ANIMAL RIGHTS IN NIGERIA: THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THE COIN

By Gundhramns Hammer
June 26, 2013

Animal Rights activists in Nigeria. Source: PETAAsia-Pacific-Hot & Sour Scoop.

Internet forums (fora) are sometimes full of cultural news, ideas and interesting information bits. Other times, they are only page after page of senseless crap or truckloads of bullshit. Anyway, forums are landscapes of people´s spontaneous thoughts. Windows on how brainwashed people are or whether or not there is some original thought in their heads. And as such, they cannot be disregarded so lightly. 

Here are some cultural bits on Nigeria taken from a forum:


Source: Nairaland Forum
View original

The way in which animals are treated in any culture is a direct reflection of how humans beings are treated by that society. Destitutes who die in the streets of Nigeria are NOT promptly collected by the "cadaver men" as they are in Mumbai, India. No sir, in Nigeria, human bodies are often simply ground to shreds by passing traffic, or just left to putrefy, swell and burst by the roadside, as indifferent pedestrians walk by, all totally inured to such horrific sights, by frequent exposure.

In such a surreal landscape of human misery and abject squalor, the spectacle of livestock being subjected to prolonged torture will never raises an eyebrow, any more than does the sight of accused witches or ittybits thieves being lynched and set alight by baying mobs. "Welcome to Hell", is what that Lagos airport road billboard sign ought to read, to really prepare visitors to Nigeria for what they will inevitably witness.

Yes, there is a fucking dark side in Nigeria as stated above. That is for sure. But what country does not have it?

Animals are abused, tortured, cut and maimed and most people do not give a fucking dam. Human life is also dirt cheap in Nigeria. 

And if you want to move things forward, you must use influences, if you know anybody who may help you through and survive the Nigerian bureaucratic labyrinth, or make sure you are carrying a suitcase bursting with the most persuasive power there is in man´s hellish world: The fucking money. 

Nigeria can be overwhelming, especially Lagos (Fig. 1), a city with 21 million people in the last count (2012). A breeding nest of humans, on a scale that goes beyond Dr. John B. Calhoun´s mice universe.

Figure 1. A crowded market in Lagos, Nigeria. Source: TNYT.

Both the negative and positive sides can be found in Nigeria, with a preponderance of the former. Apart from the psychopaths and crooked weirdos that walk around or are sitting somewhere in an office disguised as good citizens, we must remember that most human beings are always poised on an ethical balance, motionless or on the verge of jumping to one side.  

The result whether the balance tilts towards light or darkness is all up to each individual. Nonetheless, there are more people who choose to serve the devil around the world at any time.

Dealing with human beings implies making and taking decisions that may or may not be liked by those around you and affect one or more individuals, or all. 

At times, you will get the feeling that you are walking on some sort of a minefield or a plain full of eggshells. People are basically grown up babies, emotionally dysfunctional and so delicate that any innuendo puts them ready to cry, love, be loved, scream, yell, or kill. 

Furthermore, it is easier to please the devil than people. Humans are such distempered creatures, harder to lead than a flock of sheep and yet so easily to bend and twist.

Human relations are therefore more difficult than mathematics, nuclear physics or any damn hard science.

But has to be done must be done.


Nigeria´s bright side: Animal Rights

The light side of Nigeria´s coin can be as bright as any, anywhere on the planet. It can be even more outstanding, considering the huge mountain of problems and crap anybody has to surmount to achieve any goals that will benefit humans and nonhumans alike in the end.

Where needed, attitudinal and sensitization campaigns on Animal Rights, for instance, are not an easy task to carry out in Nigeria. 

Anytime and any place, most people tend to resist changes in their lifestyles, especially when it comes to anything that has to do chiefly with their mouth (how or what to eat), genitalia (how or what to fuck) or pocket (money spent on necessities or vanity and fucking nothings).

Laws are required and made, otherwise it would be a pandemonium, passed along to the  police force, which is sometimes a vast field of brainwashed morons, to enforce them upon humans and the mass of people is pressured to obey, and even so there are those individuals who will rebel. 

The crooked people will always go their on way. Most citizens will abide to the laws but some law abiding citizens who understand the nooks and crannies of the mysterious lawyer´s world and the lurking ways of the rich, may smell anything fishy, for not all laws are right and/or wise anyway. 

And when any law is not right, it should be challenged and pushed to be changed by the people, if they get to agree where to go before someone tells them where to go.

On the other hand, politicians have the obligation of paying attention to the public´s clamor. The public is their bread and butter. All claims should be examined and when necessary heed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. 

Always keeping in mind that masses of people seldom think but are frequently pushed. Masses are usually just that, formless masses to be molded at anybody´s whims, to be used as a ladder, as steps for the ambitious who think are eternal gods who drool to climb to the top of the power hill to wallow in the money cesspool.

Politicians have become a law unto themselves, a separate "species" that is too frequently a nasty hardheaded and unyielding crowd, especially if it is in place solely to protect the interests of the fucking rich.

Therefore, any effort from individuals who are ahead of the crowd and are interested in tilting the balance on the positive side for Animals and Nature, for instance, a goal that we should all have, can be hard and arduous work indeed.

This is the case for advocates of Animal Rights in Nigeria. And there are people who love animals in Nigeria, for it is not a barren land of unconcerned and callous people.

There are many Nigerians that do care about animals and the environment, although it is not a topic that occupies the front pages of European and American newspapers.

A while back, eminent lawyers and famous artists gathered at a book launch on a campaign for animal protection and animal rights in Nigeria. A book entitled Legal Framework for Animal Rights and Game Management in Nigeria, written by Sikiru Olanrewaju Adeoye was something much needed in this African country.


An EBE´s report on Africa

If an EBE (extraterrestrial biological entity) came to Earth and landed on any city and picked any newspaper or book, or watched a nature documentary, he/she/it would discover that people are always talking about Africa as the cradle of mankind and yet this continent has been trampled, sacked, fucked up by foreign powers and still is under the hold of multinationals, of course with the help of the crooked locals who enjoy ass kissing and crave for power.

The EBE would see that people are dying of starvation each day, forests are disappearing rapidly, the megafauna is being shot to extinction under the gun of mafia hunters, endangered animals and plants are traded illegally in local and international underground markets, gorillas and other great apes are being killed to put them in the boiling pot (Bushmeat) or hang their heads as home trophies (Video 1), lions are being poisoned (Video 2), snakes are hunted by the hundreds for the local and international markets (Video 3), elephants are poached for ivory (Video 4), many animals are on the verge of extinction, and on and on, and nothing happens. Most people don´t give a damn about this. Too damn selfish and blind. They can´t see beyond their nose!

                           Video 1. Great apes victims in bushmeat market.

                                    Video 2. Poisoning of African lions.

                                   Video 3. Snake market in Nigeria.

                                  Video 4. Elephants killed for ivory.



The EBE would then conclude that the African continent is being vacated of its people and flora and fauna by an insipid two-legged beast that he calls himself "Homo sapiens". 


Groups promoting animal welfare and vegetarianism in Nigeria

Standing before this tragic drama, this massive destruction, slow or at racing pace, only a few people have enough foresight and are brave enough, have the balls and big ovaries, to say: Enough!

Amongst these brave people, there are some Nigerians that are working damn hard to bring their fellow citizens into some sense to show them the only important sense that should be the sense of all the senses to be followed on the path to put all of their senses on the planet, with just one common goal that makes sense of all the senses:  Taking care of Mother Earth.

We recommend you to check out the following links to find out more about Nigerians´efforts to promote kindness and prevent cruelty to animals and to teach their society the benefits of vegetarianism, both of which overlap:

Animal Rights in Nigeria. More information HERE.

Animal Rights in Nigeria. More information HERE.

Nigeria Vegetarian Society. More information HERE. 


The World Animal Directory gives the following list of animal welfare and vegetarian groups for Nigeria: 

Animal Welfare Education Collaboration
IBARA, ABEOKUTA
NIGERIA
Email
Vegan, Farm Animals, Animals in Entertainment
Read more...

Canine Welfare
LAGOS
NIGERIA
Email
Animals in Transport
Read more...

CERCOPAN Forest Monkey Rehabilitation & Conservation
CALABAR
NIGERIA
Email
Primate Protection
Read more...

Equine Foundation
OJOTA/ LAGOS
NIGERIA
Wildlife Conservation, Environmental, Equine Protection
Read more...

Nigeria Animal Welfare Foundation
AJAO ESTATE, LAGOS
NIGERIA
Email
Environmental, Vegetarian, Vegan, Cat Protection, Farm Animals, Animals in Transport, Pet Adoption, Disaster Relief
Read more...

Nigeria SPCA
LAGOS, ONIKE
NIGERIA
Email
Environmental, Shelter, Law Enforcement
Read more...

Nigerian Vegetarian Education Network
ORLU
NIGERIA
Vegetarian
Read more...

Pandrillus, Drill Rehabilitation and Breeding Center
CALABAR
NIGERIA
Email
Primate Protection, Sanctuary
Read more...

Society for the Welfare of Animals Protection (SWAP)
BENIN CITY
NIGERIA
Email
Environmental, Primate Protection, Farm Animals, Animals in Transport, Animals in Entertainment, Pet Adoption, Wildlife Rehabilitation
Read more...

Soul Vegetarian Society
OWERRI
NIGERIA
Vegetarian
Read more...

Walter Uzowane
ABUJA
NIGERIA
Email
Read more...

This listing is by no means exhaustive and most likely there are other associations and blogs that are working on the same goal in Nigeria. Some internet navigation will give you some more leads.

Perhaps you may also want to read the meatless journey of Toyin Akinbuli, a remarkable Nigerian woman who says that "veganism became herself".


What are we waiting for?

In the end, we are all blind men and women who are touching the elephant on different parts and come out with different conclusions. 

But if we all agreed on a goal that advances the welfare of nonhumans, humans and Nature alike, we all will be on the right track. 

What the hell are we waiting for? 

We now know enough and we do not have much time to waste. The future of mankind is on the balance and we only have a "small window", as Professor Dr. Steven Best says.

We will sign off saying that wherever there are humans beings there is always darkness. In abundance. There is no question about that.

But there is also light. The minority, but it is there. A flickering light, but light nevertheless.

Let us all choose the Light.

The beginning can be as simple as planting a tree, sharing your bread, being kind to those around you, animal or human... 

Or as immense as coming to the realisation that you have been dwelling in the dark cave of selfishness and are able to come forward, step outside to feel the infinite breeze of love...



References

Cavaleri P. (2001). The Animal Question. Why Nonhuman Animals Deserve Human Rights. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, USA. 184 p.

Rowlands M. (2009). Animal Rights: Moral Theory and Practice. 2nd Edition. Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire, UK. 234 p.

Varner G. E. (1998). In Nature´s Interests? Interests, Animal Rights, and Environmental Ethics. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, USA. 154 p.

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