For Mr. James Jackson, his life had just crumbled before him like a pack of cards.
He who had two sons that were born on the same day, had suddenly become childless.
Two years ago, the first of the twin was brutally murdered, while he was being inducted alongside others as a medical doctor.
Today, the court sentenced his only surviving son and child to die by the hangman’s noose.
Why? He had pulled the trigger that sent his twin brother and only sibling to his untimely grave. He murdered his own blood in cold blood.
He had simply walked into the venue of the event, shot into the air to attract attention and walked over to where his brother was sitting.
Whilst the poor twin brother looked at him in shock and confusion, he shot him point blank in the head. The death was instant.
After committing this heinous act, he surrendered himself to the police. Before his arraignment and throughout the trial, he never denied the offence.
He only told a story that broke many hearts, but could not justify murder in the eyes of the law.
His brother had been the shining star of the family. Academically, he was brilliant and in the areas of sports, he was a force to reckon with. He excelled in everything he did and was the kind of child every parent prayed for. Despite these qualities, he was quiet and humble.
The convicted brother on the other hand was an average student, who had no interest in sports. His only area of excellence was drawing and painting. He was an extrovert and a social butterfly.
It did not come as a surprise when the parents doted on the intelligent son and did all they could to make him happy. They were proud of him and flaunted his achievements at every available opportunity.
The convicted brother did not make any fuss but did what he could to please his parents. His drawing skills also earned him awards but the parents were not impressed by this.
After their secondary school education, the intelligent son went on study medicine and the second was offered fine Arts.
One day, they had gone to school as usual but the convicted son came back to pick an item he forgot at home. There was nobody in sight when he walked into the house. However, he heard voices from his father's study. The door was slightly open and he thought he should walk in and greet them.
That thought died when he saw that his parents were discussing with the family lawyer about drafting his father's will. He stood still to eavesdrop and what he heard shattered his heart to pieces.
His father had 6 choice properties and some pieces of land in the village. His brilliant brother was to get 4, his mother was to get 1 and he was to get 1 - the smallest among the properties.
When the lawyer protested the unfair sharing formula, his father stood his ground and said the convicted brother ought to be happy with the house. He added that the house was to ensure that he had a place to lay his head while engaging in the unprofitable profession of drawings and paintings. His mother supported his father's views.
The young man walked away with one thought in mind: he was going to cause his parents unimaginable pain.
He pretended all was well, even while planning a revenge mission that was going to affect everyone around him.
3 years later, he got the perfect opportunity to carry out his plan. Immediately he heard that his brother had passed his final exams and was going to be inducted into the medical profession, he perfected his plan.
He did not attend the induction exercise on the ground that he was busy. But immediately after the induction exercise and whilst closing speeches were ongoing, he walked into the hall and shot his brother in the head.
The incident took place in the presence of more than a hundred people. Thus there was no means of escape.
In the course of trial, their mother passed away as a result of heart break and high blood pressure.
Today, he was sentenced to death and their father was left to bear the consequences of their actions.
Children are gifts from God, but they come in different packages- different personalities, behaviour, IQ level etc.
Learn to accept them the way they are; build up their natural talent, help them acquire skills that will be of use in the future; teach them how to be better persons but never show favouritism.
Equality, they say is equity.
You cannot sow rivalry and expect peace in your home. There may be a facade of brotherliness but one day, it will crack and the rot beneath will be exposed.
Don't turn your family to a battle field and then blame your enemies, village people or the worst culprit- the devil.
Treat your children equally and teach them to do same.
#copied from facebook
*OMG..what a sad story..Most sibling rivalry begins under the nose of the parents and unconsciously encouraged by them..Oh God give us the grace to be good parents!
What a tragedy to befall a man!
ReplyDeleteWhat happened with killing them with your success. If they will your brother 4 choice property , you work on acquiring 6 or more through hard work. This was an avoidable situation and it seems the convicted don had already given up on himself. Too bad for the family.
DeleteKilling is brother is so wrong,he should have work hard to be a better person.
ReplyDeleteThank you ooo. That wasn't an excuse at all. It's high time people become responsible for their actions and stop hating others who strives to be better.
DeleteI remember when I was in school all my coursemates hated me and this other girl because the teacher always sang our praises.
1) We answer and ask questions in class which created an interactive atmosphere that those teachers loved. There was a time i kept quiet for two weeks because a lot of people gossip behind my back for being an over sabi simply because i answered questions (these same people would still come to me to explain something to them after refusing to ask the teacher).
That was one of the most boring period of that semester because these same people never opened their mouths to talk for most were even pressing their phones and some had earpiece on in class.
When we had an assignment I submit on time but this same people were caught most times by these teachers writing theirs on the day of the deadline in class.
Most even come to class during the second hour alone and leaves before it ends.
I am not saying those were the situations of the parent but when I was growing up my parent would compare my siblings grade to mine instead of getting angry it made me to work even harder.
What am saying is the boy had no right to take his brother's life no matter what the parent said.
In a way that could have been a motivation for him to work Even harder and shock his parents with his success. When people doubt you or put you down the best revenge as they say is success not killing them.
So because he didn’t read medicine he’s not a hard worker? Didn’t you read that he was doing well in the fine arts?
DeleteThe whole point of this is that no two children are the same and instead of always singing the praise of one, find what all of them are good at and encourage them. This will make them aim for more in whatever field they have chosen.
He "excelled" doesn't mean he was "exceptional" in his chosen fields, or didn't you see the part where it was written that he was an average student?.
DeleteThey are a lot of people in the Arts who are far better than others in glorified professions. Being in the Arts doesn't mean mediocrity.
Abegi e do. Now all of a sudden everything is on child rearing. Mscheeeew
ReplyDeleteLike my mummy, my mummy will force me to go to my sister's place to help her out with her kids and chores.
ReplyDeleteand that one's husband will be molesting you even after telling her she will say "but aunty yin need help now.." sometimes I just cry
Really?, please tell your sister since your mum has decided to turn a deaf ear to you. Am sorry but is she your biological mum?.
DeleteTry to record his voice or his actions so you will have proof and show her,
Trust me she will be the one to beg you to stay far away and don't be scared that you will spoil their home for your mum to say something like that, i bet your sister won't leave her husband she would just make sure you don't come to her house again.
You need to protect yourself stop crying like a baby and act please.
Are you an idiot? Can't you just stop going there? I think you are enjoying the thrill and its no longer molestation, if you feel you do not want to scatter your sister's marriage by exposing the husband, then stop visiting them
DeleteWhat did he gain? Be contented with what you have...na waoo
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I should believe this story.... All the events that happened was it in Nigeria, in another African country or in another continent?
ReplyDeleteMany people write all these stories just to get hundreds of comments.
He killed his brother out of jealousy and not just because his parents were always proud of his brother and not him. He killed his brother because he did not have good plans for his life.
He killed his brother because he was expecting so much from his parents (inheritance).
His parents were wrong not being proud of him.
Until it happens to one close to u before u know its real.
DeleteThis is exactly one week this similar thing happened in asaba, a popular rich family in this town.
The first son a grown up man of about 45 yrs woke up last two Sundays and stabbed his two younger brothers to death because the mother loved them more than him.
Confirm from punch and sun newspapers, the story is real.
Used to have same option about stories like this until it happened to people I know.
Parents are to blame for this type of tragedy cos every child responds differently when deprived of their rights.
No no no Anon 16:07. Asaba story is different. The 45 year old was a good for nothing fella. He was always appeased from their petrol station proceeds and other businesses. What do you do to someone who can't keep a job? Who can't manage a business. He's into hard drugs. Someone who squandered more than a million naira in one day? Mistake the mom did was to overlook his numerous threats and always bring him out of the psychiatric home. They should have always armed themselves with security. Truth is, his brothers weren't favoured more than him. He made himself irresponsible and unaccountable.
Deleteso his parents were right na. He is truly useless..
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteHe is a useless son. Why kill your twin over what he knew nothing about. They probably were not close growing up cos if they were, he would have discussed his findings with his brother whom I know from this write up would have shared everything with him.
ReplyDeleteWho bears a grudge against his twin for whole 3 solid , pretending to like him but all the while, plotting for his death? That guy is the devil himself.
What will one son do with four properties especially if he has a good profession lined up for his future? I do not believe that this actually happened, but nothing good is wrong with being an artist. The arts will always be appreciated. Even historians depend on the cave drawings and art work of our ancestors to chronicle our history.
ReplyDeleteKilling his brother is not the right thing to do NEVER. But really equal love matters so much in a family, everybody cant be be the same
ReplyDeleteParents be careful
ReplyDeleteParents fuels these rivalry between their kids. I knew how terrible i felt. I hated my older brother and at one point, if i had an access to a gun i wouldn't waste time in emptying it all on him. Still very difficult up till now despite the fact that we both grown and married and my mother that caused all these is dead. I damned all her properties and walked away from all cos i am just trying to avoid what will make me commit murder. Big lesson for me. Love my kids equally, i make sure they say sorry and hug each other after a misunderstanding. Wasn't easy being the resented one.
ReplyDeleteI dislike when people type balderdash on FB and then tell us what the moral of the story should be.
ReplyDeleteWhy fight over wealth you did not build? It is left for the owner to determine who to allocate his wealth to? You could have been patient enough to build yours.
This has nothing to do with sibling rivalry but a dark heart. He has always hated his brother and that is all. He would have killed his brother no matter what because he allowed darkness creep into his heart. Some people were not their parent's favorite in the beginning but now they are. The best form of giving back is success.
Studying medicine is not a pathway to success. With a clean heart, he would have succeeded with that fine arts he studied.
KING XOXO MYSTERY
I am hated by my siblings because my grandma showed them she loved me more. Even my mother hates me and I am not comfortable around her.My grandma is late and I'm suffering the consequences.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great lesson to all parent.
ReplyDelete