rights, priding self in being the one who condemned the girl to a life of prostitution, by so doing gaining sexually from girls seemingly running from such fate.

What would you have done as Michale Matthew, having two boys about the age of the victims; and have raised your boys the best way you can? Boys grow fall in love and bring home their soul mate for a blessing from you. One thing leads to another and the cat is let off the bag, you hear her story, you and your son exchange glances.... why? You could have helped her but you were preoccupied by the thoughts of going home to prepare your younger son for school entrance examinations. Your negligence stares you in the face, your negligence has come to live with you.  How many victims have we left to their fates? With an attitude that minds nothing more than our own selfish interests. We ask questions like ...why did they not wait in the school? Who knows what they did to earn such punishment?  Some even make such comments as ‘good for them’ just because you feel you are not directly concerned. In a country where it is increasingly becoming hard to know where someone comes from, where the boundaries of states and ethnic allegiances are being broken down by education, love and global integration, it is in your best interest to wear some concern daily as you just be fleeced by your own negligence.

As Michale Matthew having a daughter who just turned 18, ripe enough for the peering eyes of any man, young or old.  At that age not having a full understanding of the changes in her mind and body, probably without a clue as to what she’d do with her life... only to be waylaid by your classmates armed with scissors, ready for your resistance. Note that as classmates, we must have been friends at times, helped each other with homework understanding a topic or a subject at some time, now looking into the eyes of the same boy only to see him as a predator, a rapist. No help in sight rather being recorded for ridicule on social media...  what do you do? Take a walk to prepare for her milestone birthday? Stop and try to rescue this little girl because it could be your daughter, sister, niece or ward?  Stop because who knows, someone somewhere might stop to help your daughter if she ever finds herself in that situation? Stop and help because it is the right thing to do?

On enquiry, it is common knowledge that the incident isn’t strange to the environs. The teachers are aware, the parents are aware but it took a passer-by to stop and take action. Could the school authority have done anything about the situation? Could the parents have organised themselves to raise awareness? Is there any such thing as the PTA anymore? Are we more inclined to gathering ourselves together on weekends for parties looking with side eyes at who wore it better or whose jewelleries is fake and real, marking register for who could or could not afford the uniforms for the social gathering?

What is education if the teachers and school authority cannot rise and act for the emotional wellbeing of their students? Calling on the necessary authorities to provide security for students particularly on days when they are most vulnerable like the last day of school certificate exams and “Inter-house” sports days.  Imagine if security had been provided. By the way, the school in question is in close proximity to some security quarters. What did they even do? Isn’t it their job to protect citizens?

The society is made up of individuals. The individual who goes about talking about how he gets any woman he wants just by flaunting money, the one who is so vulgar in his talk with reckless abandon, the one who praises evil and perpetrates same, the one who has little regard for life, women and children; the one who is not disturbed by whatever happens provided him or his loved ones are not directly involved, the one whose life style of violence is in open display, or the one who knows that the fabrics of the society is woven each day by our conduct, our regard for values and the efforts we make to show every child around us that leading a descent life is worth more than violence.