The Nation Newspaper

Tag: forgiven

  • I’ve forgiven those that ganged up against me, says Okorocha

    •Governor congratulates Oshiomhole, others

    PROGRESSIVES Governors’ Forum Chairman and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said he has “forgiven the former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and all those he built politically who ganged up in the name of coalition to insult him”.

    The governor assured that “all hands must now be on deck to achieve victory for APC as usual in Imo State and in the whole of Southeast”.

    He congratulated Adams Oshiomhole over his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman.

    The governor also congratulated Emma Ibediro, an Imo State indigene, for his election as the party’s National Organising Secretary.

    Okorocha, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, “equally shared the joy of the moment with all those who emerged at the party’s national convention”.

    According to the statement, “the  governor expressed optimism that with Comrade Oshiomhole working with the party’s new set of National Working Committee  (NWC) members, Nigerians will see a more vibrant and result-oriented APC leadership”.

    The governor stated that when he was elevating those in the coalition politically, he never knew they all had governorship ambitions.

    Okorocha stressed that they could pursue their ambitions without working to destroy the party he built at the risk of his second term bid.

    He noted that Imo State would have only one governor by 2019.

    The governor also promised to begin galvanisation of the Southeast for the APC and for the 2019 election.

    Okorocha advised that whatever happened before the convention must be seen as parts of the politics and should not be held against anybody.

    The governor hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for displaying high level of democratic inclinations that made the convention a huge success.

     

     

     

  • Bereaved father: I’ve forgiven killers of my child

    Bereaved father: I’ve forgiven killers of my child

    Mr. Hyginus Ekezie, father of 15-year-old Miss Queendalin Ekezie, who was punished to death by a soldier attached to the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, said he has forgiven the killers of his daughter.

    Queendalin, a pupil of Army Day Secondary School, Obinze, who got to school late, was asked to do “frog jump” until she got exhausted and passed out.

    Mr. Hyginus Ekezie said his family has decided to let the matter be.

    Ekezie, who spoke to our correspondent at the family’s residence in Ama Oso, Umuagwo, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, said he decided to forgive the killer of his daughter after due deliberations with his kinsmen.

    He said: “There is no point talking about this issue again, we have decided to allow peace reign, we have forgiven anybody who might be involved in the death of our daughter, God knows best.

    “I sat with my kinsmen and they told me to forget all that happened.”

    He added that an Army delegation has visited his family to pay their condolences.

    The deceased’s friend, Delight Aguocha, who witnessed the incident, said: “On that day, we set out at 7am. We waited for a motorcycle till 8am. When we became frustrated, we decided to board a cab, but the driver did not leave the park until the car was filled up.

    “When we got to school at 9am, we met three sets of late comers. Two soldiers were asking each set to do frog jump to a particular distance after which they picked their bags and entered their classes.

    “When it was our turn, we were about reaching the finishing line when they said we were not doing it right and we should start again. After we repeated it, we went to pick our school bags, but one of the soldiers said he was still not satisfied.

    “I completed the punishment the third time and I picked my bag and left. I suddenly discovered that my friend was not with me. When I returned to the place, I saw her crying. She started vomiting the food she ate that morning. She was saying, ‘my back, my chest.’ The soldiers were just staring at us.”

    She added that when they got to the hospital, the victim was given an injection and was put on a drip, but unfortunately she didn’t survive.

    The Imo State government has launched an investigation into the matter, with a promise to bring the killer to justice.

    Commissioner for Education Mrs Gertrude Oduka, however, said the government would not be in a hurry to conclude on the incident.

    Her words: ”We have launched an investigation into the matter, and because it is a sensitive one, we would not be in a hurry to issue any statement, but we have dispatched senior staffs to find out what happened.”

  • Ladoja is forgiven, says Adedibu’s widow

    Widow of the strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaja Bose Adedibu, yesterday said the family has forgiven former Governor Rashidi Ladoja’s “sins” against the late Chief Lamidi Adedibu.

    Speaking with reporters after the weekly prayer session of the Oluyole Muslim Community, she described the disagreement between her husband and Ladoja as “the handiwork of the devil”.

    Alhaja Adedibu said the devil created a wide gulf in the once “bosom relationship between father and son”.

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) earlier described Ladoja’s presence at the fifth memorial prayer for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain as a mockery of the deceased.

    But Alhaja Adedibu said Ladoja’s presence should not be construed as such.

    She said it showed that Ladoja has a conscience, “which every good man must possess”.

    The widow said: “I was surprised to see all the big wigs at the event, not only Ladoja, so I wonder why people are making an issue out of his presence. Besides, I thank them all for the honour. It shows the family that there are still people who believe that even in death, Baba deserves their respect.

    “None of them would have fought one other. Ladoja was a businessman when my husband brought him into politics and he is still a businessman. Alhaji Adedibu also ensured that Ladoja became the Mogaji of his family to have an opportunity to be crowned the Olubadan of Ibadan some day.

    “Ladoja is a nice person and I thank God he has gotten a change of heart. I thank God that the devil has been put to shame, though it is painful that Baba is no more.

    “The family has no grudge against Ladoja. His wife, Alhaja Mutiat, is my sister. The two families are very close. To err is human and to forgive is divine.”

    Alhaja Adedibu attributed the large turn out at her husband’s fifth memorial prayer on June 12 as proof that people still respect him.

    She said: “Baba cuts across all political divide. He was a man of the masses and a philanthropist par excellence.”

  • We’ve forgiven Boko Haram, says Catholic Bishop

    •Yero urges Christians to be peaceful

    The Catholic Bishop of the Kaduna Diocese, Most Reverend Mathew Man’Oso Ndagoso, said yesterday that the church has forgiven those who bombed and killed its members in the name of Boko Haram.

    The sect claimed responsibility for the bombing of Saint Rita Catholic Church, Ungwan Yero, Malali in Kaduna metropolis and other churches.

    The cleric said in his Christmas message that in the spirit of merry making, love and forgiveness to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, the church has forgiven members of the Islamic sect.

    According to him, the act of forgiveness became imperative since Jesus Christ was born as a peace maker, adding that the essence of celebrating the birth of Christ is forgiveness.

    He said there was no point celebrating Christmas with rancour, malice and revenge, adding that the need to forgive the sect was in line with the forgiveness Christ exhibited when he was betrayed and crucified.

    Rev. Ndagoso appealed to Christians in the state to refrain from any act capable of causing violence, political and social upheaval in the state, adding that whatever evil was being perpetrated by the sect should not be a thing of surprise to anybody but should restrain the urge to retaliate as Jesus did to His attackers.

    He thanked the state government, corporate organisations and individuals who stood by the Archdiocese during the bombings and killings by the sect.

    Said he: “As we celebrate Christmas, we remember the killings of our members and bombings of our churches, particularly Saint Rita Catholic Church, Ungwan Yero, Badarawa, Kaduna. We pray for the repose of the souls of the departed.

    “We thank the government, individuals and organisations for supporting us during the turbulent times.

    “There is nothing we can do to our enemies than to forgive them. This Christmas period, we must show love and forgive one another to enable peace reign in our society.

    “We should remember that over 2,000 years ago, during Jesus’ time on earth, He faced persecution, humiliation and death in the hands of those that were supposed to love Him. But even at that He forgave them. He is born for our sake and He died for our sake.

    “So violence, be it religious, political, economic or social, has been there a long time ago in the history of humanity.

    “We should not forget that the recent flood might cause food scarcity. I appeal to the farmers that were not affected, especially those in rural areas, not to use middle men and women to hike the prices of their produce. They should sell them at affordable prices to help one another.”

    In his Christmas message, Governor Muhktar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State urged Christians to live with others in peace and harmony.