Madalla: Mourners Boo Suleja Monarch at Victims Burial

Written by This Day Thursday, 02 February 2012

Angry about his refusal to sympathise with the Christmas day bomb blast victims at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, mourners who gathered at the premises of the church, Wednesday booed and jeered at the Emir of Suleja, Mallam Awwal Ibrahim.

The monarch had gone to attend the burial service for the victims of the explosion.

The emir arrived the church premises at 10am when the mass was about to commence, but remained in his car throughout the service period, awaiting the session of interment of the 18 bodies, who were buried within the church premises.

After the requiem mass, dignitaries were called upon to give their goodwill messages and when the name of the emir was mentioned, the church which was filled to capacity with people sitting outside went hostile, shouting, booing and screaming at the top of their voices, rejecting the address or message of the traditional ruler or his representative.

The pleas of the Catholic Bishop of Minna to allow the representative of the emir to talk was vehemently turned down by the people as the solemn service became rowdy.

It was at this point that the Coordinating Reverend Father Joseph Akor had to call the representative of the president to give his address.
It took the leadership of the church more than five minutes to be able to calm the parishioners who were obviously provoked by the mere mention of the name of the emir in the church.

They explained that the emir did not visit to commiserate with the church or families of victims of the blast even when people from all across the country visited the families of the victims.

After he was booed, he still remained outside the church premises until he was advised by the Associate Priest, Rev. Father Christopher Barde, after consultations with the leadership of the church to leave. The emir then drove out of the church at 12.38pm.

The Niger State government had on December 31, 2011 queried the emir for his refusal to show empathy to the victims of the Christmas day bomb blast.

Earlier in his homily, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja, Dr. John Onaiyekan, described the sponsors of the attack on the church as murderers.

“Those who kill others either in the name of their faith or ideology are murderers and though it is natural to feel the pains but at a time like this, we have to go beyond the natural instinct of pains, horror and revenge like our Lord Jesus Christ, never try to get revenge, leave that to the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Jesus prayed to God to forgive his murderers when he was on the cross and we have no option but to take things the Christian way and pray for the conversion and repentance of those who carried out the dastardly act and also pray for those saddled with the responsibility of security in the country to be able to proffer lasting solution to the problem of insecurity in the country,” Onaiyekan said.

Also speaking during his goodwill message, the representative of Pope Benedict IV, Archbishop Augustine Kasudja, papa nonsio to Nigeria  prayed for the peace of the country just as he enjoined men of goodwill to rise up against evil.
Senate President David Mark, who spoke through Senator Ayogu Eze, said that the National Assembly would work with the Federal Government to fight acts of terrorism in the country.

Those who attended the burial included the representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, Pastor Abbah Mshelia, who is the Deputy Chaplain of the Villa Chapel, Senator Dahiru Awaisu and Professor Jerry Gana.

The mass was also attended by three Catholic Archbishops, eight Bishops and several clergy men.

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