US humanitarians lament at 12th anniversary of Madalla Church bombing
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Two United States humanitarian activists, Emmanuel Ogebe and William Devlin, have lamented how both life and death have become meaningless in Nigeria sequel to the plethora of killings by terrorists who have buffeted the country with impunity for decades.
Ogebe is a recipient of former US President Barack Obama’s volunteerism award for pro bono service to humanity and Devlin a recipient of that of President Joe Biden.
Both spoke up on Christmas day when they joined the parishioners of St Theresa’s Church, Madalla in Suleja, Niger State for a mass on the 12th anniversary of the Christmas day bombing in the church by Islamist terrorists in 2011.
It was their second time in Nigeria in one week as they had also been in the country the previous weekend to attend the wedding of former Mubi Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman’s daughter, Agnes Lawan Andimi in Makurdi. Andimi, a Pastor, was beheaded by terrorists four years ago on Christmas Day also.
“Our commitment to the persecuted is unwavering and we hope our presence is an encouragement to the body of Christ that they’re not forgotten,” the visitors stressed.
Ogebe’s remarks
Inviting them to address the church during the mass, Parish Priest Makama said: “You are welcome, God bless you, welcome, welcome …. So, I will hand over the microphone to you to briefly address the people why you are here, ok?”
Ogebe made the following remarks:
“Praise the name of the Lord. My name is Emmanuel Ogebe. I used to live and practice [law] in Abuja about 30 years ago, before I went to America.
“And when this tragedy occurred, it broke my heart, because this is a community I was part of. And that same day, in Jos, my cousin was in church, and their church was also attacked that day.
“So, this was an attack that was very dear to my heart. I knew that on that day, my people in Abuja were affected, and my cousin in Jos, was affected.
“We have visited here before, we met with brother Emmanuel Obiukwu who lost his four daughters.
“We visited with Reverend Dr William two years ago, and he’s here again this year. We said we’ll come and stand with you and encourage you to bless you for sustaining the faith.
“As Father said to us a few moments ago, this faith has not died. Rather, you all have continued to keep the faith.
“May God bless you all.”
Devling’s remarks
Devlin said: “I bring you greetings in name of the Father, in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Spirit.
“Amen. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.
“Thank you, Father, for allowing us to address you in the mighty name of Jesus. My name is Reverend Dr. William Devlin.”
Devlin promised never to forget or forsake the persecuted in Nigeria.
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Locating surviving members of Obiukwu’s family
After the mass, the American team waited while the church traced any remaining family members of Emmanuel Obiukwu.
Obiukwu lost four daughters in the church bombing in 2011 – Linda, 23; twins Linderlin and Queenderlin, both 16; and Cynthia, 13.
Obiukwu himself passed away recently.
After it was confirmed that his widow had traveled to Anambra for his upcoming memorial rites in their hometown, his sole surviving son, Celestine, who was also there the day of the bombing, was located and came to meet with the foreign visitors.
Together they took a memorial photograph at the graveside of his four sisters. Again the humanitarian duo stood in for Obiukwu as it was the first Christmas that he wasn’t alive and present at the memorial anniversary.
“It was a real honour and deeply humbling to be in the field of martyrs representing a father now reunited with his four dearly beloved daughters,” the visitors said.
Ogebe told how he had sponsored medical examination for Obiukwu the last time he saw him in 2021 but was diagnosed with nothing even though he was visibly unwell. He urged Celestine to seek trauma counseling for hidden and unseen after effects, promising to fund the therapy.
Celestine said he was unable to find work after obtaining a computer science degree and is now a building materials seller.
List of some of those killed in the bombing
Here is a list of some of those killed in the 2011 Christmas bombing at St Theresa’s Church:
- Titus Eze, 45, father of four kids.
- Jonathan Obasi, 46, also left behind four orphans
- Florence Nwachukwu, 37.
- Chiemerie Nwachukwu and her seven-month baby
- Sunday Ajah, 22, single and self-employed
- Clara Iwuozor, 44, mother of one child
- Linda Obiukwu, 23
- Linderlin Obiukwu, 16
- Queenderlin Obiukwu,16
- Cynthia Obiukwu, 13
- Williams Dike, 40 and his three kids – Lilian, 10, Richard, 6, and Emmanuel, 4.
Dike’s surviving children – Chimobi, 13, and Favour, 10 – were injured, with Chimobi still having shrapnel from the explosion in his skull.
Life and death both meaningless in Nigeria
“I’m not encouraged by the way we treat our victims. Celestine who was a teenage survivor of the bomb that killed his sisters should not be lacking a job with a computer science degree. His dad’s death is the continuing collateral casualty of uncared for victims,” Ogebe said.
“We as a society must do better for one another. These are famous victims in the capital area and yet more victims are created far and wide daily who will also be neglected. I urge Muslims and Christians alike to help them out.
“In the US, the four black girls who were killed in the 16th street church bombing 60 years ago are still well remembered. Incidentally one has the same name as Obiukwu’s daughter ‘Cynthia’.
“The first female black Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson attended the memorial this year.
“The girls’ deaths is considered one of the turning points of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, as outrage across the country helped spur the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“In his eulogy for the girls in front of 3,000 mourners, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called them ‘the modern heroines of a noble crusade for human dignity and freedom.’
“In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the bombing in 2013, President Barack Obama signed a bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal, the country’s highest civilian honor, to the four girls in recognition of the fact that their deaths represented one of the pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement.
“But in Nigeria both our lives and our deaths are meaningless.”
Standing in for late Obiukwu with his son at the gravesite of the four martyred Obiukwu sisters
