Faith and state have never been the best of bedfellows. When you mix the twain with a dash of politics you have a device that is more potent than any explosive. That was what happened a week ago in a remote area called Uke in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha had held its monthly vigil on Friday and as the worshippers trooped home early Saturday morning, a stampede had ensued on a narrow way leading to the death of no fewer than 25 persons while many more sustained injuries.
It would have been a routine tragic occurrence if this were the beginning and the end of the story. Even the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, His Eminence, the Most Rev. Valerian Okeke in a statement on the incident, ruled out any act of sabotage which in itself, was a hint that there could have been sabotage. But he puts it down to an unprecedented large turn out of worshippers this month perhaps due to the solemnity of the All Saints Day – a holy day of obligation for Catholic faithful. He noted that his investigations had shown that all precautions were taken by the organisers but the stampede occurred along one of the narrow roads out of the venue as a result of a false alarm.
However, Anambra State happens to be in the thick of electioneering prelude to the November 16 governorship election thus the atmosphere in the state is suffused with politics. Governor Peter Obi was present at the Adoration Centre, venue of the vigil in company of Mr. Willie Obiano, his party’s candidate in the forthcoming election. In his broadcast after the tragedy, he pointed out that he was invited to the programme and he had left at about 3.00 am after making his remark. It also came out that during his remark politics had crept through the prayer grounds even at such an unholy hour when prayers were most solemn. Followers of the governor’s party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and that of the major opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) were reported to have been roused. This suggests that the two camps were entrenched even on the prayer ground.
The governor insists he was heckled as he spoke, by people waving brooms while his antagonists aver that he mounted the hustings for his candidate thus charging the atmosphere. Brickbats have been thrown by both parties and blames are flung back and forth by the politicians. The truth may never be known; not even the panel of enquiry set up by the state government is likely to unravel the mystery of the Adoration Centre deaths. Why was it necessary for a governor to address a congregation at a vigil in the dead of the night? If he went there strictly for a personal religious obligation did the candidate have to tag along? Were people really waving brooms at the prayer ground; in which case they would have left home with broom and bible in hand?
Three quick lessons are to be learnt by the politicians, the church and the laity. First, the politician in his quest for power must be cautious not to do so at the expense of the blood of his people. The church must by this tragedy learn that it must keep politics far away from its arenas especially during election period. The laity, the ordinary man must learn by this that he is just a trampling, a mere dispensable, sacrificial element for both the political and religious establishments. He must always look out for himself and ensure that he is never used as cannon fodder for principalities and power that have no qualms about making an impromptu sacrifice of him. Hardball can declare that God has not designated any special centre or ground for answering prayers. From the corner of your room he will answer if you call upon him in truth and in spirit.
