… Calls for Forgiveness
BY ABUCHI IFESINACHI, AWKA
The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese His Lordship, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor has called on Nigerians not to pursue vendetta over their relatives who were slaughtered during the World wars, the Nigerian civil war, the peace missions to Congo, Dafur, especially the Ndi Igbo, who lost their lives and property during the Nigerian- Biafran war and the various riots and insurgencies in Nigeria – the maitetesine of the 80s and currently the Boko Haram
Earlier in his homily during the Ecumenical service to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, entitled, “The Duty to Remember”, Bishop Ezeokafor, urged the Igbo to trust in God in spite of the circumstances surrounding their lives, and admonished them to always allow God to be at the center of their lives
He sighted Job’s confidence in the goodness of God in spite of the hard times he was experiencing as an indication that God could sometimes test the faith of His children by allowing them to suffer certain misfortunes.
Hear him, ‘ This enlargement of the content of the celebration is indeed a welcome development. It is an effort to broaden the scope of the memorialization to include not only members of the Armed forces whose sacrifices undeniably show patriotism but also to memorialize the victims of history – the men, women and children who suffered untold hardship and are often seen only as collateral damage.
‘This positive stance about the enlarged content of our celebration notwithstanding, as Christians it is our duty not just to endorse any and every cultural developments but to bring these development in dialogue with the fundamental principles of the Good News of Jesus Christ. With regard to the celebration today, it is important to note that it is only our bounden duty to remember but also that what is remember and how it is remembered are of utmost importance.
‘There is an ethics of of remembrance lest memory be abused, ‘Bishop Ezeokafor said.
The Catholic prelate, said Nigerian history would not be complete without mentioning the civil war and stressed the need for Igbos to adopt the spirit of forgiveness adding that war was not good and should be forestalled because it creates human and environmental problems rather than solve them.
He praised the patriotism of those who laid their lives for the unity of this country and urged Nigerians to embrace peace, unity and progress of the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Willie Obiano said the victims paid the supreme sacrifice for national unity of the country. He described the Igbo as the most successful black people in the world who have set high standards in nearly every field of human endeavour.
The governor likened the event of the day to the Jewish efforts to honour the memory of the Holocaust as well as the recent efforts to commemorate the Rwandan Genocide in Kigali.
He said ‘today, we honour them in words and deeds. We offer them a final resting place; a sanctuary where their memory will forever ruffle the leaves of time.
‘Today, as we lay down their memorial stones, we bring closure to the wanderings of our brothers and sisters whose great souls have yearned for the dignity of a formal burial over the last half century.
‘Today, as we light our candles and whisper our silent prayers to ease their passage to eternity, we cleanse ourselves of the pain of their death and plant the trees of forgiveness in their memory.
‘And in doing this; we open a new page of a brighter history for our people,’ he said.
He re-emphasized his belief that the future of the people was better guaranteed in a united, indivisible Nigeria
Gov. Obiano stated Igbo have capacity to turn the misfortunes that have bedeviled the country and called on wealthy Igbo to come the rescue of the nation, especially Igbo land by redirecting their investments homeward.
He also urged electorate in the South East zone to vote massively for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate in the next month’s general election, President Goodluck Jonathan stating he has the vision to transform Nigeria.
In an interview, the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Victor Umeh, said Ndigbo had fulfilled the last wish of the late Igbo leader , Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu by giving symbolic mass burial to victims of the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970.
He said through out his pupillage under Ojukwu that had been the late sage’s greatest wish and concern, adding ” today Ojukwu wiil be the happiest man in heaven”.
Chief Umeh who is also the senatorial candidate of APGA for Anambra Central district in next month’s general election said with the honour done to those fallen Igbo in the war, most Igbo leaders would now be more motivated to champion the people’s cause , with the hope that in the event of any misfortune in their bid , they would be remembered by their people.
The APGA boss expressed gratitude to the Anambra state governor , Chief Willie Obiano and Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka for facilitating the funera
The national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh commended the initiative to accord Igbo fallen heroes a befitting burial saying that it would help to unite the Igbos more and re-enforce Igbo communal spirit.
Chairman of the burial Committee, Col. Ben Gbulie described the event as a veritable platform which will further unite Igbos and urged Igbos to fudge a stronger unity among themselves.
Among the prominent sons and daughters of Anambra state who graced the event were the Awka Diocesan Director of Social communications Very Rev. Msgr. Jerome Madueke ; Anambra state Governor Obiano; his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke; former Vice- President of Nigeria, Alex Ekwueme ; APGA national chairman, chief Victor Umeh ;former deputy governor Virgy Etiaba, Prince Arthur Eze; Speaker, Anambra state Assembly, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili ; Mrs. Josephine Anenih ; Col. Joe Achuzia.
