“the demeanour of the Etsu Nupe each time a truce meting … was called, left much to be desired.”
There are indications that the Etsu Nupe of Bida, Dr Abubakar
Yahaya, is not in any hurry to release the young lady currently staying in his
palace, purportedly on “protective custody” to “safeguard” her from her Christian
biological father, following her supposed conversion to Islam (see
our earlier article). Though, the Sharia
Court, following the outrage the event had attracted, had no choice other than to
vacate its order placing 24 year old Charity Uzoechina into the custody of the
Etsu Nupe, the masterminds behind the abduction are obviously looking beyond that event.
They actually seem
engaged in digging the trenches in preparation for a long, drawn-out battle
during which they hope public interest in the case will wane.
How else can one logically explain the massive propaganda machinery
now being deployed at a time some are naively declaring the battle as virtually concluded and over?
According to a widely-circulated false report originating
from you guess where, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had exonerated
the Etsu Nupe from the whole saga of abduction and forced conversion of Charity.
A livid Dr Musa Asake, General Secretary of the CAN is however
denying this so-called exoneration, in very strong terms! In a written statement made available to
interested media houses, Dr
Asake wrote:
“I hereby disown the … statement credited to me and say that I, as the General Secretary of CAN, could not have spoken in that manner, especially after witnessing the emotional encounter between Charity, her parents and siblings, a momentary family union, which suggested to me that the young girl was under certain influences within the palace of the Etsu Nupe.”
Dr Asake further confirms the cloud of uncertainty still
hanging on the matter, despite efforts by the Palace to give appearance of
progress. According to the CAN Scribe:
“Even now that the Sharia Court has vacated its earlier order, the ruling is neither here nor there. To that extent, CAN cannot exonerate the Etsu Nupe until Charity is put under the custody of the Niger state Governor as agreed.”
As for the other case lodged in the High Court by Charity’s
father, challenging the jurisdiction of a Sharia Court to try a Christian, as reported by the Vanguard newspaper,
the hearing of that case “could not hold on August 1 because of the ongoing
conference of lawyers holding in Minna, which made the courts go on their
annual vacation from August 5…” Practical meaning of this? Those who are thinking
of a quick easy victory in this matter need to have a re-think! The hearing
of the case has actually been postponed to September 17, and we advise all children of God to keep the date in mind.
.
Stating unequivocally that he believes that “Pastor Uzoechina
had all reasons to accuse the Etsu Nupe of taking custody of his daughter
without his consent”, Dr Asake further wrote that “the demeanour of the Etsu Nupe each time a truce meting … was
called, left much to be desired.” [see
also The Punch, August 5, 2013, pg 7).
In short, as far as the CAN is concerned, the Etsu Nupe is
not just a passive partaker in the entire forced conversion saga, but a major
active player.
Again, we warn Nigerian Christians, this abduction and
forced conversion is not just a one-time happenstance event. It is part of a carefully orchestrated grand
plan, already flourishing in other parts of the world, and which will not stop
on its own, until Christians everywhere, including at the “Marketplace” show SUSTAINED
interests and stand firmly against these insidious moves.
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