Steemit Engagement Challenge Season8 Week1: What is the value of life?

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Let me start by congratulating the Colombia-Original community for once again emerging as one of the selected communities to run the engagement challenge for season 8.

Because I could remember participating in your contest on the engagement challenge some few months ago, and it was really an exciting experience. For the first week, you have presented a lovely contest titled What is the value of life? by @colombiaoriginal.

Ranging from movies, histories, and news, I have seen and heard about the capital punishment being given to offenders of the law. And I believe many have found this act to be harsh and barbaric.

While others feel life is valuable and should not be intentionally taken by that law, others feel the offenders deserve to die for being a bad egg to the society.

Follow my article, as I would be sharing my views with you on the issue of death penalties.

Am trying to point out that our lives are important regardless of our mental, social and physical behaviors. This has made many religious bodies to speak against the the issue of capital punishment to humans.

With my observations thus far, humans have not been able to recreate lives, and for that singular reasons, the law should treats every living human with dignity and respect, and that our lives be protected at all cost.

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Over the years, I have learned and observed that we are all obligated to various rights depending on our countries. And some of these privileges ranges from having the right to life, security and freedom. As citizens of a particular country, I think it's the duty of those in power to do more of protecting lives rather than destroying it.

In my opinion, I would regard death penalties as violation of human right, even though many would argue that it's a well deserved punishment for criminals. I just think there could be other better ways to handle criminals, rather than putting them to death.

As I said earlier, many religious leaders have requested and asked that citizens lives be respected and protected. However, there are still cases of death sentences given regularly in my country.

The truth is that while capital punishment is allowed for certain offenses in Nigeria, they have been cases where it wasn't applied, even when the suspect deserved the worst of punishment.

According to the Nigerian Constitution, section 33 sub-section 2, which states that every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived of his life except when sentenced to be executed by a recognized court after being found guilty.

It's equally important to note that in Nigeria code act (section 284), clearly stated that capital punishments are applicable only in cases of murder or treason.

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Although many have speculated on the suspension of death sentences in Nigeria since 2004, we could still see it in the constitution, which means it could be enforced anytime the need arises.

It is interesting to see some vibrant and popular individuals in Nigeria opposing the judgment of death sentences, and actively working tirelessly to abolish it.

We have seen many organizations opposing the need for capital punishment here in Nigeria, including the Death Penalty Project, Amnesty International, and local civil rights organizations such as CDHR Nigeria.

Yes, I could remember the popular death sentence of an armed robber (Mr. Solomon Akotebe), which occurred around April of 2017 in the city of Benin.

What really made this event to go viral was that Mr. Solomon Akotebe was convicted and sentenced to prison since 2003, and after serving 16 years in prison, he was led to death by hanging.

You could imagine wasting 16 years of your entire life in prison, only to be brought out and killed for the same crime. This act made many young and old Nigerians to debate against the execution of offenders, because everyone deserves a second chance.

There were debates and talks about this issue, because many felt the value of life had been dishonored and trampled on. If we go on killing prisoners for the slightest of reasons, then it's a fault on our side not respecting the values of life.

Alot of people accused the Judges of making wrong decisions as regards the case of Mr Solomon, because everyone felt that 16 year jail term was enough for anyone to change his/her behavior.

Some supporters of Mr. Solomon Akotebe's death penalty argue that it was an effective measure for serious crimes and that it had served justice for victims and their families.

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Alot more people felt the decision to hang Mr Solomon was too hard and uncalled for, given the fact that he had already wasted some of his year and deserved to live as a sign of respect to the source that created life.

I am on the opinion that our lives all matters, and as a respect to God who creates life, we should try as much as possible to abolish the killing of offenders neither by hanging or shooting. Preferably, I would even suggest lifetime imprisonment for very serious crimes like murder.

Generally, I find death penalties as unnecessary, as it would only harden the heart of criminals to do more harm, as the would become heartless of killing and persecution of their partners.

It isn't fair to the source that created life if we don't value it. I would suggest the abolishment of convicting citizens of their crimes by hanging, shooting, or whatever means.

I would say a big thanks to the organizers of this contest, I appreciate your time and effort to deliver interesting and educative contests for us.

Am inviting @muzack1, @isgledysduarte, and @dt720 to check out this contest.

Thanks for your time here.