Halt, halt, what else is to be sought Ought we to know that faulty we fought Wrath brought and taught the sword Forward and onward, our sword our word Cowards! Freeworld was our watchword Backward! Now our world shall be For wrath lords the world to our hurt. The world for gain is feigned to her pain. Pain is gain, let's rain the cane Vain is our pain, as we wane away Slain fill the plains in the name of gain Peace remains slain, till our veins are drained Alas! our pain not gain, And our lane is not sane Too late to be sane, our veins have become vain. We burrow with furrowed brow As heroes, we row but zero we sow Sworn to tow the road of old For our soul is low and too slow to row Howl the ode of old Pharaoh let my people go People let my pharaoh rest. Look to the red sea and take a chill heads bled the red, that colored the sea. A marching swarm of heels Turned she to a still heap of heads Only the silly heeds to her milky silky word The cry for war, the sound of battle The wrought of war is greater than its wrath Yet, not even the wise can tell it ends. Broke are we, yet we broker for war Our sores in scores Our sons are on the run And our daughters turn nuns Yet our burns we mourn not For flaws are our laws Our pride, we must side Woes betide us For our ties are tight And war rejoices on.

An African proverb says that he that has witnessed a lightning strike would not want to walk under the rain again. Veterans of World War 2 and survivors of the first nuclear bomb devastation still find the horrors of those explosions unimaginable. The horribleness and aftermath of psychological trauma and stigma of survivors is so bad, that it's very difficult to get survivors recount the story. Elizabeth Chappell, an oral historian at the Open University in the United Kingdom, explains how difficult it is to get Hibakusha (survivors of the August 1945 nuclear attack) to talk. “They're very protective of their stories. I was told I wouldn't get interviews.” (SOLLY, 2020). Fred J. Olivi a co-pilot of the B-29 bomber that drop the bomb on Nagasaki wrote in his published article on the effect of the Nagasaki atomic explosion, he said "Suddenly, the light of a thousand suns illuminated the cockpit. Even with my dark welder's goggles, I winced and shut my eyes for a couple of seconds.” (Olivi, 1999). Not even children were spared, as the recount of a fourteen years old boy said "Night came and I could hear many voices crying and groaning with pain and begging for water. Another said, 'I hurt! Give me water!' This person was so burned that we couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. The sky was red with flames. It was burning as if scorching heaven." (Atomic Heritage Foundation, 2021). Unfortunately this historic apocalypse like event seems to be forgotten quickly, Chappell in 2018 after her findings said, “The Hibakusha were the unwelcome reminder of an unknown, unclassifiable event, something so unimaginable society tried to ignore it.” (SOLLY, 2020). History, sometimes might seems to be like a grave that never wants to be uncovered again, but has proven most times to be the Holy Grail that has been under search for so long. Sometimes the only way to prevent the reoccurrence of a gory history is to go back to unravel it. The history of the atomic bomb devastation was one that the world decided to bury and forget about, and it's not surprising that many young people of this generation see nuclear weapon as a cool stuff, that a government should have in its weapon arsenal. Just as the African proverb which says; he that has witnessed a lightning strike would not want to walk under the rain again, Japan having being the only country that have undergone the trauma of atomic bombing is the only country which is constitutionally committed to a policy of non-armament, by article 9 of its constitution it has abandoned war as a sovereign right of the nation and since 1952 has stood by its three non-nuclear principles, namely: not to produce, not to possess and not to import nuclear weapons. Atomic bomb a sought after weapon for terrorist is only so, because they have never witnessed one before, the world cannot afford another nuclear bombing to demonstrate the danger of nuclear weapon, but teaching it history, even as fundamental topic for school student would go a long way in nuclear deterence and arms control. It is a common statement, that there is no matter or scientific knowledge that is evil, it only depends on it usage. The fact that an aeroplane was used to perpetuate the 9/11 attack did not make aeroplanes to be banned. Even though nuclear technology has it own detriments and might have been used wrongly in time past, it does not necessitate a total banning, as you don't amputate a man's hand because of a bleeding finger, but rather treat the injury. Fortunately for us, nuclear technology has not yet be proliferated to a level where the situation can't be salvaged. It is worthy of note that the government of most nuclear nations and even non-nuclear nations have been making considerable effort in this direction, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which set a framework for increasing access to peaceful uses of nuclear energy. And since the inception of this treaty for some 53 years ago together with the help of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), cooperation on peaceful nuclear energy has grown tremendously. However, more can still be done and should be done to achieve permanent stability on this issues, and this must exceed the conventional method and embrace new strategies. Thanks that the era of the cold war is over, what the world witnessed during that period can be referred to as the height of nuclear technology abuse. The number and magnitude of nuclear bomb detonated during this period was over 100 times more than what was used in the World War 2, with detonations done in all the major components of the earth: geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. In a nutshell, abandoning and dismantling nuclear weapons and replacing high risk nuclear technology with eco-friendly technology is the difficult, yet most promising decision to ensure a lasting solution. And this can only come by a well-coordinated multilateralism.

Have you ever imagined how our world would be if our society is filled with kindness? Can you just relate with your mind and see that almost all crimes and atrocities done in our society stems from lack of kindness. If there is any transformation our society need most; it is creating a kinder society. Sometimes kindness does not necessitate us to do things worthy of television report or news paper columns; little drop of water makes a mighty ocean. Little act of kindness on the individual scale might just be Holy Grail to achieving a kinder society. Though known to all, yet is despised by almost all. We need to imbibe the culture of kindness– love your neighbor as yourself if we are to create a kinder society. I do still remember of my primary school days, when kids of the age range of 4-10 years are given weekly assignment of showing an act of love to somebody around them. We kids at that time, even at that tender age did surprising action of kindness; the nature of kindness was subtlety instilled in us. Less than twenty decade later, this ideology and teaching have being abandoned in our schools. We need to go back to those days if we want a kinder society. Teaching kindness is an act of kindness on its own, so also is stopping cruelty. Permit me to share my little experience as a teacher in a remote part of the country under the Nigerian youth service scheme. The story revolves around one of my students whose poor educational background made him at a disadvantage to his colleague– a senior secondary school one student who cannot read and speak fluently. This shortcoming of his made him a subject of ridicule by his classmate and friend; I termed it cruelty at the lower hemisphere, because I found it absurd that children at such tender age would derive joy form the misfortune of their fellow. Even with a cursory look, it was evident that these kids lack the nature of kindness and needs to be instilled in them. From that time forth it became not only my duty to teach them chemistry but also to teach them kindness. I am happy to say today that the tide has changed; the people who were once teasing him are now the ones teaching him. Kindness is impacting life, impacting life is fulfillment, and fulfillment brings happiness. We find happiness in making others happy; we are kind to ourselves by been kind to others. By acting kindness, we create a kinder society and make the world a better place to live, and a better world means a better life for us all. Until we all embrace the life of kindness, we are nowhere near achieving a kinder society. Kindness is not only meant to be done by the crème de la crème or the wealthy of the society, it is a role that must be assumed by all. Kindness does not imply building a mansion for that fellow or giving out a million dollar, most suicides committed nowadays could have been averted by just a word of encouragement, by giving hope to that depressed soul. There is no small act of kindness, the result of a kind act might even never be known. There is a proverb in my tribe that says: “he that removes a thorn from the road has saved a life”. We might not value our act of kindness, until we see the consequences of not performing it. I never knew that I had saved a future; ignorant was I to the situation that was about to befall the boy until the parent of the young lad came to express their appreciation. The young lad was to be withdrawn from school for his extremely poor performance, save for my timely intervention– Just a little encouragement and coaching created the turnaround. Let this be a clarion call: the difference between Heaven and Hell is kindness; we can make a heaven out of our world, if we will embrace the culture of kindness.

It is 4.00pm in dapchi, a small town in the northeastern part of Nigeria, the blaring heat of the sun would not make anyone suspect that the day is far spent, neither would the rigorous and delightful sporting activities performed by these young girls make them aware of the looming danger even if they could gaze into the future. Mother earth in her benevolence would try to avert the looming calamity and had employed her siblings the elements to cause a shower and a hazy sky, but this would not dissuade these deadly predators from continuing their heinous task. At about 5:30 pm, all hell broke loose, and little ‘Leah Sharibu' studying in her isolated chamber was not spared, about one hundred and ten (110) schoolgirls aged 11–19 years old were kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist group from the Government Girls Science and Technical College Dapchi on February 19, 2018. Approximately four years ago about 276 schoolgirls were abducted from Chibok a small town in northern Nigeria with many of them still missing today. The previous year, dozens of student were killed at a secondary school in Yobe State, Nigeria. Terrorism in Nigeria is not only destroying lives and properties but is aimed at annihilating the core forces that can terrorize its existence, which is knowledge; gotten by education. The gravity of this kind of outrageous terrorism, which targets the young ones, can be adequately described by Jesus statement “It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” (Luke 17:2, The New King James Version), so I believe should be done to terrorism, if anything necessitates total annihilation and utmost destruction, then it should be terrorism. The only way to achieve a long and lasting solution to terrorism is to combat it form it root, thus identifying the root cause of terrorism is of utmost importance; if success must be achieved. Many factors have been postulated as causing unrest in Nigeria, Namely: Unemployment, bad governance, lack or inadequate basic infrastructures, corruption and corrupt practices of government officials, perceived victimization, and arrant poverty in the midst of affluence, this entire sum up an unstable economy. The question arising now is; is it only Nigeria and other terrorist harbors that are facing economic challenges [1]? Other countries battling with an economic crisis, are they plunged into severe terrorism like that of Nigeria[2]? Not all, this is a pointer to the fact that economic crisis might be a catalyst to terrorism but not the root cause. The plangent question now is; what is the root cause of terrorism? Terrorism in Nigeria has been evolving over the years before reaching its present state, a critical look into the various stages shows that terrorism spurred from the spread and transfer of corrupted knowledge. The word ‘Boko Haram' means western education is forbidden, it is believed that Boko Haram evolved from Sunni-based terrorism, which is a result of warped interpretations of religious “jihad” by poorly educated and ideologically motivated clerics and recruiters who believe in religious cleansing [3]. Therefore it can be said, that corrupted knowledge and belief is the root cause of terrorism. A very popular adage says “an idle hand is the devil workshop”, so also is an empty mind void of knowledge. A person who lacks “good knowledge” will easily give in to all manner of corrupted knowledge and belief as there is no repelling force within him/her. It is commonly said that “to catch a monkey, you have to behave like one”, I believe that to quench terrorism; adopting a terrorist-style in a counterproductive way is a great option. I refer to this method as “terrorizing the terrorist”. The idea is to create a club that will foster unity among people of different religion, belief, and ethnicity with the common goal of spreading of “good knowledge”; which is religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence and shun to terrorism. A very famous Chinese proverb says “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. To exterminate terrorism, this one step “terrorizing the terrorist” need to be taking. REFRENCES 1. Ross, S. 4 Countries in Recession and Crisis Since 2008. 2015; Available from: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/111615/4-countries-recession-and-crisis-2008.asp. 2. Skleparis, D. Explaining the absence of Islamist terrorist attacks and radicalisation in Greece. 2018 [cited 2018 6/12/2018]; Available from: http://www.eliamep.gr/en/. 3. Nakhleh, E. Nigerian Terrorism: Causes And Solutions. 2014; Available from: https://lobelog.com/nigerian-terrorism-causes-and-solutions/. 4. Leah Sharibu; the kidnapped girl, that is yet to be released by the Boko Haram Sect.

It is 4.00pm in dapchi, a small town in the northeastern part of Nigeria, the blaring heat of the sun would not make anyone suspect that the day is far spent, neither would the rigorous and delightful sporting activities performed by these young girls make them aware of the looming danger even if they could gaze into the future. Mother earth in her benevolence would try to avert the looming calamity and had employed her siblings the elements to cause a shower and a hazy sky, but this would not dissuade these deadly predators from continuing their heinous task. At about 5:30 pm, all hell broke loose, ‘boom, boom, boom' the sound of gunshots could be heard all over the place. By the wake of dawn the dust has settled down, but the havoc wrecked will remain one to be unforgotten for many decades to come: about one hundred and ten (110) schoolgirls aged 11–19 years old have been kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist group from the Government Girls Science and Technical College Dapchi on February 19, 2018. Approximately four years ago about 276 schoolgirls were abducted from Chibok a small town in northern Nigeria with many of them still missing today. The previous year, dozens of student were killed at a secondary school in Yobe State, Nigeria. Who is responsible for all these mayhem? And what is the possible reason for targeting the young ones? Abubakar Shekau, the ringleader and spearheader of this insurgent group responsible for all these disasters, would never have turned out to be a dispenser of sorrow if this was not done: if everyone had not shot the bowels of mercy if everyone had not turned deaf ears to the somber suffering of the lad. Entering into orphanhood from an early stage in life, Shekau took to the street to join the countless number of “Alimajari” (street beggars) to get his daily bread. Rising early in the morning and not resting till sunset— Shekau's only duty was to roam the street begging for alms. It is 7:30 in the morning; Shekau could be seen standing dutifully at the corner of the street, with a bowl in outstretched arm waiting for blessings from passers-by. Vroom, vroom; the cars kept on passing, spilling on dust to his face— every one hastening to drop their children in school, they dare not look on the poor kid, let alone offer him something because he is some contagious disease that no one should behold. No one bothered of where he slept when last he took his bath or what he ate; not even his torn and tattered clothes or his young age would arouse their side of pity— he was a god-forsaken scumbag. By the afternoon time, he would have traversed the city to the other part, where the less classy ones stay, hoping to get the remnant of the kids lunch basket, but it would never happen, every parent have warned their children not to talk or give those ugly shit begging for alms anything; they better throw away their remnant than move closer to them. With time, things began to change; the young lad always gazing at the school kids hoping for help is no longer doing such, the helpless look on his face has now being replaced by disdain and anger: no doubt, the seed of hatred had already been sown and would soon reveal itself in the coming years. Days turn to month, and months to years; so did the small kid advance into his youth. Probably if the bowels of mercy were still opened then, the soul of the young boy could have been redeemed— unfortunately, it was not so, the young boy soon graduated from alms begging into stealing and other anti-social vices and soon became a hardened criminal. Along the line came the war profiteers, angels of darkness transforming into angels of light, people who needed cheap labor to perpetuate their evil, and of course the young man matched their profile well and was enlisted into the evil workforce. A very popular adage says “an idle hand is the devil workshop”, so also is an empty mind void of knowledge. Abubakar Sheakau lacking knowledge and education easily gave in to all manner of corrupted knowledge and belief and joined the Boko-haram terrorist group. Advancing quickly through the rank, he became the leader of the dangerous sect in 2009. Since then, there has been a drastic change in the operation of the group; over 3 million lives have been affected, thousands of children turned into orphans and many homes left desolate. The beast in him has been unleashed and the fire of evil has gotten out of hand. This is, therefore, a clarion call to us all: brighten the corner where you are, show a little bit of love and kindness, and help an erring soul. Shut the bowels of mercy and expect the rains of terror.