Mohbad: Speaking Above The Whispers – By Adeolu Oyebode
By Adeolu Oyebode, Fountain Newsbreaker
There are alot of persons experiencing what #mohbad experienced, currently all over the world. Truly, he reported to the Police and also sang songs, but “in the street way”, where he belonged, he was only “whispering”. He didn’t speak out. He didn’t speak to the right persons. He was a good boy, childish and very soft, “for the street”.
Well, I’m not a street boy, but I had a very great experience of how the street looks like between 2005 and 2012 as a fully trained streetwise activist. Mind you, I was never a cultist. I do not encourage anyone to be one. As an activist, I condemn it both privately and publicly, maybe because I wasn’t trained to know the benefits. I heard loudly the disadvantages of joining them from my father and all my mentor-figures. However, I still respect anyone’s decision to join any fraternity they belong, it’s a personal interest. The student activist groups I belonged were more intellectual and ideological demanding for me and my close disciples. We had an array of Programs, Trainings and Mentorship that kept us too busy and tired all along. I thank all those who mentored me those era, Olalekan Soyombo, Adedayo Owolabi, Deji Oso, Damilare David Akinsola. I also appreciate all the Generals who collected the leadership torch and sustained the progressive ideological training till date. It has really helped us. All thanks to God.
Alongside other comrades, I was called an Intelligent Jew (ITJ) by the street over those years. It took me a while to know the meaning. Whether, it is correct or not, I was made to know that the street recognises the Jews as “Children of God/The non-conformists/The good guys”. But some of us were intelligent Jews. We understand the seasons and times, like the biblical sons of Isacchar. Those who spent time and enjoyed this privilege of “ITJ” are not much. It’s a privilege and responsibility. A responsibility to manage all interests to ensure peace.
Let me also say in clear terms that while almost all these street groups advocate for FREEDOM, EQUITY, JUSTICE, PEACE, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT and CULTURAL PROMOTION, the place of violence is more of the “individuality” of such groups and the nature of the leader per time.
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There are very good street brothers. There are very humble ones. There are very loving brothers. Some are very empathetic. Some are so kind. Infact, if care is not taken, you’d volunteer to join the street because of their kind hearts. It is what it is.
Yet, like the human nature, for every good group, there are always bad people and for every bad associations, there are good people.
My knowledge of the street also grew when I had a brief stint in political office. The distinctive roles of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The most of all of these knowledge was when I joined the Nigerian law enforcement system. It is well!
From all of my understandings, I can tell you for free that “Just as there is hierarchy in Heaven, also is in Hellfire”. In the Street, no matter how bad that street-lord is, there is a badder-good super street-lord, who would call that bad street-lord to order. That’s the standard in the street. THERE ARE ALSO SOME ITJs who can speak with the Bad street guys and they’d honour their words. I can’t recall the number of ladies that we saved from the clutches of campus underworld back then.
THERE IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE IN THE STREET. IT IS THE STREET CODE!
Even to ensuring peace on campus, it was an honour and respect that there were very limited clashes during my activism days in campus. To God’s Grace alone, my ideological family provided support to alot of students from various level of dangers, crimes, educational and emotional challenges. Including our street brothers, some are doing very fine today, because of our streetwise intelligence in helping them through their educational path.
The music industry is not an exception. Teni Makanaki was affirmative in one of her lyrics
I go go Oshodi for your case
I go call Agbero for your case
I go call MC Oluomo
I go report all of them
…it was a street matter. Not a Police station affair.
The simple truth. Because even the Police would use the street to investigate and bring culprits to justice. The Police knows all the information on the street and keep tabs on all street Lords. That’s why I can tell anyone authoritatively that the Nigerian Police is on top of any security situation. The Police have all the capacity, capabilities and trainings to unravel any crime in Nigeria. Its just that Nigerians undermine her police system. We are one of the best in the world. If you say the Police is corrupt, I can give you instances in the West. If you say the Police us brutal, I can give you instances in the so-called saner climes. They just do not publicise theirs like ours on the social space.
Fast forward post-Teni, is “Portable” the musician. Do you remember that this same Sam Larry had threatened to attack Portable, when he said he knows 1million boys. Portable had been bullied a couple of time but he spoke above the whispers. He ran to MC Oluomo. He reported to prominent streetwise Kings in Lagos (names withheld). The Portable way is the only recognised way in the Street- REPORTING TO HIGHER AUTHORITY.
I might be wrong, I have this feeling that if Ilerioluwa had reported to Senior Men in the street, even within the entertainment industry, Sam Larry and Naira Marleys of this world would have forgiven him of whatever offence he had committed that is unknown to us. I think he would have got his freedom faster.
I do not intend to say with this post, that Nigerians should not report any matter to the Police, No. I’m saying that if you know that your conflict is linked to the street where whatever you do is classified, why not exhaust all internal measures using the Street Code?
