Instant Justice in Mokola
That scream, I shall never forget. Olehhhh …!! A Large woman bellowed in Mokola Market, Ollleehhhhhh … Olehhhh … !!Na-Wow!! I had no idea what it meant, but I felt this one is bad. When I saw Olabode's reaction, I knew this is not just bad, this one is terrible.
What is going on here? I asked Olabode, the driver. Olabode, Bode for short, just said - "first let's get out of this Mokola Market." So, he drove away as fast as impossible, until we hit Bodija.
A few days later Bode told me what actually happened in Mokola. Every community in the world, has laws and regulations. Now, in this Ibadan, there is a traditional justice system, with a procedure called "Instant Justice".
A text book case, that definitely demand Instant Justice by all accounts, is when a thief is caught in the market. Especially in Mokola Market, in Ibadan. The procedure begins when a Market Woman, preferably a large woman, starts screaming - Oleh!! Olehh!! Olehhh!! (That's "Thief!" in Yoruba).
At that moment, the whole market erupts. No one knows who did what, what happened and what was stolen, or if anything was even stolen. But all are terrified of the outcome because everyone knows how it ends. Those screams are blood-curdling. And all know that very soon blood will be spilled in Mokola market, and no one wants it to be their blood.
Everyone knows that this procedure ends with "Instant Justice"; which, many times, is just a simple act of burning someone with a used tire. No one really knows if that person on the fire, within the tire, stole anything, or if he is the one that the Market Woman pointed at in the first place. But justice must be done and instantly.
It might shock those whom are not familiar with this "Instant Justice" system. Especially, if they come from places where the courts grind through small and simple cases like parking ticket for years.
It is even more mind blowing, when you know that it is clear that every woman and man are aware that the living torch is not necessarily the actual thief, or if anything was stolen, for that matter. In fact, the case is very simple, a market woman screams Oleh! Olehh! Olehhh! and it ends with a human torch and it is considered an "Instant Justice."
That's the traditional justice system that works fine for years, or at least that is what the Market Women of Mokola believe.
Bode explains - usually, there are some kinds of a quite pause, because all women and men need to know, what is the screamer's status in the market. If the screamer is in a high status and heavyweight Market Woman, then the rest of the market women, will join her without any hesitation, and that's mean that without a doubt someone must be caught and burned. No matter what, even if nothing was stolen.
That's the traditional justice system that works fine for years; at least that what the Market Women of Mokola believe.
Before anyone can figure out who is what, or how, a hunting party is already forms. A gang of market men is already chasing after a poor young boy. Odds are, this poor boy has no idea why he is being hunted or why they are after him, nevertheless; he knows well what would be his fate, if they catch him.
Now - Bode tells me - that boy was fast, agile, and smart enough. He darted through corners and narrow alleys around Gbadebo Street. After few twists and turns, the hunters lost him.
Soon enough, the hunters' party has a leader and he is no less than Honorable Judge Adebamgbe himself. Self-appointment, of course.
Now, Of course, Honorable Judge Adebamgbe is not a real judge. He never set foot in any courtroom. He is not familiar with any law, except the laws of Mokola Market, and he call himself "Judge" because he really likes the sound of it.
The moment someone screams “Olehhh!”, Judge Adebamgbe appears. Like a moth to flame. Everyone who knows him claim that Honorable Judge Adebamgbe does not lose thieves. Losing a thief is not an option.
Why? First, it's an insult to the screaming Madam in the Market, the one who started the "Oleh" scream.
Second, losing a thief will damage the Honorable Judge standing in the market and he cannot afford such an embarrassment. After all Judge Adebamgbe doesn't live off justice, he trades tomatoes.
But despite the status of Honorable Judge Adebamgbe in Mokola Market, the boy disappeared around Gbadebo Street, and that can be a big humiliation for the Judge. So Adebamgbe looked in all directions, furious and frustrated. He scanned every alley, every corner. He could not go back empty-handed.
Suddenly, a small goat wandered out of the alley where the agile boy turned and vanished. Honorable Judge Adebamgbe froze. His eyes narrowed. He claimed that immediately he noticed the goat was acting somehow suspicious. The Judge instantly knew what is going on, and he shouted – that's him, the thief! pointing at the little goat.
The hunting party gasped. The Honorable Judge turned to them and declared – this thief used Juju to turn into a goat, but he can't fool me. Oh no, he picked the wrong judge. And it was true, and everyone knew. No one fools Honorable Judge Adebamgbe. At least, that is what he tells anyone who listens.
Honorable Judge Adebamgbe arrested the goat and dragged it to the center of Mokola Market. There, in front of a growing crowd, Honorable Judge Adebamgbe began to interrogate the goat. "You think you can escape justice by turning into a goat?" He shouted. "You are the thief and you used JUJU to become a goat, didn't you?" "You think you can fool me? huh?! - I am Honorable Judge Adebamgbe!"
Then, to confirm the suspect's identity, the Honorable Judge took the goat to the screaming Madam in Mokola Market. After all, no one would like to punish an innocent by mistake, just like that; they must make sure that he is the thief, without the slightest of a doubt.
That's the traditional justice system that works fine for years; or at least that what the Market Women in Mokola believe.
So, the heavily respected Madam in Mokola Market listen with great attention to the explanations of the Honorable Judge Adebamgbe, telling her the whole story: how the thief using Juju to become a goat to escape justice. Then, the Market Woman carefully examined the goat and said – "yes, now I am very sure that the goat is the thief, they have the same eyes and same smell!" she concludes with confidence. Case closed.
At this point, the Honorable Judge Adebamgbe arranged a public trial right at the Mokola Market center, in front of the crowd that has gathered around him. The Judge scolded the goat and demanded that the goat shall confess that he is the thief, that became a goat by the Juju just to save himself.
It is likely that even a small goat would be shocked by the very interaction with Honorable Judge Adebamgbe. In any case, what Adebamgbe managed to get out of the goat was one long "mmmeehhhh", which was enough for the Honorable Judge to proclaim in front of the crowd: "The goat admits guilt!"
This is how it goes; anyone who knows Honorable Judge Adebamgbe, knows that he can't afford losing a thief. This is not an option with the Honorable Judge Adebamgbe. Someone from the crowd fetched an old tire and handed it to Judge Adebamgbe. The Judge took the tire, fitted it around the goat's body, and set the tire on fire. They call it Instant Justice.
It's horrific – I tell Bode, and he just shrugged – As soon as we are born, we are given the death sentence. That's life. Plus, that's the traditional justice system that works fine for years; or at least that is what the Market Women in Mokola believe.
And that is the end of the story. Except that a week later, Bode tells me, the goat's owner showed up at Mokola Market looking for his missing goat. He furiously stormed the stalls went up and down the market from one trader to another, asking and investigating few people here, there, and around, until someone told him about Honorable Judge Adebamgbe.
The owner of the goat found the Honorable Judge Adebamgbe, grabbed him and dragged him to the center of Mokola market. He shoved a used tire over the Honorable Judge head, and lit it.
They call it Instant Justice. That's the traditional justice system that works fine for years; or at least that is what the Market Women in Mokola believe.
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Years after my first encounter with Mokola’s traditional instant justice, I read about a case—somewhere else, far from Africa. Three men raped a thirteen-year-old girl. Brutally. The judge, in his verdict, said, “They behaved like animals.”
Your Honor—animals don’t behave like humans.