Icheoku says once again humanity is called upon by the tragedy in Mecca, to reexamine and reevaluate the essence and reason d`eter of their existence. Why are we here on earth if it is simply a here today and gone tomorrow phenomenon? The bible makes reference to the word rapture, the sudden and instantenous disappearance to eternity of neighbors, friends and family members before our own very eyes. Some faithfuls think the alluded fact will occur at someday certain in future but Icheoku believes it is a daily occurrence as was just witnessed in Mecca during the stoning of the proverbial devil ritual, when suddenly over seven hundred adherents permanently crossed over to the other side.
This piece is not about the dead or their dying or in any other way to otherwise add another epilogue to what is now a saturated media blitz on the tragedy. Nope, it is a stop and think moment article, questioning why are we here? What is the point of all these struggle to be this and that; to amass stupendous wealth; to acquire power; to be the he or she on whose desk the buck stopped etc when we, in actuality, have no control over our affairs or lives? These faithfuls now departed did not know that when they embarked on their pilgrimage to Mecca or even that fateful morning when they left their encampments to go stone the devil, that it will be their last on this earth. What indeed is life's worth afterall, if only it could peter to a stop with this sudden abruptness and with no foreboding whatsoever?
Icheoku queries would these dead pilgrims have gone on the pilgrimage if they knew it was going to be their last outing on earth? Would they have smartly chosen to stay away if they had premonition that embarking on this annual ritual of stoning the devil would lead to their being trampled to death? Would they anyway, regardless of the attendant hazards and risks? Would their faith have pushed and propelled them, hoping it will not happen or if it did, that it will not be their own portion? That they will be safe or better still, did some of them look forward to making their exit from this life at a place they considered so holy and might as well be the gateway into their paradise? The one thing with faith is that it is an aphrodisiac of some sort which keeps faithfuls going regardless of whatever risk that might be involved. It is like opiate drug, which the more you juice the merrier you feel; and then the deeper you get into it and then the more difficult it becomes to quit.
A tragedy which is just another static in the growing number of tragedies which have now become a common happenstance with this pilgrimage to Mecca; forcing Icheoku to wonder if it is not about time certain reforms or some form of decentralization or staggering of this annual concentration of human beings in just one small square area, is implemented. It would appear that at such mind boggling concentration of human beings, two million strong of them, in just one place, it is rather surprising that many more of them do not die either from heat exhaustion or more stampedes. But like with everything faith, their faith keep them going and to a very large extent, keep them safe too. It is akin to watching the wildebeests annual crossing at the Mara River, that no matter the odds of their safely making it across, those jackass animals of Africa have just one directional movement in their plan. Against all odds and existential hazards, these animals still come charging through the Mara river; some being eaten alive by crocodiles, some drowning, while majority of them get trampled to death in the biggest stampede ever known to both animal and mankind.
Icheoku likes National Geography Channel a lot and cannot seem to be tired of watching this annual migration of those wildebeests and their daunting task of making it through the Mara River; but they still do manage it anyway. So like those wildebeest which are driven by the promise of an assured greener pasture on the other side of the Mara river, these Muslim faithfuls are pushed by the righteousness of their conviction and that they are embarking on a worthwhile spiritual venture, a sacred duty of some sort. This is what drives them; this is what propels them and therefore, regardless of the cost in human lives, they will neither stop nor be deterred.
In December 1975, two hundred of these pilgrims lost their lives in a fiery gas cylinder explosion. In July 1987, four hundred of these pilgrims mainly of Iranian origin lost their lives in a clash with Saudi authorities who were trying to maintain order. In July 1990, one thousand four hundred and twenty six of these pilgrims were crushed to death in a stampede inside the al-Muaisssem tunnel in Mecca. In May 1994, another stampede in the same vicinity as the present tragedy, claimed the lives of 270 pilgrims while they were performing the same stoning of the devil ritual. In April 1997, again another 343 pilgrims died in a tent fire in the same Mina stoning of the devil vicinity. In April 1998, one hundred and nineteen pilgrims met their death in the same manner, crushed to death in a stampede. In February 2004, another stampede took the lives of 251 pilgrims during the same devil stoning ritual. In January 2006, another 362 pilgrims were killed in a stampede performing the same ritual. In September 2015, a toppled crane claimed the lives of 111 pilgrims and within the same month, the latest tragedy which so far has 717 confirmed fatalities with over one thousand wonder and hospitalized.
Icheoku says all these deaths result from the same cause - stampede; leading to the question has nothing been learnt since by both the Saudi Arabian authorities on how to prevent this repeat occurrence and those pilgrims too, on how not to stampede themselves to death? Or on a different note, is it possible that while these faithfuls are trying to stone the devil, that the devil is fighting back, stoning them too; and seemingly winning, the high number of casualties frequently recorded considered. Unfortunately, Icheoku has no direct line to the devil that habits inside the black stone in Mecca, otherwise would have since rang or texted him to seek his own take on this apparent ongoing war between him and Muslim humans, waged by stoning. Simply put there are so many things humanity don't know including what unseen forces triggers these stampedes; but they could and should cut down on their losses by implementing far reaching reforms and measures to contain or at least curtail these tragedies. Icheoku says rest in peace and may your Allah through your Prophet Mohammed show you mercy and grant you peace.
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