22 October 2009
The Power of One (Part 1) – The Robbery that did not Succeed
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By Amara Nwankpa
“The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society.”
—Jack Kemp
The Robbery that did not Succeed
About 15 years ago, in the old commercial city of Aba, about 5 robbers attempted to rob a bank. There was nothing special about this robbery, it was the old routine: Young men armed to the teeth storm a vulnerable financial institution, they show their guns, beat a few people up and clean up the safe. It had happened so many times before. Matter of fact, absurd to say, but people had actually gotten used to it.
So as was usually the case, 4 of the young men stormed into the bank to do the job, whilst the 5th man, engines running, manned the get-away car.
But that day was to be different.
The bank being robbed happened to be very close to one of the major markets in the city. As news of the on-going robbery spread, traders began to quickly lock up their stalls in panic.
But one man saw things differently. As he looked at the get-away car humming in the distance, he sensed a weakness and an opportunity. He realized that if he could organize the market into a sizeable mob, maybe there was a chance to foil this robbery. So he organized a few people and they gingerly took a few steps closer to the get-away car… jeering softly at the lone robber anxiously waiting in the car.
As the jeering continued, it grew louder and more united as more people began to sense the opportunity and joined the throng – one trader at a time – until the few became a sizable mob. It didn’t take long before the get-away car driver, who had been shooting anxious glances over his shoulder, began to panic. The situation was getting out of hand.
What happened next was unexpected. The driver of the get-away car threw it into gear and drove off, with his robber colleagues still in the bank! A few traders got into their cars and followed in pursuit, but the mob outside the bank continued to grow as the people sensed that the day of reckoning for the robbers had arrived. The jeering had now turned into chanting and the war songs from the “Enyimba” throng began to resonate through the entire market.
It wasn’t long before the four robbers emerged from the bank with a sum of about N8.5million naira in tow. However, to their shock, they were greeted by an innumerable mob of angry traders wielding all kinds of crude weapons and hurling stones. No get away driver. The disoriented robbers, sensing that the game was up, began shooting in the air erratically. But the crowd only drew closer. Slowly and steadily cornering the criminals like a cat corners rats.
The robbers were subdued and lynched. All of them – even the man in the get-away didn’t get away.
One man was at the right place at the right time and he did the right things. As a result, a robbery was foiled and a lesson was learnt.
You are one person, but you can make a difference. You can lead others to unite their efforts with yours as we rebuild Nigeria. This is the right time. #lightupnigeria is the right thing. You can be the right person.
This is the generation that will re-define Nigeria. One candle can light a thousand without losing of its own brightness. Will that candle be you?
This famous photo, taken on 5 June 1989 by photographer Jeff Widener, depicts an unknown man halting the PLA's advancing tanks near Tiananmen Square. It has become a symbol of how one man's action can have a significantly disproportional impact
5 Comments so far...
'Licious Says:
22 October 2009 at 3:32 pm.
Well done to the whole team. We are so proud of you guys!
tobenna Says:
23 October 2009 at 1:03 pm.
This is brilliantly written.
Actually inspiring.
Well done Amara.
I have seen a CNN review on #lightupnigeria last night.
Thats how this should start.
The question is…. what NEXT?
We are beginning to reach a climax on this
and we can seize the opportunity NOW and get a wider reach = bigger impact.
DAVIDSON, Lagos Says:
24 October 2009 at 10:06 am.
good story, good job, but what happened to the money and the robbery foilers? were they compensated even with the gotten-used-to ‘presidential handshake?’ this is exactly what makes Nigeria ‘BAD’. People do not stick out their necks to do what is right of save a situation because in the end, no one recognises him/her; afterall, ‘Nijja la wa’. ‘OYO lo wa ooooooo is the song on every lip’.( meaning u r On Your Own).
we’ll get there!!!
DAVIDSON, Lagos Says:
24 October 2009 at 10:07 am.
good story, good job, but what happened to the money and the robbery foilers? were they compensated even with the gotten-used-to ‘presidential handshake?’ this is exactly what makes Nigeria ‘BAD’. People do not stick out their necks to do what is right or save a situation because in the end, no one recognises him/her; afterall, ‘Nijja la wa’. ‘OYO lo wa ooooooo is the song on every lip’.( meaning u r On Your Own).
we’ll get there!!!
Tosin Says:
26 November 2009 at 9:41 am.
Love this, keep up the energy.
LightupNigeria needs more kinetic energy, more momentum, more…
Want to commend everybody who is either twittering/spreading the word, organising, educating…heroes, y’all.
Artists can do so much. We’ve seen what the bloggers/writers can do, can you use this site to showcase any art dedicated to #lightupnigeria – from youtube videos to sculpture installations, murals, paintings, generator photos. So lightupnigeria art (for visual arts), lightupnigeria something (for all the entertainment and musical efforts), lightupnigeria egghead (for the engineers and experts), lightupnigeria money (for businesses relating to creating more power), etc. But especially lightupnigeria with art.
And I’m dying to see flash mobs for lightupnigeria. Probably more fun than twittering. Imagine!
