For quite a while, the issue of Father Eustace had been the main talking point all over Imo State and even beyond. Sincerely speaking, I detest and condemn in the strongest possible terms the humiliating treatment that was given to the reverend by some overzealous security operatives in governor Ohakim’s convoy on August 8th 2010.
It is unbecoming and goes to show the level of depravity which our society has sunk. God and his ministers are no longer respected even when they bear reverend because just like when Eve touched the forbidden fruit and did not die, she thought that God had lied but the consequences of that stupid act is what we are suffering today as death even as God pronounced it and so it is with these zealots. Because some have done it to some God’s messengers and temporarily were unpunished, others now think that they can trample on these anointed men with impunity. But God has warned: “touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm.” If God is true, then this injunction is eternally sacred and the reason is that God honours his word more than his name.
I really pity those security operatives that manhandled Father Eustace Okorie. Maybe, God will forgive them if they repent and apologize to the humiliated priest. Do you know that because King Saul was anointed, King David could not harm him even when it was within his power to do so easily. You could as well remember and that is, if you are a Bible reading Christian, what happened to the fool that brought the ‘good’ tidings of King Saul’s death.
The perpetrators of the dastardly act are in real trouble except they ask for forgiveness. They are like Abacha’s Al Mustapha. The frenzied zealots are ready to cut off somebody’s ear at their own bidding without the master’s consent… too bad.
What they have succeeded in doing is to give bad name to the Governor. I know that Ikedi Ohakim will not condone such brazen and undignified treatment of Father Eustace and this he has proven by leading his entire executive council to meet with his grace, Archbishop AJV Obinna, to apologize for the excesses of those security operatives. This indeed is a demonstration of humility, piety and uncommon reverence for God and his true agents.
Thank God, the fatherly archbishop understood the real nub of the matter and accepted the apology. He has also issued a statement exonerating the governor from culpability.
It is therefore baffling but not surprising that the enemies of the governor and some insurgent and desperate writers have chosen to make cheap political capital out of the very unfortunate incident.
One thing clear and incontrovertible is that Governor Ohakim neither flogged nor ordered the sub-human treatment of the catholic priest. This class of ‘rolling stone’ enemies of the governor, who gather no moss, forgot that Ikedi Ohakim is a hooded knight of the order of Saint Christopher and cannot indulge in wanton aggression against a priest; although, I must admit that he is not a saint. The governor cannot forget so quickly how God established him and helped him to win 23 lawsuits in succession to condescend to the extent of flogging, brutalizing and incarcerating a reverend.
I am not Ohakim’s mouthpiece and he never paid me for this; I only have the passion for balanced analysis of events and situations. I only feel that Imo people have had enough of cheap political mudslinging. Let us help the governor by praying for him to rule well. This, according to the Bible is incumbent on all of us whether in the New Face Organization or not. Ohakim as a created being; is bound to err and when he does that, must we crucify him? Who is infallible?
It is unfortunate what happened to Father Eustace and I pray that such will never occur again. Nevertheless, I urge the Catholic priest to see it as part of the cross he has to carry for Christ; after all, Jesus himself, suffered stiffer humiliation in the hands of the Roman soldiers. In view of that my dear Father, count it all joy that you can suffer such for the sake of Christ. Do not harbour any grudge; please remember our brother, Stephen.
On the other hand, the governor must avert a recurrence of such dastardly deed by ensuring that those bigoted zealots among his security detail who mask their real feelings and who perhaps are not Christians and who are so demented to touch the Lord’s anointed in such an ignoble way, are sent packing out of the state or removed from his security retinue.
This drastic measure must also be extended to his hordes of lieutenants. There are some hypocrites within that fold whose actions and utterances are only detrimental to the governor’s political prospects. Some of them are virtually idle and have turned to unwieldy liability to the governor, government and people of Imo State.
I have said this before and I have to repeat it. Your Excellency sir, you have no excuse for failure, having overcome all. You rightly called yourself “orji” or iroko tree in Obowo recently and this is true at least euphemistically but you must remember also that any tree that does not bear good fruits must be hewn down.
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About the Author:
Benedict Ahanonu is a writer, journalist and social critic based in Owerri. He is also a poet and author of books.
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