In a few days’ time, this year of our lord 2015 will become history,
paving way for the new year 2016. In this extract, I try to highlight
some moments of the year 2015 that shook the world, put some countries
in distress and so many families in grief. Just like I did last year
2014, I will also try and do some justice to this year 2015. Incase you
missed that of 2014, this link https://web.facebook.com/sixtus.ahumaraeze/posts/381046868729466 will guide you down memory lane.
2015 to some has been a great year, to a few a year not so good and
equally no so bad, to many a year to forget. 2015 brought alongside it
some ray of hope for so many people who wanted to forget the ghost and
bad happenings of 2014 and find succour in the year 2015.
This year came so fast and equally went so fast. So let’s take a look into what transpired in the year 2015.
1. UNSOLVED MYSTERIES OF 2014.
This
year started with the unsolved mysteries of the past year spearheaded
by the traumatic missing of the Malaysian Airline MH370 which got
missing on March 8 2014. But July 2015, an aircraft wing part washed up
on Reunion Island. French officials confirmed debris was from MH370.
Also is the abduction of the Chibok girls by the Islamic sect Boko haram
who till now, have not yet been released or recovered.
2. TERRORISM/TERRORIST ATTACK CONTINUES
Three(3)
days after the calendar turned 2015, when Nigerians were still in the
Euphoria of the new year, tragedy struck. The terrorist Sect Boko haram
reportedly massacred the village of Baga Bornu state. According to the
CNN, the described it as a gory sight in which people were killed like
mosquitoes. The number of deaths/fatalities varied with western media
reporting “2000 deaths” while local media reported “at least 100 deaths”
while the Nigerian Ministry of Defence said not more than 150 dead. As
Nigerians and the world were still mourning this deaths, a powerhouse of
the world was attacked. France witnessed the first of two attacks. The
first, Charlie Hebdo attack. A French satirical weekly magazine
featuring cartoons, Polemics, jokes, etc who because of their
controversial Muhammad cartoons were attacked leading to the death of 12
persons. That was an eye opener for France. And they were later shocked
to their ribs on the night of Friday Nov. 13, 2015 on a cool serene
evening in the most beautiful city in the world, Paris when the
Parisians were having a good time, the terrorist group ISIS attacked yet
again, now in 6 different locations in Paris killing 128 persons and
injuring hundreds. The world looked unto Paris with pity and sympathy
and in unison Prayed for Paris. #PrayforParis.
Also in Baghdad
Iraq, a refrigerator truck parked with explosives blew up inside the
heart of a busy market in August killing 67 people and leaving hundreds
hospitalised in its wake. ISIS equally claimed responsibility. In Ankara
Turkey, two suicide bombers blew up near Ankara’s main train station,
killing 97 people and wounding nearly 250 others.
Al Shabaab Sect
continued their menace in Kenya and Somalia, killing dozens, injuring
hundreds and rendering thousands homeless and out of jobs.
The Syrian
war has lived up to its 4th year with ISIS and oppositions making life a
living hell for President Bashar Al-Assad. It has been described as the
worst event to happen since the end of WWII that has left more than
300,000 people dead and displaced 10.6 million.
3. XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS
(XENOPHOBIA-
FEAR OF FOREIGNERS) The world focused her lenses on South Africa
following the killing of foreigners, triggered by the comments of Zulu
King, Goodwill Zwelithini on 21st March 2015 when he said that
“Foreigners should pack their bags and go”. By April, violence escalated
leading to the death of some foreigners, looting and destruction of
properties owned by foreigners. An inhuman act which prompted the
African oldest cum Strongest leader Robert Mugabe to say… “South
Africa will kick down a statue of dead white men, but won’t even attempt
to slap a live one. Yet the can stone to death a black man simply
because he’s a foreigner.”- R.G MUGABE.
4. ELECTIONS
This
year saw so many countries head to the polls. Sri Lanka were the first
to head to the polls on 8th January. History was made in which incumbent
President Mahinda Rajapaksa lost to his former minister of health Mr.
Maithripala Sirisena. A great shock to Mr. Mahinda. More shock was to
come as our own nation Nigeria, whose elections were postponed from Feb.
14th to March 28th provided the biggest surprise of elections in the
year, as Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Presidential candidate of the APC(a
party which was barely 21/2 years formed), captured Nigeria with aplomb
and removed the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP from power. A
party which have ruled for 16 years.
There were equally elections in
Ivory coast(where Alassane Ouattara was re-elected), Burkina Faso,
Benin, Egypt, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Central Africa Republic, Sudan,
Comoros, Burundi, India, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong,
Andorra, Croatia, Greece, Canada, Argentina etc.
5. HAJJ STAMPEDE
As
Muslim faithful’s headed over to the holy city to observe their annual
Hajj Pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Pandemonium arose as pilgrims
who were throwing 7(seven) stones at Pillars called Jamarat(which
represents the devil) met with other pilgrims moving towards them from
the opposite direction thereby leading to chaos and inadvertently, a
stampede occurred. 717 people lost their lives with an 863 injured in
the incident. Deaths varying from the old, young and even little
children. The deadliest incident to occur during the pilgrimage in 25
years.
6. ARAB MIGRATION
With the ongoing war in Syria
and Iraq, European continent have witnessed a huge rise in migration
from the Arab world. Thousands of people flee their countries in the
middle East. Many flee due to the war over there, Others with the sole
purpose to find comfort in Europe. Countries like Spain, Germany,
France, Sweden, etc opened their borders to allow the migrants in. With
the only means of transport been the sea, there has been series of loss
of lives and capsizing of boats. Top of the bunch was a pathetic picture
which went viral of a Syrian refugee who was in tears carrying the
corpse of his 3year old son, Aylan Kurdi who drowned and was floated
ashore in the Turkish beach. Very pathetic indeed.
7. FIRE OUTBREAK
Just
two days(May 31st) after a new government was installed in Nigeria, the
nation witnessed hell in physical form when a tanker loaded with
Premium Motor Spirit(PMS)equally known as petrol, lost control and
rammed into Asaba Motor Park at Upper Iweka in Onitsha Anambra state. 69
Nigerians were burnt to death beyond recognition. Bodies were littered
like roasted goats. A horrible sight to behold. Also in various parts of
the country, there were reports of various fire outbreaks notably in
Lagos and Kano states.
Equally in Indonesia, there have been nearly
100,000 active fire detections in 2015, with Indonesia’s fire outbreaks
producing more daily emissions than entire emissions in US Economy.
8. SHOOTINGS
In
2015, there were more days with a mass shooting than days without a
mass shooting according to Sarah Frostenson of VOX. There were 208 days
with mass shootings and 146 days with none. In 2015, 457 people have
died from mass shootings. In San Bernardino California, a couple killed
at least 14 persons and wounded 21. June 18th 2015, Dylan storm Roof
opened fire at a Methodist Episcopal black Church in Charleston S.C
after first praying with them. Oct. 1st, Christopher Sean Harper, 26,
shot and killed eight fellow students and a teacher at Umpqua Community
college Roseburg and injured nine. He killed himself after exchanging
fire with police. In Tunisia, June 26th an Islamist mass shooting
occurred at the tourist resort of Port El Kantaoui, when an armed gunman
attacked a hotel and killed thirty eight people, thirty of whom were
British.
9. AIR CRASHES
This year has seen so many
air disasters happen leading to deaths of thousands of persons. November
2015, we saw a Russian Passenger jet crash 22 minutes after take off
killing all 224persons on board. The black box audio recording confirmed
that the plane was brought down by a bomb which ISIS claimed
responsibility. A bomb brought in from outside and planted in the plane.
Russia offered a $50 million reward for information on how the bomb was
put on the plane.
30th June, Indonesian Hercules C-130 military
plane crashed killing 122 on board. 24th March, Germanwings Airbus A320
crashed in the French Alps on a flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, all
148 perished. 13th August, a Bristow helicopter crashed into the lagos
lagoon, four people were reportedly dead. Some day later still in
August, Nigerian Airforce Plane crashed in kaduna ten minutes after take
off killing all 7 on board.
10. FALL OF OIL PRICES
The
oil industry with its history of booms and busts is in its deepest
downturn since the 90’s. More than 200,000 oil workers around the globe
have lost their jobs. But why the sudden fall in Oil Prices? The answer
is quite simple. The U.S who through the years has been a major importer
of the black liquid gold has seen its domestic Oil production doubled
over the last six years thereby pushing out oil imports. Countries like
Saudi, Nigeria and Algerian oil that once was selling in U.S is now
competing for Market in Asia and the producers are forced to drop
prices. The current price of Brent crude now sells at $36 a barrel(This
same crude as at 2013 sold at $158 a barrel). The biggest losers in this
scenario includes the oil producing nations like Venezuela, Iran,
Nigeria, Ecuador, Brazil, Russia, etc who are suffering economic
turbulence. Chevron and Royal Dutch shell recently announced cuts to
their pay rolls to save cash.
11. SECESSION AROUND THE WORLD
Just
like it happened in Sudan Jan. 9th 2011, when the southern part of
Sudan decided to secede and formed the world’s newest country… South
Sudan. Some countries are currently been plagued incessantly by regions
within them demanding for a withdrawal/split. Taking Nigeria as a case
study, this year has seen a huge rise on demands made by the Indigenous
People of Biafra(IPOB) to secede from the nation Nigeria. There has been
series of protests and demonstration around the South Eastern and South
South regions of Nigeria which have led to death of Individuals and
destruction of properties. With the movement been spearheaded by Mr.
Nnamdi Kanu, a U.K based Nigerian who uses the media through his Radio
Biafra network to propagate the split from Nigeria.
Equally in Spain,
Catalonia one of Spain’s richest and most highly industralised regions
are driving to get her Independence from Spain. Several attempts has
been made within the years to vote out/secede from Spain which have
until now proved futile. Nov. 2015, the Catalan govt vowed to move
forward with its secession process defying orders from Spanish high
court. Also in the U.S, the state of Texas are in a tussle to secede
from the United states and are currently backed by Russian President
Vladimir Putin.
12. NATURAL DISASTERS
The most
devastating natural disaster of 2015 was the earthquake in Nepal. A 7.9
magnitude quake hit just outside Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. More than
2100-9000 people were reportedly killed. April 22, Chile’s Calbuco
Volcano erupted for the first time in 54years. It caused 6,000 local
residents to evacuate the area. In April 2015, there was wildfire in
Siberia that swept through 60 villages, and left 23 dead, more than 900
injured and left 5,000 homeless. The fires were set by Russian farmers
preparing for spring planting.
In Afghanistan, Feb. 2015, series of
avalanches caused by heavy snowstorms killed 196 people in the
mountainous province of Panjshir. Over 40 avalanches occurred in a
period of one week. Also there was wildfire in Australia that burned
down dozens of homes and threatened many more in January. A state of
emergency was declared in Texas in May after heavy rains covered the
state. Homes were wiped out and 22 people died.
Dec. 20th, a massive
landslide occurred in Shenzhen Hengtaiyu Industrial park of China
leaving 91 people missing. The landslide buried 33 buildings.
13. WARS
According to Pablo Escobar, the great drug lord of Columbia … “We fight wars to make Peace”.
I’m still trying to decipher this assertion. This year has seen so many
countries engage in war. The war in Afghanistan has continued to grow
on yearly basis since its inception in 1978. The Taliban has
continuously been a thorn in the flesh of the Afghan government.
Syrian
war has so far been the most deadliest in the year. There has been
various groups of fighters ranging from the Syrian government, The
Kurds, Islamic state, Al Nusra front and the opposition. It has been
described as another world war which has involved so many countries like
Iran, Iraq, Qatar, U.S, Jordan, Russia, Saudi Arabia etc some who
entered the war to support the Syrian government, while some came to
oust the current president.
Also there is a Civil war going on in
Yemen, Burundi, Congo, Central Africa Republic, Iraq, Pakistan, Ukraine,
South Sudan, not forgetting the war against terrorism in Nigeria.
2015 is about to become history, we can only but anticipate for a better 2016.
TO A GOOD BETTER 2016
WRITTEN AND DOCUMENTED BY
SirLegal (A. Sixtus) saying…
#PRAYFORWORLDPEACE.
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