Haunted by Hate

By Chijioke Jimonu

Hate has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember and I know the majority will identify with me in this regard as it relates to their communities. I grew up in Nigeria, where there is hate on every level—from hate speech, to bombings, to massacres. As a result, I have contemplated hate and talked about hate for as long as I can remember.

Hate has to be stopped, if not for the victims of hate who are running for their lives, then for the next generation. We do not have to live like this, and neither should they. There's a saying we have back home: "A goat that is owned by everybody will die of hunger." We need to stop thinking that someone else will stop hate. We all need to stop hate once and for all. Please join me now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chijioke Jimonu
• Release date: Aug 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201869151

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Special thanks to Nnaemeka Nwaru and Ejike Ugiri for their invaluable contributions to the writing of this book. These are the kinds of conversations we need to have if we’re to finally beat hate once and for all.

Like the ghost of a mysteriously killed young man that manifests itself regularly at a village square in an ancient African city, hatred has become a prevalent experience among people globally. Hate, which is synonymous with a feeling of great dislike for people and among people, dominates the atmosphere in virtually all aspects of human endeavor. Otherwise, how could one explain the fact that politicians who are looked upon to promulgate laws that promote peace and harmony in society end up going against each other for the purpose of gaining political power? When these politicians engage in their fierce battles to overthrow or seize power from their counterparts, an atmosphere of hatred ensues. This, of course, positions both society and the governed on a dangerous path. As it is often said, Where two elephants fight, the grass suffers. As a result of these political fracases and disputes, society becomes haunted by several man-made evils, which, ordinarily, could be avoided if only hatred would be jettisoned from people’s hearts and character.

Public servants, market women, artisans, corporate bodies, and the general public should not be portrayed as saints who know no acts of hatred. The generality of human activities have been so stained with hatred that people are now being haunted by the unpleasant consequences that hatch from their actions. Otherwise, how could one segregate the Black man from working and living where the White man works and lives? How could one determine who their associates will be by judging others by their economic or social status, nationality, and political affiliation? Why else is there so much rancor and acrimony among neighbors in a community and colleagues at a place of work that one person feels angry when another rejoices? Why else are there wars that claim innocent lives and kidnapping of the righteous just to inflict pain and harm to people who know nothing about the evil that comes upon them?

Those who make good use of their bright and visionary eyes to observe and analyze the flow of things in the contemporary world will attest to the fact that nothing is right anymore. There are anger and intense feelings of dislike among people everywhere. Suffice it to say that acts of hatred continue to haunt us and our daily activities adversely and have only succeeded in rendering the world toxic for human habitation.

***

According to the Thesaurus, hate means to feel aversion or intense dislike for something. It implies an emotional aversion often coupled with enmity or malice (passion). It connotes violent antipathy (detest) or a deep often shuddering repugnance. Hate suggests strong detestation and often moral condemnation.

Hate is an intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from anger, fear or sense of injury. It is a systemic and especially politically exploited expression of hatred.

There are varieties of hate amongst mankind. Firstly, hate as a result of race, tribe or color. This strand is borne out of a feeling of extreme enmity towards fellow beings, a regard with active hostility. There is a high degree of distastefulness in this. Hostility is a byproduct of hate. A situation where a spate of anger leads to a colossal destruction of structures and other things in a place.

The second is the one that can be described as selective hate. In this case, the hater, hates an attribute and not necessarily a person. For example, you can hate a soccer star because he scores so many goals against your team, yet you acknowledge him as a star. Or you hate a man as a result of his dressing and yet acknowledge him as a handsome man. Thirdly, generational hate. This type is transferred from generation to generation. The parties involved cannot explain why they are enemies but all the same, they seem to believe so and hardly see anything wrong in the situation. It is a product of an ingrained animosity that is almost genetic (so to speak).