The “Africans” Of Devon England Again

By

Farouk Martins, Omo Aresa

faroukomartins@aim.com

 

The ship wreck in Devon, England has brought into focus again the dilemma faced by philosophers and law enforcement organizations all over the world about human needs, greed, avarice or desperation in our behavior. We know what would happen if those looters and scavengers in Devon, England were of a different color of people in the same or different places. Coast guards, police, troopers or soldiers could have been deployed with orders to shoot looters on sight.

 

These people who where helping themselves to goods washed ashore from the shipwreck thought they were taking manna from heaven. As the owners of these goods watched in horror on television their belongings being freely shared by scavengers, police turned a blind eye as if it was their god given rights. There were others handing out forms that would legalize their loots if declared or returned what they deem fit. Yeah, sure right!

 

There was an old lady scavenging cat food but only embarrassed by the presence of a television reporter. Others bragged about their loot. It was quit a “good natured” and relaxed atmosphere apart from the oil spill from the ship. 50 ton of oil leaked into the water creating environmental hazard.

 

It somehow brought back the memories of Hurricane Karina where people in desperate needs were searching for food that was going to spoil anyway, in grocery stores. Of course, others looted some items that they were not desperately in need for. In 1977 New York blackout, people also looted. Even in these cases, we saw television in blare focus on black looters while white looters were only helping themselves to needs, I guessed.

 

Very soon, we are going to see pundits on televisions, psychologist and philosophers explaining this aspect of human behavior in order to justify the shoot on sight orders others faced when they behaved in exactly the same manner as in Devon, England.

 

As for the rest of us, we may want to know if some of us would steal because they think nobody would catch them or would some of us remain honest for fear of being caught. So if there are no anticipated consequences for looting or scavenging, some of us would turn to “finders are keepers”?

 

In Nigeria, apart from the well known kleptomaniacs in charge of the treasury, there were people who at the risk of their lives, would burst open gas or petrol pipes to divert it into plastic container for use or sale. This act of desperation to live for another day or to die trying is illogical to those of us who are not in the same circumstances.

 

The needs of the very poor that drive them to risky behavior and the wants of the not so poor that defies the norms or expectation of their own society can not be a brand new phenomenon. It is as old as the world itself.

There were people around Britain who heard about the ship wreck in Devonshire, England and were heading there for their own share. It began to sound like California gold rush. Or better still the glamour of African Treasures.

 

It is always worth it to remind us over and over again that there were places where there was so much gold, it got the name of Gold Coast and so much ivory, that another got the name Ivory Coast. So humans have always ventured out for an opportunity, nearby or far off, to satisfy their needs, wants, or sheer greed.

 

This greed, need, desperation or adventure may not know color or greed after all. It is the interpretation of law and enforcement by man that put Devon, England on a different level.