Example of A Tragedy: The Remix

President Obasanjo was visiting an secondary school, and the JSS 3 class he sat through began a discussion related to words and their meanings.

President Obasanjo decided to take the class on on the word “Tragedy” and he asked the class what they understood as tragedy?

One boy stood up and said, “If my best friend father who lives next door is coming back from work and a Tanker crushes him on an okada, that would be a tragedy.”

“No,” said Obasanjo, “that would be an accident.”

A girl raised her hand and said, “If our school bus carrying 50 children drove off 3rd Mainland bridge, killing everyone on board, that would be a tragedy.”

“I’m afraid not,” the President said. “That’s what we would call a Great Loss.”

The room went silent. No other children volunteered. President Obasanjo searched the room and asked, “Isn’t there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?”

Finally, way in the back of the room, Mohammed raised his hand, and in a quiet voice, he said, “If on Oct 1, there is a bomb blast at the Eagle Square and President Obasanjo was burnt beyond recognition, THAT would be a tragedy.”

“That’s right! And can you tell me WHY that would be a tragedy?” asked the President.

“Well,” Mohammed said, “because it wouldn’t be an accident and it sure as hell wouldn’t be a Great Loss…”