Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Of evil and wickedness

TF, the moderator,

I agree with you in total.  It is immoral to rejoice when a perceived enemy or his child dies or has a misfortune. 

However, there are instances that Ogun, Sango, Esu etc in Yorubaland are believed to have punished some evil doers and people are warned not mourn deceased. By not mourning the deceased, doesn't it amount to rejoice that the evil one has been appropriately rewarded? Doesn't it  serve as a lesson to others who take delight in evil machinations? 

It is sad that Bola Tinubu lost his son. I grieved over it and I don't expect anyone to think his death serves as punishment to the family.  Death is a natural phenomenon that frustrate humans at a time we never anticipate it's wicked act. One good thing about death is that it is no respecter of anyone, whether rich or poor. 

But being human, religious people take solace in the hereafter. 

Segun Ogungbemi. 
Sent from my iPhone 

On Nov 2, 2017, at 1:46 PM, Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:

This message is eligible for Automatic Cleanup! (toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu) Add cleanup rule | More info

I have rejected postings commenting on the death of Tinubu's son in a negative manner.

 

I thought that all religions and cultures preach that one must never rejoice at this kind of misfortune. I was also taken aback when some people wished Buhari dead when he was sick.

 

Am I naïve? Or do I come from a different era?

 

I don't engage in politics; I have only voted once in my entire life and that was for Obama, first term. I don't associate with politicians. When my friends collect political appointments, I suspend the relationship. I don't do Obi's Zik or Kadiri's Awo! My heroes are Hogan Bassey, Dick Tiger, Fela, those who bring people from below together. I don't do ethnicity—I don't know the difference between an Hausa man or an Igbo man if both are poor.

 

That one disagrees with someone does not mean you want them to die or you want their sons to die. I don't know of any human being that can offend me to a level that I wont greet him or share a drink if invited. Serious disagreements are part of life, but rejoicing at the calamity of another is evil. It has no other name.

 

This new climate in Africa—of evil thinking—is going to set us further back. The development we seek cannot be outside of genuine love and compassion for other human beings. I don't like Trump as a politician, but I will never pray for him to lose his son. Indeed, I will cry were this kind of thing to happen.

 

TF

--
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.