MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL

While growing up, the book, “Murder in the Cathedral” was one of the quite interesting English literature books digested with great delight. “Murder in the cathedral is a verse drama by T.S. Eliot which portrays the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket on 29 December, 1170. As a lay person, the English Archbishop was formerly a strong ally and actually the Chancellor of King Henry II. They were twelve years apart in age and had similar principles of hardwork, dedication and determination. However, things grew sour between the two when Thomas succeeded Theobald of Bec became Archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas purged himself of his pre-clerical vanity and dedicated himself totally to the defence of the Church. Thomas consistently grew in personal sanctity and love for the Church. Eventually, with the Constitutions of Clarendon which did not favour the independence of the Church, Archbishop Thomas contested King Henry’s decisions and tension grew between the two. King Henry II sought to gradually alienate the Church in England from Rome so that he would have full and unlimited powers over the Church.

Thomas Becket excommunicated two bishops and contested the crowning of King Henry’s son by the Archbishop of York. These and other matters caused a lot of rift between the temporal and religious power. One day while the men of Henry brought reports to him about the refusal of Thomas Becket to implement the wishes and desires of the king, King Henry was said to have wondered aloud: “Will no end rid me of this turbulent priest?” Four knights, who felt they had to make the wish of the king a reality, set out for the monastery where Thomas lived. On his way to Vespers, he was accosted by these men from London who had initially kept their mortal weapons outside the church. They asked the Archbishop to immediately withdraw the excommunication of the two bishops and also present himself at the courts of King Henry II. Thomas defied their request and made his position clear. In rage, they went back to pick their swords from where they left them and came back into the Church. King Henry was hacked by the four with blows from their stealthy blades. His blood and encephalon spilled on the floor of the Cathedral. A martyr was made on that day. Thomas Becket was canonized by Pope Alexander III, three years after his death.

Over the centuries, the blood of priests has continually been shed and spilled on the floor of the cathedral. In three weeks’ time, the Pope will officiate at the canonization ceremony of a priest whose blood was spilled during the celebration of the Eucharist – his sacrifice mingled with that of Christ, the blood of Oscar Romero became the emblem of the fight for the end of despotic rule in that beautiful but embattled Central American country, El Salvador.

In recent weeks, sacerdotal blood spilled on Church floor has trickled down to our beloved country, Nigeria. While growing up in the 80s’, I could only remember the murder of one Missionary of Africa priest, Fr Wolfgang who was working in the Southwest at the time. After him, I can’t remember any Catholic priest being murdered in cold blood, for whatsoever reason. As I grew older, tales of mistaken identity-homicides and priests becoming fatal victims of armed robbers started becoming more frequent. But year 2018 has been particularly devastating as regards the loss of lives and the murder of priests. In May, Fulani gunmen murdered two Catholic priests, Rev. Frs Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha together with 19 parishioners during early morning Mass in Mbalom, Gwer East Local Government area of Benue State. Hardly three months after, Rev. Fr Michael Akawu of Abuja Archdiocese was shot dead in a supermarket on a Saturday evening. The blood on the cathedral floor ebbs from trickles to free-flow. While the Catholic Church in Nigeria was still mourning the loss of this 30-year old young man, the first indigenous priest from Abuja, we were greeted to the shocking news of the chilling murder of Rev. Fr Jude Chidi Egbom of Orlu diocese, an ebullient, dynamic and energetic young priest who was ever so committed to his mission and ministry. He was shot on the street on a Monday evening. As though our tears were not sufficient, this past week served the very very sad news of the death of Very Rev. Fr Louis Odudu, former Assistant Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat. Fr Odudu hardly needs any introduction. Whoever had the opportunity of meeting this fine and refined gentleman of the collar, would have no doubts as regards his intelligence, calmness, candour and profound humility. Fr Odudu was dynamic and hardworking. Indeed, Nigeria lost one of her finest Catholic priests. He died a few days after leaving the den of kidnappers. Again, this is the consequence of a failed state where kidnapping has become a quick means of illegal enrichment and human beings are seen as mobile commodities with price tags. The blood of a priest is once more spilled because the temporal king has neglected his duties.

When the state fails, the Church also suffers: Jeremiah has not stopped going into exile with his people. Insecurity in Nigeria is reaching alarming levels and something needs to be done fast. Unemployment has to be tackled rapidly and politicians have to stop gambling the future of the country for personal greed and fame. There is too much bloodshed in the land. Crimes occur day in day out and very few are ever brought to book. Some are arrested and never charged to court. Some are charged to court and we never hear the outcome of the case. When will security be beefed up in the country? When will leaders realize that protection of lives and properties constitutes part of their basic and primal responsibilities to the electorate? When will human life matter so much that corruption and negligence of duty will be seen for what they are: silent and fast killers of human destiny? So many people are dying in great sadness, because they are witnesses to a system that has failed in their lifetime and the system is not showing any sign of a brighter future for their posterity. A politician falls ill and is flown abroad. An average citizen falls ill and has no good hospital or financial means to get a treatment. When will all lives matter? When will there be no more murder in the cathedral?