QUOTE:
“KILLING IN GOD’S HOUSE IS PURE TERRORISM, SACRILEGIOUS AND AN AFFRONT AGAINST GOD” – THAT’S HOW SOME CATHOLIC CHURCH HIERARCHY CHARACTERIZED THE MASSACRE THAT TOOK PLACE IN NIGERIA
Dateline: Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Once more all gathered in Benue State for a mass burial. This time, the requiem Mass for the two Catholic Priests of Makurdi diocese Rev. Frs. Joseph Gor and Felix Iyolaha with 17 lay faithful, who were gruesomely murdered by terrorists cum infamous plundering Fulani cattle herdsmen while at Tuesday morning Mass in April 24, 2018, inside St Ignatius Catholic Church, Ukpor-Mbalom in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria.
A month has passed since that gory incident and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) issued, from Rome, a never-seen-before strongly worded declaration to the Nigeria government to STOP the barbarism. That was published on this site. However, the Bishops also enjoined all Catholic faithful to attend, at the diocesan level nationwide, the requiem Masses celebrated simultaneously with the obsequies of the 19 Ukpor-Mbalom martyrs, so now called. That took place on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at Se Sugh Maria Pilgrimage Centre, Ayati, Makurdi diocese, Benue State.
Both the Masses and the protest rallies were heavily attended not only by Catholics, but also by all people of goodwill across religious divides: Muslims, Anglican, Pentecostals, Traditionalists etc.
However, the requiem Mass itself was attended by a powerful delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) led by its President, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze of Benin. There were representatives of the Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Vice President of Nigeria – Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and other top Government functionaries attended. Uncountable number of Rev. Fathers and Rev. Sisters and representatives of other Christian denominations in the country, dignitaries from all walks of life and a multitude of Catholic lay faithful were present. The Chief mourner, our own Claretian brother, Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe CMF, of Makurdi Diocese was in the leading row.
The President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubeze during his opening address described the killing of God’s children in God’s house when praying to God as one of the most sacrilegious acts any human being can commit. Accordingly, he declared that, “It is not enough to condemn the killings; the Government must also ensure the prompt arrest of all those involved and prosecute them”, while the failure of the security agencies must be examined critically.
Archbishop Akubeze who commiserated with the grief-stricken Makurdi Diocese for the loss of the 2 priests and 17 other worshippers, expressed hope that “their death has not been in vain because, Christ whom they served so well here on earth will reward them with eternal life in heaven”. He also expressed optimism that as the blood of martyrs has always watered the seed of faith, “The blood of our slain brethren who left this world imitating their Lord and Master, through the giving up of their lives will make the faith grow in the land”.
The CBCN President thus, called on the Federal Government to stop the killing of innocent children and women, adding that the protection of lives and properties of all Nigerians is an obligatory responsibility of the government, irrespective of the differences of people. He contended that while the people continue to call on God to help deliver Nigeria from the present predicament, they will not allow the evil ones “to dominate us” nor “resort to using their own tactics of spreading hatred”.
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan gave a heart-moving homily, which nevertheless, has unmistakeable words for the Buhari-led Federal Government. He described killing people in places of worship, be it Churches or Mosques as an affront against God, noting: “after all that has happened, we have every right to be angry at the perpetrators and supporters of these murders. We have every reason to protest loud and clear against those whose duty it is to keep us safe”.
Expressing concern about the vulnerability of places of worship to murderous attacks, the Metropolitan of Abuja Ecclesiastical Province prophetically declared: “To lay violent hands on an anointed priest of God is the worst form of blasphemy. But the same is true of the deliberate destruction of any human life”.
The Cardinal also expressed bewilderment at the unexplainable and inexcusable spate of killings and destruction of human lives in different parts of the country, especially in Benue State; noting that there were many killings before April 24, and there have been many more after the date. Consequently, Cardinal Onaiyekan insisted that the atrocities cannot be allowed to continue in the country in so far as the sanctity of the human life remains sacrosanct.
Furthermore, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja in the homily affirmed that, “Every human life is precious in the eyes of God, made in his own image and likeness.” He lamented that, “One life killed is one life too many, no matter who the victim is. God is merciful. But theses atrocities surely stretch His patience to a point of danger for all of us. We cannot allow ourselves to be resigned to these regular atrocities.”
In his own address, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who led a delegation of Federal Government officials to the ceremony, expressed grief at the dastardly acts of the Fulani killers stating that, “the killers only killed the flesh but could never touch the spirit that belongs to God. For him, the killers have gained nothing by causing the families, friends and the entire nation grief. The Nigerian Vice President stated and promised that one of the major ways the Government can provide succour and comfort for the bereaved are by ensuring justice for them, arresting and punishing assailants and rebuild the many places that have been damaged and heal the wounds that have been caused.
In his funeral oratory, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State gave the genesis of the herdsmen/farmers crisis in the state; saying, “This is the third mass burial we have the misfortune to organize in the last five months”. He added that the herdsmen have killed over 492 innocent and unarmed citizens since the beginning of the year. He however expressed the determination of his administration to stand for truth and justice.
The Governor remarked with some disturbing revelations: “On this difficult day, in this difficult time for Benue and for Nigeria, it is important to ask our country, what kind of nation are we? … We know our killers, but they are neither questioned nor arrested.” He noted that the Government’s Ranching Law, which prohibits open grazing and has overwhelming acceptance by the people, is an instrument of peace and development, and prayed for “A future where there will be freedom of worship and no ethnic or racial discrimination.”
On his part, the Chief mourner, Most Rev. Wilfred Anagbe, CMF, with tears of deep sorrow in his eyes emphatically admonished the Federal Government that the only action that could assuage the mournful feelings of the faithful of Makurdi is to apprehend these determinedly coldblooded murderers and duly arraign them for trial.
<Click here to access ABp Alfred Adewale Martins’ letter to PMB>
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(cf. also: https://www.cbcn-ng.org )