The gruesome murder of Celine Ndudim and her Ghanaian friend Afibah Tandoh should serve as a big lesson for young ladies of this age and time. The two had embarked on a visit to a supposed facebook friend called Andrew Amaechi in Aba, Abia state. Unfortunately, nobody knows the whereabouts of both since then. It is believed that Andrew Amaechi has murdered both and harvested their organs for rituals. This indeed is the ignored danger in hookup business. The death of the duo was avoidable. Amaechi, the owner of Black Sheep Group, like Hushppupi, regularly flaunts his wealth on the internet. Incidentally, that was his antics and unique selling point considering that most girls are attracted to glamour and affluence. The recurring incident of raping and killing of girls who embarked on this manner of suicide mission is not new.
That notwithstanding, a good number of other girls are still warming up for new and upcoming travels. Do not be surprised that your daughter in the university has severally paid a visit to a man she met on the internet living many kilometers away. The prevalence of this and many more awful happenings demonstrates the dangerous trend driving the world we live in today. Now, going by the way and manner young girls lose sight of their safety and blindly throw caution to the wind when it comes to supposed relationships, it is doubtful if they have learned or will ever learn anything.
The level of crime and criminality perpetrated daily in relation to hookup is disturbing. Perpetrators of crime cover their evil intentions with what seemingly looks attractive and rewarding. But behind the fake glitz lies the unforeseen danger lurking around. Understandably, many young ladies are consumed majorly by what they hear and see. In fact, they lack the required tact to see through the dark veil. Therefore, young girls are advised to be very careful with friends they keep and areas they must visit. Unfortunately, young people of this age key in more to the negative vibes of the internet than the rewarding positives. A lot of girls have been sexually deodorised and live under peer group influence. They are on the fast lane to get connected and acquire wealth. Many are easily enticed by whatever promises, cash or classy good time offered as a bait.
The society has condemned these two especially the married one for engaging in what is assumed the unthinkable. Questions have been asked why they went to Aba to see a man they only met on social media. These are the normal lazy questions raised to elevate fake societal moral grandstanding whenever events like this occur. Many who joined the conversation in blaming or condemnation of the act are guilty of the same crime these girls were said to have committed one way or the other. In utter silence, support or actions, many are involved.
Many people condemn this act in the morning but patronise slay queens at night. That is the kind of fake life people live. Have you noticed that many of our little jobless brothers, daughters, sisters, cousins live above their means? Boys and girls little above 16 drive expensive cars worth millions and live extravagant life styles. They are generic deviants who show off highly expensive tech devices and engage in all sorts of vices. Like the usual hypocrites judging others from afar, it is easier to remove the big speck in another man’s eye than simply interrogating the sources of income of those close to us.
There are categories of hook ups ongoing in many families that are unknown to the public space. Some are sanctioned by parents who benefit from the proceeds of their children’s suspicious labour while others are in the dark regarding what their children do that brings in money. The economic downturn has compelled some parents to keep mum when their children who they know have no legitimate business spend ostentatiously. Some have interrogated the sources of their children’s income but as far as it brings relief to the family, many parents tend to ignore the means to the end.
The world is sick of both high rise in criminality and moral decadence but seemingly oblivious of how to confront the precarious situation. In fact, the entire society is at a loss or overwhelmed as to what to do. Many parents have done their best to give their kids the best they could offer. Others have not bothered to raise the rod when deviant signs are noticed at the beginning of the adolescent stage of their children. The consequences of sparing the rod to spoil the child is staring us all in the face.
Generally, what it means is that we have all jointly failed in good parenting of our kids. The family as a social unit and the hand that rocks the cradle has a lot to do in shaping the lives of the children. When parents get it wrong at this stage of child development, the school teachers cannot do anything better and the consequences are devastating as the ripple effects are uncontrollable. Therefore, for any society to make progress, more familial attention should be paid to children before they join college. When bad news of this nature breaks, the air is usually rented with utter shock and bewilderment but we tend to forget as if nothing happened. As usual, we move on with other engagements until another bad news takes the trending centre stage.
It was reported that Andrew Amaechi who was arrested by the police had died in a controversial circumstance as he was being moved from Aba to Abuja. Who and or what killed Amaechi? It is preposterous to hear that a prime suspect of an evil act of this nature in the hands of a law enforcement agency like the police who was hale and hearty during arrest has suddenly passed on. Is there something somebody is trying to cover up with his death? Is it true that the man is actually dead or someone somewhere stage managed it to keep the heinous act out of public space? Do not rule out any form of intrigues in criminal enterprise like this. Andrew Amaechi was not acting alone in this saga. He only served as a protagonist for a wider network.
When the girls set out for this risky journey, they never give a thought of the possible outcome. Young ladies should be reminded again and again that all that glitters is not gold. Those who encourage online dating and meet ups should like cigarette advert warn their mentees against the dangers associated with it. No matter how clever one claims to be, hardly would one eat ones cake and still have it. Finally, may the good Lord grant both families the solace and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss even as we pray for the repose souls of the departed to find eternal peace in the bosom of the Lord.
Sunday Onyemaechi Eze is a lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Coal City University, Enugu.
