NURUDEEN AND ETSAKỌ HUNTERS
Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua
Mallam Nurueen Umosor, our brother and hero of EtsakọEmpire. You have proven your worth as a warrior not only against animals in the forest but against human beings who made themselves beasts of the forest. As a trained hunter, your game was normal animals until the kidnappers took over our forests as human animals. You put up a security outfit to hunt the human mammals in our bushes and forest as chairman of hunters in the land. This is why you were not afraid to lead the hunters through the forest to ensure the safety of Fr. Christopher Odia, a dynamic son of Ogbona, a Catholic Priest of Auchi Diocese and a citizen of Nigeria. Nuru, as we often call you, your hunters were both Christians, Muslims and traditional religious adherents. That you were a devout Muslim makes your action falls into the form of dialogue of social engagement. You fought like the gallant Nigerian soldiers who led ECOMONG to restore peace in Liberia and Sierra-Leone. You had to move into the forest as everybody wonder why these same Nigerian soldiers cannot defeat the terrorists, bandits and kidnappers who have taken over all the forests in Nigeria. Like every Nigerian, you must have wondered what ever happened to the security outfit of Nigeria? The same security agencies that had enough intelligence to arrest a Nigerian in Kenya and Republic of Benin while criminals’ roam freely in every forest, city and village of our nation. Nigeria, we hail Thee!
Nurudeen, the Akhaokho (warrior) of Ikabigbo, even though you were killed in the forest, your hunters did not stop the battle. They fought the kidnappers to a halt. I believe, they will never visit Ikabigbo again. May the eyes of your soul watch from heaven to ensure that the security agencies do not release the arrested criminal as usual. We have lived as brothers and sisters in peace and harmony with the Northerners, Easterners and Westerners. Religious differences have never been a source of conflict and may never be in Edo State. Why has kidnapping for ransom become big business in Nigeria? The herdsmen that live among us have never been a threat to us. What we used to perceive as film trick has become a reality in our land. What went wrong and how did we get here, you must have wondered dear Nuru.
You could have asked in wonder why some security agents remove their uniform at the sound of guns by armed robbers? What else do you expect when the life of our security agents isnot assured and insured. If the pensions of the living heroes take eternity to be paid, is it the families of the fallen heroes of the security agents that will be attended to. How come the decay and failure of our security apparatus? Is it that we have really failed due to lack of strategic capacity or the political will is not just there? Nuru, you entered the forest because you must have heard a security agent saying, “If I am killed, who will take care of my family”? The lack of assurance and insurance of our military and security agents can also affect their loyalty.
Dear Hunters of Edo State of Nigeria, accept my condolences for Nuru, our fallen hero. Like the Roman Army, keep your courage aflame. Every one of us may not be able to afford a gun. We shall therefore continue to pray to God to come to our aid. Fr.Chris Odia, now that your soul is ascending with your friend who died with you, may your spirit not allow your killers findrest until every bandit, terrorist and kidnapper is interiorly converted to be a good citizen of Nigeria. May your blood wage war against all financiers and profiteers of terrorism, banditry and kidnappers. May the free flow of your blood not be in vain. May your blood unite Christians and Muslims to promote peaceful co-existence in this Nigeria in distress. Fr. Odia and Mallam Nuru, ride on like a champion in battle array to heaven. Yes, dear brothers, you can rest in peace now. Good night!
