Responding to Difficult Times in Nigeria
It has been a difficult time for us in Nigeria. The hurts and distresses reached a peak after October 20, when news of a massacre of peaceful protesters by the military at Lekki Toll Gate broke out. This was followed by serious unrest and violence all over Nigeria. Five people were killed less than two kilometers from my residence. Many more were reportedly killed elsewhere.
I had never seen such a horror in my entire life. It threw me into shock. I thought other Nigerian RCers might be in a similar state, so I quickly called our Regional Reference Person, Chioma Okonkwo, for permission to have a Zoom gather-in to enable us to discharge. I led the meeting with good support. My highlights were as follows:
- The relief of having people to Co-Counsel with after seeing gruesome killings via social media
- Discharging on chronic patterns related to police brutality that I’d never known were there
- A song, Great Nation, by Timi Dakolo that helped us to discharge
It was a timely and worthwhile gather-in. Thirty people attended, twenty-two of whom stayed until the end.
Enugu East LGA, Enugu State, Nigeria
(Present Time 202, January 2021)