BLOOD money must be the most common issue raised and discussed on social media and other mainstream forms of media. It is a thorny issue. Many reckless young men kill on impulse and bring a lot of trouble to their families and tribes. I have always warned against the negative activities that some young men and teenagers engage in, including carrying guns and bragging about it. Some of them view guns as a sign of manhood. If someone makes them angry, they pull out a gun and shoot him just like that. This is when their life and that of their families and tribes turn into a nightmare because they acted on impulse. We have recently read and heard about families who ask for millions in blood money in order to forgive the killers of their sons. But why has this sensitive issue turned into an auction? What is really horrifying is the many days the convicted killer spends in prison awaiting execution. His family and tribe go through the same trauma and maybe more. They have to come up with the blood money and at the same time they have to worry about their son. I believe the government should pass a law regulating the payment of blood money and how much it should be. Such a law would prevent any attempt to take advantage of the situation for personal gain. For example, the blood money could be in a non-cash form. The victim's family could be provided with a house, places in schools and universities, and medical treatment because they may need all these services now that their breadwinner is dead. I call on families to keep a close eye on their sons and never let them hang out with bad company. They should raise them with the right values and teach them that it is wrong to brag about guns and that human life is precious. We need to set a ceiling for blood money and prevent the families of victims from demanding large sums of money.
