AN OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIA'S VICE PRESIDENT AND OTHER CHRISTIANS IN BUHARI'S CABINET

PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO AND OTHER CHRISTIANS IN BUHARI'S CABINET SHOULD RESIGN

Sirs,

It is with a deep sense of emotions about the incessant killings in the country by the herdsmen/Boko Haram that I write this open letter to you. 

The blood of innocent christians killed in the country since 2015 are crying loud for revenge. The blood of pregnant women, unborn babies in the womb, sucklings and children gruesomely murdered by Fulani herdsmen have reached the heavens.

Families have been thrown into untold and unending pains. Yet, our brothers in the present government of APC have not seen anything wrong with that. You  and other Christians prefers your offices to the killings of your brothers. You value your seats more than your names. You are frustratingly and annoyingly silent over the killings of your brothers and sisters because you want to protect your positions as vice president and political appointees.

It is high time, you and other christians serving in the present government of Apc resign as a show of solidarity over the killings, and lack of capacity to defend your christian brothers.

Silence, in most cases is a polite way of accepting, abetting and supporting an action, idea or a course. For three years now, we have witnessed the bloodbath in the country, where only Christians are the victims. It has been a recurring decimal where Christian families wake up every morning with songs of lamentation, agony, pains and hopelessness over the killings of their dear ones.

From Kaduna to Taraba, Benue to Plateau, Adamawa to Ekiti, the story is the same. Christians have constantly become victims of an orchestrated massacre which is no doubt part of an agenda of a section of a country. If you attempt to doubt, why are the victims only christians?

Some weeks ago, Boko Haram invaded Dapchi in Yobe and abducted about 110 school girls. Weeks later, they, according to our minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in their own goodwill returned all the girls in their captivity, except a Christian girl, Leah Sharibu, because she refused to deny her faith. The Federal Government failed to include Leah Sharibu in their negotiation because she is a christian. Since the return of the Muslim girls, you, our vice president and other Christians appointed by President Buhari has failed to rise to the occasion to speak vehemently against such discrimination and marginalization. Instead, you are busy going about telling us what Jonathan did not do. You love your position more than your brethren. It is high time you tender your resignation letters.

On Tuesday May 22, rivers of tears flowed freely and uncontrollably in Benue during the mass burial of two Catholic Priests, Rev. Fathers Joseph Gor, Felix Tyolaha and 17 parishioners who were mercilessly slaughtered during a morning mass at St. Ignatius's Catholic Church at Ayar Mbalon in Gwer East L.G.A of Benue State. After the burial, Fulani herdsmen again killed three persons who were returning from the burial. Till today, our Christian brothers and you, vice president has failed to rise and speak for us. It is high time you resign honourably.

Mordecai told Queen Esther, know ye that you were made a queen for a time like this, when the Jews were to be annihilated by Haman. Esther, a woman at that, took it upon herself to speak for her people, and the lives of millions of Jews who lived there were preserved. But you our vice president and other Christians in this Apc led cabinet has failed to speak for us in the face of this massacre of Christians. You are annoyingly silent about the ethnic cleansing going on in the country. It is high time you resign as vice president and other appointees.

I have watched you , your body languages, rhetorics and everything about you , and come to the conclusion that you are timid, slow and lack the political will to tell President Buhari the truth.

Loyalty is different from low self esteem and foolishness, just as meekness is different from weakness. You and other Christian appointees are neither loyal nor meek. Your guess is as good as mine. Who should you be loyal to? Is it God or man?

Despite your much-talked about academic prowess and intelligence, you have failed to call evil evil, and bad as bad. You have ridiculed your scholarship and sacrificed your conscience on the altar of political positions. It is high time the you and other political appointees resign.

Christians all over the world are disappointed in you and other Christian appointees. Families of those killed by Fulani herdsmen have been disappointed by their christian brother who has refused to defend them. Shame have covered the faces of Christians in Nigeria, because you have failed to defend them. You have failed to borrow a leaf from queen Esther that you preach about. It is high time you resign.

I call on all christians in the present government to honourably tender their resignation letters as a show of solidarity. You have failed us. God will raise christian men and women that will defend us with their positions and lives.

God Bless Nigeria.

Revd Richard Peters
State Coordinator, Noble Youths Mass Support Association NYMSA, Akwa Ibom State,
Activist and Public Affairs Analyst,
Pastorrichardpeters@gmail.com