Let Peace Reign: This is What Really Happens...

"Let peace reign"

This statement has wrecked a lot of havoc in our world, especially in third world countries.

Don't get me wrong, it is important peace reigns, but when this encourages the culture of silence, there will never be peace.

It will only encourage ill treatment of people and that's where I come in.

Let peace reign and you left your well paying job, now things are harder. You are suffering and hungry, but there is peace right?

Let peace reign, you never reported the paedophile who raped your housemaid because his wife begged you not to. Now he has raped your daughter and you hate yourself, because you had the chance to save your daughter and other girls as well, but wanted peace to reign.

Let peace reign, you know your hubby is a cheat but you cannot leave your marriage, you do not want to be the talk of the town. Now you have been infected with HIV, worst still, you started antenatal late, so your baby is a HIV exposed infant(HEI) which means there's a greater risk of your baby acquiring HIV from you. This could also mean your innocent baby will suffer because you wanted "peace to reign'.

Let peace reign, and you allowed your parents to coerce you into a marriage you never wanted. Presently you are experiencing domestic violence, you have lost two pregnancies already and are at risk of losing your life.

Let peace reign, you started giving your monthly salary to your hubby. Now you cannot buy clothes for your self or even your children, you are always looking tattered and have become a shadow of yourself. You're unhappy, but peace must reign.

Imagine a woman enduring domestic violence "so peace will reign in her home" refusing to seek the help she needs.

A child asked not to say a word about how her uncle has been raping her for years "so that peace will reign" in his home. What do you think will become of this child?

A boy made to keep quiet about how his mallam/sunday school teacher has been raping him for 3 years now, because his image mustn't be tarnished. Meanwhile, he continues to hurt other boys, but peace must reign.

A maid enduring physical abuse but has to keep mute because she has to provide for her family, with time she believes it's a necessary evil.

A woman is verbally abused but endures it because she hopes her hubby will change in due time, plus it will be disgraceful if she goes back to her parents. Her children grow up in that house believing verbal abuse is normal.

Peace will never reign in these scenerios, they may pretend everything is alright but they are going through psychological traumas that could last throughout their lifetimes.

They are suffering but smiling, the typical Nigerian way. No one has to know they say, some only let their pain out in a suicide note but it's already too late.

Some become the exact replica of what they abhor, they know it's wrong but cannot seem to stop.

Help never came when they needed it, because "peace had to reign".

At the end of the day, because we want to feign peace at all times, we suffer. When we could have easily spoken up, stood by one another and reported perpetrators of these violent acts.

Peace will reign adequately if we evolve into humans who begin to make our choices regardless of the dictates of our culture.

We would have peace in abundance ✌️

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