…..It’s despicable, in this supposedly new age of so much developments and technological advancements, compared to the world of places, we all have the penchants, to visit and enjoy life
A baseless cry from an unknown quarters, already refuted earlier in the day by both the organs of the Ondo State Government and that of the Deji’s Palace and was almost well publicized within the available short time frame, by reputable news outlets, including the one well published by this portal, but eventually managed to send Akure, the state capital, into a ghost town silence by 9 PM, thereby, further affecting and weakening the already nosediving night life culture of Akure, the state capital.
The trigger was just a rumour, but the effect was real, markets, stores and relaxation centers were shutdown hurriedly and so early, streets were emptied, Okada riders vanished, for the Fear of the unknown, as most busy spots and streets visited were deserted, already compounded by the existing general anxiety around the pockets of insecurity stories being reported here and there. It did what the rumour itself could not, even when the streetlights don’t come up usually at nights in many parts of the city, which the people have already adjusted to, as an entire state capital and a city, was put to sleep untimely.
Here’s the irony, in the heart of the seat of power Alagbaka, where the government sits and where officials are at work almost round the clock, life went on largely unaffected. The rumour never gained traction where people are closest to the facts. It thrived instead, in the spaces where daily hustle meets information gaps, where a fowl cry travels faster than verification. Most people at the center, hardly hear the cries at all, abinitio.
This incident tells us more about ourselves than about any security threat. We consume and process information without due diligence, and in doing so, we make a ruse of the very sense of normalcy, we are trying to protect. A single unverified message can override official statements, common sense, and reality.
To be fair, the atmosphere didn’t help, Ordinary sunset rainfall often brings that same “get inside” ambiance to Akure, the state capital, add in the flying stories of insecurity circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, and the misinformation spread, which finds itself a fertile ground always.
For a visitor arriving in the Ondo State capital at 9 PM to a deserted city, the impression is immediate: something is wrong here. That impression, however, is relative. It reflects the panic, not the facts.
The lesson is simple, but urgent, Official sources matter, Both the state government and the Deji’s Palace spoke early enough. Their refutation should have been the end of it.
Fear amplifies noise. Insecurity is a real concern in some parts of Nigeria, and that anxiety makes people vulnerable to believing the worst.
We have to slow down, Before forwarding, resharing, or shutting down our businesses, ask: who said this? Where is the proof? What do official channels say?
Akure didn’t shutdown at 9pm, because of an attack. It shutdown because of how we reacted to a rumour. If we don’t fix that, the next false alarm will do the same, and the next, until fear becomes the default setting of the city.
The city can’t afford to run on rumour. Life, livelihoods, and the image of Ondo State, depend on us choosing verification over panic.
Editor’s Desk
