Reading through the anecdote by one of the four seminarians abducted alongside the slain Michael Nnadi, I am made to understand that the death of the 18 year old young man reveals a deep-seated callousness that for his murderers, has become a way of life and a mission to accomplish.Even when ransom was said to have been paid, a revelation which according to the narrator got them enlivened once again and excited, the young man was shot just as they endeavoured to run out as was instructed. If they were to wonder why he was shot, they were told how significantly it was to "send a message".Oh yes! We understand the message, it was very clear. The young seminarians, together with the other victims as was revealed by the narration were not kidnapped for ransom. Their abductors were not the mainstream "kidnappers" per se as we would know them. They were all victims of an ideological hatred, of which Michael was unfortunate to have paid a supreme price.Nigeria's terrorism has always and mostly been anchored on an ideology of religious dissent. No matter how we are fed with contrary views to believe otherwise, this war is one that has a clear religious bearing. Denying it and building all efforts to the contrary is to deny the obvious and to work outside the root cause (which I think is the reason we do not seem to have been winning the war).I do not wish to dwell on the obvious or to argue with who for whatever reason have failed to understand the narrative playing out and so for long have had to trivialize the situation. However, I'd wish to highlight my strong condemnation over death of this promising youngster and the manner he was killed and to similarly express my disgust at the effrontery of his killers and whatever message they think they have to pass."Then I heard one single shot, the very one that hit Mike. I turned to look, Mike was already on the floor. I rushed back to help him but he was already gasping. I turned back to look where the shot had come from. Then I saw him, few meters away, smiling. Then he said, 'take that home... that's the message.'"What message do one have to pass with the ending of a life they can't form' What message does one expect to be understood by sending such through the fatalistic spilling of blood' It is only one of such that could be understood. That they are blood suckers and diabolic elements, whose penchant for deadly exertions marks them clearly as agents of darkness.That message is idiotic.And I do not subscribe to such, even as I call on all people of goodwill, whose humanity naturally bluffs off this dark spill, to reject the message. We must reject this idiotic message and do well to galvanize the government to do so. And if the government, for whatever reason, seems helpless, we must take it upon ourselves to defend and protect our lives and those of ours.The blood of Michael Nnadi, as against sending the idiotic message, should rise us all to denounce the thralls of these agents of darkness who seek to cower us into subjection. The death of Michael must push us further up the zeal to stand firm and robustly proclaim the message of the gospel just the same way the blood and sufferings of the martyrs spurred the salvation message.The message ultimately that we must understand is to the effect that the blood of Michael is just an addendum to those of the martyrs of Christ. It should against instilling a fear of inexpressive Christianity, build in us the courage for onward movement of our faith expression.OpinionAddThis:Original Author:Kingsley AhanonuDisable advertisements:
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