Five things Ahmed’s life and death taught us

I have always said that in this life, it is either you learn from others mistakes or they learn from yours to improve upon themselves. This is because the affairs of this world is cyclical; what goes around surely comes around.

Exactly two months ago on January 17, 2019, as the day was just hatched, we were greeted with the sad death of a gallant investigative journalist. We did not know much about him for anonymity was his greatest artillery until that ‘device’ was dismantled by people who doubted his credibility.

Ahmed Hussein-Suale is the slain journalist. Whether disclosing his identity was for the good or bad of this nation, that is a subject for another day. But, at least, we know his hallmark was uncovering the rots in society.

Today, he is no more but I want us to revisit a few things his life and death remind us as wayfarers under the sun. This life, is indeed a transition into a bigger world.

Be ready for anything, anytime

Whoever you are in this life, either well known or an ‘underground citizen,’ you will have an enemy who do not wish you well on the path you thread. Enemies do not fall from the skies, neither do they grow from the ground. They are a part of our lives and they walk, wine and dine with us. In any case, life should be lived prepared for eventualities as and when they happen. It is necessary to live a predetermined life which shows who you are, where you are heading and how your life story would be read at your back.

As Africans, we have been made to understand that there is an all-seeing-eye up there which is able to capture anything, anywhere, at any point in time. If for nothing sake, we the living should live an exemplary life in a way that the Supreme Being would be proud of us and whenever He calls us to give an account, our version would be like a fragrance in His eyes.

Your tongue will never rot

Ahmed Suale’s physical presence would be missed and what he said will always be remembered among us. This is the immortal aspect of life. Our thoughts, our words will forever live after us. They have a soul sitting in them.

He is dead today but his name is not dead. It will go deep down the history books and his deeds will forever echo in the world below and across the globe. His works are following him where all that is left is a recollection of the end result of his actions.

In this part of our world, confronting the corrupt figures in society is never an easy thing. How dare you even try? They have created a ‘world’ for themselves and have methodically laid down certain procedures that aids them to forever remain where they are. But, Mr. Suale challenged the status quo and brought some of them to light. He has done his bit.

Not all people can be touched anyhow and culprits go scot free

My background checks indicate that Ahmed came out of a humble beginning. Nonetheless, based on what he did with his life, bigger institutions in the world have now shown appreciation in his works and have vowed to seek justice for Ahmed by finding his murderers and prosecute them.

This makes him stand out amongst the lot. Though based on the strategic body parts the bullets sunk, it can be deduced the killers are ‘professionals’ in their trade and the truth will eventually expose them of their evil deeds.

You can be your own enemy unknowingly

Maybe, doubters of the late Ahmed’s integrity may have in one way or the other got his details via social media. Or maybe, his killers can be found through a similar equation. The ‘new gold’ that the world is seen fighting for recently, is data. With the help of artificial intelligence, they are mining for new data to store and enrich their knowledge bank on a daily basis. People are able to gather enough information about you within the shortest possible time because you have allowed then to read your mind.

For instance, I recently saw a 10year flashback pictorial challenge going viral on social media. Instantly, I knew there was something fishy going on out there. Since the world embraced the usage of smart devices, most of people are living their lives on social media and of course the IT firms are able do so much with the content you upload there.

They are able to detect how you reason. How would you know if those celebrities that started this 10year challenge have been secretly contracted by the bigger IT firms to do this?

There are so many programs, robots and facial recognition devices on the internet which are able to identify and give so much details about you easily. We need not follow anything when we hear or see them happening.

Seek counsel from experts, for your enemy may be closer than you think. You should know who you are and where you are heading before indulging in certain activities. Be vigilant!

The Evil that men do, lives after them

It is funny how some people think due to their myopic mindset, selfish and coward nature. The killers did not know that their attack will rather raise the investigative journalist to a higher pedestal.

The world now remembers Ahmed as a victor and since they carried out the attack in broad-daylight, so will their exposure be for the world to bear witness.

Certainly, those who were the masterminds are now trying to hide while no one ‘follows’ them. I wonder how long they can run and where on earth they can hide, since “the whole world is a stage” as William Shakespeare opined.

Good men are like immortals. Temporally, they have succeeded in silencing him, but they did not succeed in shooting the truth out of him.

His works will live for ages. Though he dies, his name will rise like a fragrant fruit planted in a potent field; its aroma will soon spice up the air in the entire vineyard, the earth.