FEATURE ARTICLE

Fr Pat Amobi ChukwumaSunday, January 10, 2016
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2016: HAPPY SURVIVAL!

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It is another new year. The year 2015 has come and gone forever. Have you counted your gains and losses in 2015? Did you survive into 2016? If yes, shout "Praise the Lord, alleluia!"

was at Prayer in the Church when the trumpet sounded at midnight to signal the dawn of the New Year 2016. We sang praises and danced like angels of God. Shouts of joy filled the atmosphere. Guns were booming. Fireworks were flying like stars in the sky all over the places and sounding as if we were in the war front. Some enemies of progress set tyres ablaze on tarred roads despite warnings against that unholy act. The joy of the New Year did not end with rational human beings. It extended to the world of the brutes. I saw the cows, the goats and sheep in our compound jumping for joy. One of the cows knelt down at the church entrance door praying and jubilating. Surprisingly, a giant lamb jumped up acrobatically and stood on its two legs dancing joyfully over the New Year. The cocks crew unceasingly for about thirty minutes.

As soon as I entered my room around 12.30a.m, I knelt down and prayed loudly, "The Lord is good, all the time!" I jumped into my bed rolling for joy. It was the dawn of the New Year 2016. I said to myself, "Amobi, happy survival!" However the reminiscent of my departed siblings caused tears to flow down my cheeks. I remembered thousands of victims sent to their untimely graves in 2015 by the Boko Haram insurgents in North East Nigeria. The roasting to death of about sixty travelers at Upper Iweka in Onitsha by a careless petrol tanker driver in 2015 immediately came to my mind. My mind went also to Egypt where a Russian airline with 224 passengers and crew perished instantly as a result of terrorism towards the end of 2015. I remembered the incidence of many innocent football lovers gunned down by international terrorists in different stadia in France last year. I thought of the people and masquerades crushed to death at Umuchu in Aguata Local Government of Anambra State towards the end of 2015 by a trailer driver who lost control of the steering. The demise of eight Catholic women and two men crushed to death at Ajalli in Orumba North of Anambra State few days to 2015 Christmas by a heartless tipper driver made me to slump on the floor. Just on the Christmas Eve about eight persons died at Nnewi as a result of explosion from gas plant leakage. As I was rolling in my tears, I recalled the news of passengers who lost their dear lives through road accidents as they were returning home for 2015 Christmas. Tears started running like flood down my cheeks. Some particles of the tears entered my mouth and tasted like salt. In fact, if you have no salt, just cry out tears into your pot. That's by the way.

The fact that you and I survived into 2016 is not out of merit but by the special grace of God. We are not better than the dead. Therefore, do not boast. Think of the following chain of terminal consequences: If the wood boasts then termites will descend mercilessly on it. If termites boast, then the fowl will swallow them alive. If the fowl boasts, then the kite will grab it for food. If the kite boasts, then the hunter will shoot it to death. If the hunter boasts, then God will demand his soul that very moment. What of if God boasts? This is no go area. My mouth shut up before I commit blasphemy! Indeed God has no negative attributes. He is Perfection per excellence. He is the Alpha and the Omega.

It is God who gives life. We owe Him unflinching gratitude always. If you come across a farmer cultivating the soil with hoe, whom do you greet: the farmer or the hoe? One foolish man was driven home in his jeep by his driver during last Christmas. On reaching home, the man poured libation with a bottle of red wine on the jeep for bringing him home safely. When the driver saw that, he was furious that his master instead of thanking God for the peaceful and prosperous journey and giving him (the driver) the bottle of the red wine to replenish his lost energy, he was praising inanimate object and wasting the wine.

As the sun rose on the morning of 1st January 2016, most people went to the church to offer thanks to God for the gift of the New Year. Others went to market to purchase foodstuff, 'drinkstuff' and other important items. Some families slaughtered lamb, goat, turkey or fowl, according to their reach. At launch time came, eating and drinking started here and there. One woman over ate and she was impregnated with food. Her belly was looking for accommodation. Incidentally her belly burst and she died instantly. Food killed her. May her soul rest in the kitchen! As I was driving through Isuanioma in Isuofia Aguata Local Government of Anambra State on 1st January 2016, I saw a whole Hausa cow from head to tail hanging over a charcoal fire with a big rod running through its abdomen. Men, women, youths and children surrounded it and were cutting meat from it, eating and dancing joyfully for survival into 2016. I pitied the cow. On this first day of the year, a boy of seven years old who returned from Overseas with his parents, cried for an innocent fowl slaughtered by her mother for the celebration. He refused to partake in the consumption of the meat. Instead he prayed for the repose the fowl and that God may forgive his mother for committing murder.

Just on the New Year I was behind the wheels heading to my home town Aguluezechukwu in Aguata Local Government of Anambra State to wish my mother, my siblings and relations a Happy New Year. At a shop of the dead in Ekwulobia, I saw a coffin maker shining already constructed coffins on sale. If not for the sake of peace, I would have stopped and slap that man for selling death on New Year day, when people are rejoicing for survival. Why did he not die and one of the coffins used for burying him? With the power bestowed on me by Jesus Christ at my priestly ordination, I hereby decree that from henceforth, no coffin shop should be opened on 1st January again. Let the Police and Army take note.

Everyone doffs his or her cap for God for surviving into the New Year. Human life is a primary value and must be protected with utmost care. It is sacred and should not be toiled with. The motto of medical doctors is: GOD HEALS BUT WE CARE. Therefore as rational beings we have the obligation to protect our lives and the lives of others. Consequently, suicide, murder, homicide, euthanasia, abortion are abominable crimes. God is the sole proprietor of Life and Death. Anyone who tries to usurp this power faces dire consequences here and hereafter.

It pains me so much to behold a cluster of human beings and masquerades blocking the highways in the name of celebrating New Year. Jesus Christ said that the Son of Man was destined to die but woe to him through whom the death comes. It is said in broken English: "One day be one day monkey e go go market but e no go return." A stitch in time saves nine. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. What happened last year at Umuchu whereby a trailer driver lost control and rammed into villagers and masquerades celebrating new yam festival on the highway should be a lesson to all those playing with death on motor ways. Many people and some masquerades where crushed to death instantly. Beware, many have gone!

In Anambra State, the clustering of people and masquerades on tarred motor roads while celebrating Christmas and New Year is most experienced in Nanka, Agulu and Enugwu-Ukwu. Someone called me on phone and told me that Oko is included in this unfortunate attitude. It is an ugly sight to see sane human beings drinking bottles of beer while sitting or standing on the roads. Sometimes fight breaks out and bottles are freely used as weapons which ends in bloodshed. During pagan festivities the adherents, human and spirits, block the Zik's Avenue in Awka, Icheke road in Abagana, the Okigwe - Arondizuogu road, etc. Life has no duplicate and cannot be photocopied. Village or Town squares should be utilized for such festivities. The Road Safety Commission, the Police, the President Generals, the Traditional Rulers, the State and Federal Governments should check this ugly behavior.

Indeed in Anambra State, Willie is working. The amiable Governor Willie Maduabuorochukwu Obiano Administration has sent kidnappers and armed robbers packing. His security network has no comparison. In 2014 and 2015 Christmas and New Year celebrations, Anambrarians slept with two eyes closed. If you drop a bag of money now along the road in Anambra State, its safety is guaranteed until you come and pick it up again. Try and see! If I have money I would have experimented.

Lastly, Anambra State has an excellent road network. The ill-fated Administration of Governor Chris Ngige blew the whistle. His successor Governor Peter Obi crowned the roads. Governor Willie Obiano adorned them. He went further to build three flyover bridges at Aroma, Kwata junction and Amawbia bye-pass. The first and last have been commissioned. The second is about to be finished. If you drive into Awka from Onitsha or Enugu, you just fly to your destination within some minutes. Willie is working and will continue working. Anambrarians living in Aguata and Orumba areas of Anambra State are looking forward for more road network to ease traffic congestions during festivities. The Works Road junction in Awka, Eke Awka roundabout, Nibo junction, Oyeagu Abagana junction and Ekwulobia roundabout cause great traffic gridlock for motorists during Christmas and New Year celebrations annually. Something else should be done to ease traffic in these areas. Happy New Year!

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