Bologna, Italy – E be like sey time no dey sit down for this one, as Bologna don dey remember 45 years since dem bomb dem station wey carry many lives go. Na on top this matter, di city gather people wey no fit forget di 85 souls wey dem lose and di 200 wey suffer injury that fateful day. Ehn, since na heart-wrenching journey, matter no too dey funny, but we stil dey make am light small.
Dis year, di event show as usual, mix of tears and cheers. For di courtyard of Palazzo d’Accursio, Minister Anna Maria Bernini don talk say “na great honor to dey here,” but na there show wahala as person for di crowd start to contest am. Na so e be, when e reach matters wey dey touch our heart, no be everybody go gree follow your talk (sometimes dem go clear their throat jor, no be small).
As di corteo start to waka go di station, Paolo Bolognesi, di outgoing president of di association wey dey represent di victims’ families, dey greet crowd wey dey hail am. Him speech scatter ground as e talk say, “All di stragisti don pass through di Msi.” Na true talk, as di people don dey vex small small say government no wan recognize di neofascist root of di tragedy (we sabi sey, na wetin dem no wan face fully).
President Mattarella too no come dey dull for him side, e talk say di incident na “sign of dishumanity from a cruel neofascist strategy” wey wan destroy dem constitutional values and di social progress wey Italians don work hard to achieve. Dey matter no dey easy to chew, but paddy don dey try swallow those words.
As di event dey unfold, Bolognesi no drop mic. He continue to throw sharp words to di current government, dey criticize dem say “you fit say you dey condemn di Bologna tragedy, but if you no recognize di fascist roots, na like say you dey pour water for root of poison plant dey grow.” Wahala! I no go lie, dat one sharp biko!
Dem dey talk sey di entrance of na Minister Bernini bring some tension as Bolognesi and di crowd dey watch am, but she still try to defend di government. “I no gree any connection between di current government and di tragedy.” But di town no fit cool as people dey cry out for accountability.
Elly Schlein, di youthful face of PD, dey remind everybody sey, “As we dey celebrate di victims, we go still challenge di current government to ensure justice and truth for every family wey lose dey loved ones. We must no forget wetin happen; na our duty.”
For dis emotional event, wetin dey filled with memory and lessons, di call for unity to face di future also dey loud and clear. Di citizens, families of di victims, and all wey dey participate, dey send message say make everybody work together to ensure such tragedy no happen again. E clear say Bologna no go ever forget; dis memory go continue dey shine like light for dem path.
As usual for such serious remembrance, dem go still set up parades and speeches to keep di memory alive, and of course, some plenty traditional local food go dey scatter ground as dem celebrate di spirit of those wey endure di past. Na so dis matter dey carry people forge di future together.
