|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Late ACP Asebiya Agah
By HRH Dr. Sabo Azyjidoku Emmanuel
Martyrdom is a terrible ordeal. When the spirit is put to test, there is a physical agony or suffering. Martyrs who are martyred, died to/for the cause of freedom for the emancipation of their people. Martyrs are not patsy. That is a weak person who is easily cheated or tricked, or who is forced to take the blame for something that somebody has done wrong. No, a Martyr is a person who suffers very much or is killed because of their religious or political beliefs. Here we are more concerned with political belief which is a gateway to political freedom, liberty and liberation. Just absolute revanchism. It was this journey of emancipation from the Tiv domination, marginalization, that some members of the Jukun Wanu brotherhood were forced to take the scorched earth policy of revanchism over the years. It was for this reason that our martyrs have been penciled out and casualties/ victims are being remembered and immortalized.
The casualties according to John Pepper Clark in his poem- THE CASUALTY, argues that the casualties are not only the dead, the injured, but they include those who are alive and well out of it. Many today, have become casualties or victims of unjust wars, skirmishes, tiffs or feuds. So, you are a casualty or a victim, because you are incapacitated spiritually or physically in one way or the other. Uneasiness of the state of mind and the physical attack, both make us all victims/casualties of peculiar circumstances. You may pretend to be comfortable and that all is well with you, but you are still a casualty/a victim and handicapped in a polluted and devastated environment that calls for moral adjustment in your daily life.
Posterity, by the baptismal recordings shall ever rever the nobility, the martyrs, the valiants. History shall never eulogize the villains, the hangers on with a hangdog look. They will definitely be sad and ashamed some day of their hanky panky game.
Down memory lane was the fatalistic brutal murder act of 2nd October, 1995. It was indeed a RED DAY in the annals of Abinsi chronicle and the entire history of the entire Jukun Wanu Nation. While the people were in the euphoria of the independence festivities; jubilating and celebrating the debut of Ahwina (the Bony fish and harvest galore) masquerade for Azyakase season, some Tiv-Iharev miscreants of MINDA (Masev Iharev Nongov Development Association) segment, struck on that day and assassinated, this son of the soil, Abo Deya, Chief Asebiya Agah of blessed memories, RIP. With moist eyes, mournful eyes the entire land was in grief. He was a grain of wheat who had to die in order that Wanu shall live. What a sacrifice!
Chief, Abo Deya, prince Asebiya Michael Agah (ACP), of the Awakpoko royal house of Abinsi, the officer of repute, prince Charming, handsomely beautiful an Absalom lookalike, brave, courageous, dutiful, a patriot, an icon of the vertical meridian, the indefatigable centre circle player, a disciplinarian to the core, a dandy dresser, bounteous, a royal personage and the lover of Jukun Nation. He was the officer of the Nigeria Police Force, who rose from the rank and file to the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), before he retired afterwards, with so many volumes of brilliant records of performance/achievement penultimate to CP rank. He martyred himself so that the Jukun Wanu shall live.
Mr. Agah was a gradualist, an alumnus of his Alma Mater, the prestigious Government Secondary School, Katsina Ala-KAOBA. He was known for decency, honesty and hard work. He actually believed in gradualism as a process, a policy of gradual change in society rather than sudden change or revolution. This principle guided him so much and with the fear of God he did not dabble himself in pretex, nitpicking to attract or gain favour. An incorruptible officer of the Police Force who resisted all manners of enticements to enrich himself unjustly. His training, his career in the Police force fortified him against the shocks of the society. Thus, throughout his life, he had the fortitude to persevere. He won so many accolades with countless insignia. At the community level Mr. Agah was an opinion leader, an elder stateman and highly revered. It was therefore inhuman, barbaric of this dastardly act for the Tiv miscreants to have terminated his life the way they did.
Life in its entirety is full of irony. Your brother, sister, friend today can be an enemy tomorrow. Just think of Cain and Abel, the claim of two ladies before King Solomon over the ownership of the life-child. In the secular world, think of Blaisse Campore and Thomas Sankara, Dabo and Tarka or ladies snatching boy friends and vice versa in relationships etc. It is therefore no longer surprising to experience this some what bizarre phenomena in the society we live in. All books of wisdom (the scriptures) oppose these parallel imports. Attending churches or mosques is not the sure way; but good conducts, characters and the right attitude towards humanity as you must (it is obligatory) love your neighbor as yourself. READ: Luke 10:27; James 2:8, Mathew 19:9; Mathew 22:39, Mark 12:31 & 33, Romans 13: 8 & 9, Mathew 5:43 & 44; Galatians 5:14; Luke 6:32 & 35; Leviticus 19:34. READ also None of you is truly a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself (Bukhari & Muslim).
But today ones trusted best can be a betrayal. It was indeed a nauseating scenario that Mr. Agah had died an incredibly ironic death. Giving the fact that the parameter of inlawship and friendship that existed between Mr. Agah and Tiv people would have averted that ugly and murderous attempt by the Tiv people. First and foremost, Mr. Agah had two of his wives from Tiv. His first wife Madam Ladi Agah hailed form Mbakor Uchi of Tarka Local Government Area. The fourth wife Cecilia Abeegh Agah; is from Shange-TievAliade of Gwer Local Government Area both in Benue State. His best friends were Tiv people. We do remember some as Mr. Achii from Agasha, Mr. Achen from Gboko etc. He could speak Tiv Language with ease. So proficient in the language structures with the use of idiomatic expressions, proverbs, as if he was in the train of treks from THE CONGO via Swem Karagbe down to the Benue valley. Yet his death was master minded by his Tiv inlaws and Tiv friends. Put comparatively Mr. Agah even assisted the Tiv people while he was still living more than the Jukun people. What a tragedy?
Throughout his life he never propagated casuistry or supported casusbelli. He was a gentle man to the core and had sued for peace at different fora at baraza. All this, was owed to professionalism as the officer of the police and the law, trained to maintain and keep peace, law and order in the society.
Till his demise on the ill-fated day of 2nd October 1995, he had the following as members of his immediate family:
Madam Ladi Agah (Late); mother to Justina
Madam Anya Agah (Late); Mother to Celina, Franca, Rhoda, Peter, Azyinya Madam Azumi Agah, Mother to Joe, Lami, Anita, Akoshi, Joy. Madam Ayiwa Agah (Late), mother to George, Madam Celina Abeegh, mother to Daniel.
Finally, the following personalities cannot be forgotten as they will continue to live on our mind. With due respect, all our truly and genuinely revered elders of conscience, all traditional rulers of Jukun Wanu Worldwide with the baptismal of coronation; the living and the deceased great Tigers of Jukun Wanu Nation, interalia; Barrister Atela Auta, Ezra Apake Kanaso, Alhassan Asendere, Joshua A. Asemanya, Emmanuel Aguma Asoguni, James A. Ajoji, Michael Agege Anyatikpo, Awewa, Ageina, Abawa Anawo, Azetu Afukonyo, Agyoza A. Sabo, Former members of NAJUWA CARE TAKER COMMITTEE, the leadership of NAJUWA Excos, members, all branches, Wanu Youth Leaders/ Members, all distinguished auxiliaries, our spiritual fathers and good mothers, and all other Jukun Wanu sons and daughters that are genuinely committed and share in this dream, this struggle of Wanuism = Wanu I ya pye; of this scorched earth policy of REVANCHISM; are hereby; greatly honoured and respected.
Though we are all casualties/victims today, we will be remembered tomorrow as Martyrs. Contribute in your own great way to the development of all Jukun Wanu projects.
I am much obliged to you all for your good understanding.
Thanks.
