Timaya: Remembering Odi Massacre
If you have been to Nigeria recently; there is a new rave in town…down with the Dbanj, Tuface and the PSquare's of this world. Timaya is the shiznit! Hate me if you want - Timaya is hawt like fire!! All Timaya’s songs are on heavy rotation on my cd playa. One particular song got stuck in my head and everytime I replay “Dem Mama”, it brings to mind the attrocieties of a mindless and ruthless Obasanjo’s regime. Why do we want to rehash these issues? We need to spotlight the evils in our society…so as to hold accountable a civilian regime who threw all caution to the winds; for laying a human habition to waste…for unleashing the animalism of the military on Odi because a crime was commited.
The Odi massacre was an attack carried out on November 20, 1999 by the Nigerian military on the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa State. The attack came in the context of an ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta over indigenous rights to oil resources and environmental protection.
Prior to the massacre, twelve members of the Nigerian police were murdered by a gang near Odi, seven on November 4 and the remainder in the following days. Pursuing those responsible, the military invaded, exchanged fire, and then proceeded to indiscriminately attack the civilian population and the town's buildings. Every building in the town except the bank, the Anglican church and the health center was burned to the ground.
A wide range of estimates was given for the numbers of civilians killed. Human Rights Watch concluded that "the soldiers must certainly have killed tens of unarmed civilians and that figures of several hundred dead are entirely plausible. Environmental Rights Action claims that nearly 2500 civilians were killed. The Nigerian government, in their spin, initially put the death toll at 43, including eight soldiers.
While Obasanjo is now cooling his feet at Otta Farms after vacating office; enjoying the spoils of our nation and being allowed to show-case, flaunt his ill-gotten wealth, and talk gibberish whenever he deems fit, Timaya’s song reminds us all of this crime against humanity; the killing, maiming and raping of over three thousand innocent and defenseless women, children and men committed on the orders of a neo-fascist despot.
I honestly hope that one day, our ex-government officials will be put on trial for this, and for the other heinous crimes that have been committed against our nation. How any human being can sanction this sort of massacre, especially in a 'democracy' is way beyond my imagination.
Read more on Odi Massacre -“HERE
Enjoy Timaya "Dem Mama"!
The Odi massacre was an attack carried out on November 20, 1999 by the Nigerian military on the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa State. The attack came in the context of an ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta over indigenous rights to oil resources and environmental protection.
Prior to the massacre, twelve members of the Nigerian police were murdered by a gang near Odi, seven on November 4 and the remainder in the following days. Pursuing those responsible, the military invaded, exchanged fire, and then proceeded to indiscriminately attack the civilian population and the town's buildings. Every building in the town except the bank, the Anglican church and the health center was burned to the ground.
A wide range of estimates was given for the numbers of civilians killed. Human Rights Watch concluded that "the soldiers must certainly have killed tens of unarmed civilians and that figures of several hundred dead are entirely plausible. Environmental Rights Action claims that nearly 2500 civilians were killed. The Nigerian government, in their spin, initially put the death toll at 43, including eight soldiers.
While Obasanjo is now cooling his feet at Otta Farms after vacating office; enjoying the spoils of our nation and being allowed to show-case, flaunt his ill-gotten wealth, and talk gibberish whenever he deems fit, Timaya’s song reminds us all of this crime against humanity; the killing, maiming and raping of over three thousand innocent and defenseless women, children and men committed on the orders of a neo-fascist despot.
I honestly hope that one day, our ex-government officials will be put on trial for this, and for the other heinous crimes that have been committed against our nation. How any human being can sanction this sort of massacre, especially in a 'democracy' is way beyond my imagination.
Read more on Odi Massacre -“HERE
Enjoy Timaya "Dem Mama"!
posted by NigeriaPolitricks.com | 1:45 PM
7 Comments:
Timaya is currently is right on jare
Dem mama, forreals!
Timaya is the rave now abi?
He is cool tho.
Happy new year and why u come threaten me for my blog?lol!
When I heard that song, i was wondering what on earth he was talking about and I thought initially that it was something fictional but based on the abuse of the Niger Delta.
I don't know if I am more alarmed that even though I was in the country at that time, I never heard about it or that nothing has been done to compensate for it or to prevent such in the future
It is quite inspiring that our artists are documenting our history through good music. This way, we can never forget that tragedy that the less fortunate have faced and continue to face everyday in Nigeria. Give me rebel music anyday!
To those that have fallen....
Ooops, thanks for nominating your Person of 2007. If you have any other nominees make sure to share them!
wow, this is a great song, very touching. Have never heard it, nor have I heard of Timaya, but then again, I'm behind on ny naija jams, besides Yahooze which noone could ignore. And as solo said, it's good to hear some good ol' rebel music is becoming mainstream again.
And I sincerely hope that some more Nigerians take it upon themselves to continue documenting these crimes against humanity and speaking for the voiceless. Thanks for blazing the trail!
haba, update nah. Me i want to hear your thoughts on 'revolution'....
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