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Lucky Dube’s Murder: An Armed Robbery Gone Bad
Posted by: Guest Author on October 19, 2007 Under: Africa, Discussion Lounge, Kenya, Nigeria, Opinion, South Africa
Muti ThisBy John Ladi, Los Angeles.
A decade back, I was convinced Lucky Dube was a Jamaican; he was such a natural reggae musician, unlike several other Africans who tried so hard to impress and even impersonate some of the well-established stars. News on Lucky Dube’s death filtered through ChatterBox (AfricanLoft’s news-blog aggregator), shortly before midnight lat night, since then; there have been more coverage of the development. What a waste!
Dube’s murder – an armed robbery attempt gone-bad – couldn’t have been more ill-timed. South Africa is preparing for the world cup tournament! Not that I expect this to negatively impact on games, but it’s just one crime too many!
Armed robbery has become so prevalent not only in South Africa, but in Nigeria as well. Kenya too, appears to be in crisis, three major sub-Saharan African destinations have recorded increasing cases of armed robbery attacks, often with fatalities.
Armed robbery has become so endemic in Nigeria that it has become deeply imbued into the national psyche: How many cases of fatal armed robbery happen every day? There are daily reports of bank bullion vans been ambushed, police escorts been killed, bank vaults and home invasions. There are several instances when bandits have calmly invaded neighborhoods to carry out house-to-house operations lasting several hours.
If a random sample is done in Nigeria, I won’ be surprised if 100 percent of respondents know of a relative who had been a victim of armed robbery attack in the past. My guess is that up to 50 percent of Nigerians would have experienced or witnessed an incidence of armed robbery in their lifetime.
While the increased rate of armed robbery in Nigeria has largely been attributed to the failed economic interventions and political rascality that ensued in the 1980s, the South African experience remains a head-scratcher. As the continental economic power, this crime can’t be explained, mainly, by poor national economy. One fact has been established over time when communities deal with social problems: Until the communities take ownership of the problem, most interventions aimed at addressing the problem will be fraught with obstacles, and in most cases fail. What is your community doing to curb/fight the crime?
wole Akindutire | Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
yeah heard it on the radio this morning. Too bad. The neighborhood where the crime took place is home to a lot of crime, it is a mixed race area; it is a flash point and i wonder why Dube would be driving his brand new car at 8pm in such neighborhood purportedly taking his kids to school? its all conflicting. But pray what manner of robbers will kill a man in front of his children? well may his soul rest in peace.
issa mashambazhou | Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
I think the rates highlight significant failures by governments to put in place legislation that safeguard innocent citizens through imposing complete bans of firearms and specified knives and introducing tougher sentences for convictions.
The public is also responsible, like you mentioned, for failure to report the presence of such lethal weapons in their communities. It’s easier to hide a gun from a law enforcement agent, but very difficult to hide it from the people one lives with. These people who allow guns in their households or neighbourhoods (knowingly) are equally responsible for the murders as the actual perpetrators.
South Africa need to impose a total ban on firearms and embark on systematic searches in key neighbourhoods. The judiciary system should also be reviewed and people who fail to report firearms and specified knives should get tougher sentences too.
D-Tee | Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
What further evidence do we need that we are our own biggest enemies?
I feel just banning firearms will not solve the problem. Yes, the government could do a gun-buy-back in an attempt to “de-firearm” South African neighborhoods, the real work lies in aiming workable social interventions at those at high risk of perpetrating these crimes.
issa mashambazhou | Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
There is evidence of countries that have zero-tolerance policies on guns, and gun crime in those countries is significantly low. Yes sometimes it’s necessary to employ workable social interventions…but sometimes a tough stance can do an even better job. These perpetrators know exactly what they are doing. They are not mentally retarded people, but callous criminals who do not value human life. They are fully aware of the consequences of such crimes should they get caught. Using soft approaches would only worsen the situation.
The gvt should have total control when it comes to firearms. If there is an effective control measure, firearms dealers will run out of business because it won’t be viable business anymore. It took a very tough stance and significant changes of law and even devaluation of ivory to clamp down poaching - not some soft approaches. The idea of toughening sentences is not just to be cruel, but a measure calculated to make a would-be robber stop and think before they commit the crime.
Yinka of Lagos. | Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
Dube’s death is a painful one. Crime, particularly armed robbery, has become a social problem that respect no one. Some weeks ago, Tu Face, a prominent Nigeria musician was shot several times in Lagos in what looked like a botched robbery attempt. Unlike Dube, Tu Face lives to tell the tale and quickly on his way to full recovery.
In respect to earlier comments, what would work is having a multi-faceted approach to crime fighting. Getting the guns off the streets is just one approach, and a tough one to implement for that matter given the polarity of the South African community and the decades-long armed resistance to apartheid. Implementing a strict gun-ownership plus social/economic interventions are key.
What frustrates me about the Mbeki government is its apparent non-nonchalant approach to addressing social problems in S.A. If one goes by how the govt. has addressed the HIV/AIDS epidemic, then I’m afraid, firearm-associated crimes will continue to wreck havoc in South Africa.
Omotaylor | Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
When you remove the arms/armed you are still left with robbers. Like a comment above said, they are callous people who would stop at nothing to steal and destroy - even the use of black magic is being employed. A tough stance on Armed robbery is needed. Bringing back the firing squad could be a deterrent. And now wait for it for as Pammy likes to say “dont chop my head oh” - If a police officer who connives with armed robbers or gets involve in this act is sent to the gallows/firing squad, it would be the start of a change in the police who are forever aiding and abetting armed robbers. Please read my recent blog post on the Community section about the menace of armed robbers and a Nigerian film I recently watched which highlights the deeper problem of lawkeepers conniving with armed robbers. Too many lives have been unnecessarily wasted. May we be spared this evil in our midst.
Omotaylor | Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
RIP Dube, you will be well missed in the music world. May your spirit return from the yonder and haunt your killers to their own graves in ignominy.
James- Darwin Australia | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Lucky Dube’s dead have shock me completely until now i had few days without sleep just wondering how could this happens.
now what can some of us who are thinking of going to the first world cup in motherland Africa feel safe of going to South Africa.
Mbeki’s govenment has alot to do within the next 24 months???
may the almighty God take good care of the best raggae star that Africa has ever produce.Your musics will live forever.