Those Killed In Owo Catholic Church Unfortunately Died For Being Nigerians--Fada Oluoma

 Those Killed In Owo Catholic Church Unfortunately Died For Being Nigerians--Fada Oluoma Written by Reverend Fr Fada Oluoma If you die becau...

 Those Killed In Owo Catholic Church Unfortunately Died For Being Nigerians--Fada Oluoma

Written by Reverend Fr Fada Oluoma

If you die because of your faith in Christ Jesus, it is martyrdom, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church". If you die for your country, it is patriotism. 

However, I do not know what to call those who die for just being Nigerians,  individuals ruthlessly hacked down to death and roasted in fire by rampaging blood thirsty religious fanatics in a country that says it is secular with rule of law.

What do I call those massacred in St Francis Catholic Church by terrorists that seem to be enabled by sponsors of some criminal elements in the country? If they were told to renounce their faith in Christ Jesus and they refused and got killed, I could call them martyrs without hesitation. But they were killed because they were unfortunate to be in Nigeria, where killing is now as easy as ABC everywhere. Let us leave nomenclature for now.

I have a message for the knights of the church, the catholic church especially. Knighthood was established to protect the church from external aggression, if I am not mistaken

It is time to get up the game. I plead, appeal and suggest that the knights in the church should organise and get licensed guns. Drop the ceremonial swords for now, get government licensed guns, get some members trained and carry the guns, concealed for eventualities like the Owo massacre. Self defence is not against any Christian and Catholic doctrine.

Parishes that are too poor to have government licensed automatic guns should be assisted by the rich ones. If we have to dedicate the bazaar of one year to achieve this, let it be. Let us ward off killers from worship centers.

It is practically impossible for government to deploy security operatives to all churches, so this is a necessary complementary efforts. Knights of the church,  it is time. Let us not ever think that this incident will not happen again. This is not the first, and none should say it will be the last? It is safe to say that other churches and our muslim brethren can, and should do same. Government needs help to secure Nigerians.

I have a message for the christian politicians too. 

You all know that Nigeria needs to be restructured. You are not ignorant of how much our security architecture needs to be urgently redesigned. But, for reasons beyond comprehension, I cannot explain why you people in that class have not made it a priority. You are more intent in getting your party slots for one elective position or the other, you are more concerned with getting your party to win one election or the other,  you have refused to tackle the fundamental issues with the country.

Please, eschew personal and partisan interest and make the interest of Nigeria your priority. Pursue the restructuring of Nigeria from the constitutional point of view to governance levels, vigorously. And stop playing the ostrich.

May the souls of the victims of St Francis Catholic Church Owo massacre rest in peace.

Edited and Published by Family Writers Press International