CHRONOLOGY OF VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM IN NIGERIA

CHRONOLOGY OF VIOLENCE

 AND TERRORISM IN NIGERIA  

Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

2002

2002:                           Many people claim that Boko Haram was formally founded   

2007

2007:                          Buju Foi, an influential Boko Haram member, was appointed by Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, as commissioner of religious affairs.

2009

July 2009:                  Boko Haram attacked Maiduguri police stations.  Mohammed Yusuf released a video and threatened vengeance.

ECHOES FROM “RELIGIONS FOR PEACE”

ECHOES FROM “RELIGIONS FOR PEACE”

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

Religions for Peace had the 9^th World Assembly in Vienna, Austria on November 20-22, 2013. This world’s largest multi-religious organization brought together religious leaders from the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Indigenous, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Shinto, Taoist and Zoroastrian religions. More than six hundred religious leaders represented all historic faith traditions and every region of the world in the 2013 Assembly in Vienna. I was privileged to be a delegate from Nigeria in this World Assembly along with His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, His Eminence, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sr. Maria Ifechukwu Udorah (DDL), Sr. Agatha Chikelo (DMMM), Elder Sunday Oibe, Muhammad Kassim and Femi Abbas. I am sincerely grateful to His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan and His Eminence, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III for making it possible for the Nigerian Christian and Muslim communities to be represented in this Assembly. 

MAY THE BOMB BOW TO FOOTBALL FOREVER

MAY THE BOMB BOW TO FOOTBALL FOREVER

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

Join me dear compatriots to eulogise the Nigerian youths, our pride and hope for a better tomorrow. Let every Nigerian wear each player of the FIFA UNDER 17 a golden crown. These boys have told the whole world that Nigeria is not all bad news as it is being portrayed in the foreign media. How can Nigerians ever forget the Friday of November 9, 2013 when even the bombs remained silent and forgot to blast in the terrorists’ empires of our dear native land, Nigeria! Perhaps the suicide bombers were in a rhapsody of the thoughts of what youths should be used for. The value of a responsible youth lies in the honour and glory that he offers to the parents instead of shame and disgrace for whatever reason. Let us raise our cups in honour of these most fantastic youths of the century for making Nigerians proud even as our respectable senators refused to say “nay” to the extension of the state of emergency in the terrorist territories.  Congratulation Nigeria! Congratulation Golden Eaglets! May your football continue to blast in the place of the bombs!

DIALOGUE OF ETHNIC NATIONALITIES

DIALOGUE OF ETHNIC NATIONALITIES 

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

The Federal Government of Nigeria has given us a serious job. Since the announcement of the National Dialogue, many Nigerians have started to think of what should and should not be. Those who are positive about the national dialogue have started suggesting guidelines and proposals to the National Committee before the actual “table conference”. Those who are suspicious and negative about the national dialogue are proffering reasons why it should not take place and the attendant implications and possible dangers of the project. From all the points of view so far, whether we support or disagree, the truth is that the dialogue has started. The forms and principles of dialogue do not reduce dialogue to a conference hall and table. That we have started talking in the electronic media and writing in the print media is an indication that the National Conference has indeed taken off. These responses to the Federal Government announcement of “national dialogue” fall within the forms of dialogue of life, action, experience, social engagement and intellectual exchange. What will happen in the conference may be a rejection or confirmation of the feelings of the people. In other words the conversation in the conference hall and the conference table would be a “formal ritual” because the real conversation has started. Among suggestions and recommendations so far made towards the formal National Dialogue, I found the “Proposed Suggestions for the National Conference” of Chinweizu very exciting.

UNITY IN THE HUMAN PSYCHE

UNITY IN THE HUMAN PSYCHE

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

What can bring about unity in our human psyche to make us see ourselves as one? I would like to examine the mind of our political ancestors when they were fighting for the independence of Nigeria. It will be good to know how they perceived the way and manner the colonial masters were governing the amalgamated ethnic regions. Were our political ancestors really matured and prepared to take over governance from the British? What was their vision of an independent Nigeria? What were their expectations? What was the relationship between Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and the other nationalists from the different regions? Was their idea of a united Nigeria realistic or idealistic? Did they have a critical study of how the ethnic groups had administered their regions traditionally as empires, kingdoms and emirates before the amalgamation of 1914?

WHEN THE PRESIDENT QUIVERS

WHEN THE PRESIDENT QUIVERS

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) deduced from the political anarchy of his time that “man is a wolf to man” (L’homme est un loup pour l’homme). He believed that from anarchy people would be driven by self-preservation and the fear of death to band together to form a state. He believed that without government, we would end in a conflict of “war of all against all,” [1]  Aristotle called people who lived without government uncivilized and lawless folk.  The domestic government of any nation is the family where children are nurtured for the future generation. Good home training enables the democratic government of a nation lead the citizens to a promised land that flows with “milk and honey”. To this end, some parents are willing to do anything to ensure that the children are well formed to contribute to nation building. Every parent desires the safety and health of the children in a secure environment. It is a serious agony for any parent to bury the children especially when they are innocently slaughtered by unknown people for whatever reason. 

WHEN THE WORD IS SILENT

WHEN THE WORD IS SILENT

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

It is the wisdom of some sages in ages past that silence plays a significant role in the proclamation of the Word. Today, silence is still very relevant in dialogue. Imagine the result of a conversation of two or more people who are talking at the same time. The divine Word (Logos) existed in silence from the beginning and was made manifest when he took flesh and dwelt among us (John 1). Mary, the mother of Jesus lived in silence and solitude pondering the mystery of the incarnation in her heart. Zechariah was unable to speak for the period Elizabeth conceived John the Baptist who later introduced himself as the voice of one that cries in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. Jesus revealed the truth to Pilate in his “dialogue of silence” during his passion. This frightened Pilate to wash his hands to portray that he was innocent of the blood of Jesus.