By Jagaba Nasiru
A 15 year old Leah Sharibu, like many other girls in Nigeria suffered from this underground enforced religious proselytization. The testimonies of Leah’s school mate pronounced her as heroine of faith, a sign of eternal beauty and a symbol of grace.
The dark Friday is long, long for you with the Veil of darkness trapped around your life and concealed the tears of your pain and despair, but all glory be to God, for that brighter Sunday, will surely come.
Leah, your dark Friday began on 19th of February 2018. In the cause of actualizing your dream of becoming a medical doctor in Girls Science Secondary School Dapchi. You were among the 110 girls abducted by Nigerian tyrants disguised in the brutal attire of boko haram.
Except the five that die traumatically, On 21st of March all were released to reunite with thier families except Leah Sharibu, because you refused to renounce your Christian Faith.
It is now 50 long and painful days and night of anguish, and still counting, that shock and endless nightmare will not exceed Sunday.
What you are passing through can best be left to our bewildered imagination. I try to cast my mind away from the wet misery of that very Friday night because the victory of Sunday is assured. I try to quantify the evil imprecated on you but the Sunday’s glories that awaits you limit the flow of my ink.
I wonder how you feel Leah? Are you feeling like love has left you, and refuse to return? Do you feel like a wretched but innocent prisoner huddled in a stinking cage? Are you feeling like a bird caged behind the bars guided by evil men? Are you spending all the wretched night on the floor? Are you exhausted by misery and grief of the dark Friday? Do you feel your God exposed you to misery and grief? It’s just for Friday but do not become startled becaue Sunday is here.
Are you feeling like one who is hanging on silent strings, stationary dazed, sleepwalking in loss, undepictable depth of distress just because you refused to deny your Faith, the glories of Sunday awaits you.
How many number of times have you been raped? How many moments of consciousness do they permit you to have? Do they abuse you with no end?
Although, your captors warned us not to speak, with threats to deal with us but the strength of your faith is our moral builder, left our conscience with no other choice than to speak, even at the point of death.
Your light shines, so brightly and men cannot cease to give eternal praise to the Father in heaven. The attestation is loud to this work. Though held captive, you speak to our hearts. The message of the peace of the LORD. You are not alone, the conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah lives in you; HE watches you.
Yes, you were left behind with emptiness and sorrow but that assured glorious Sunday awaits you.
Because you have remained steadfast by not denying your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, He shall not deny you. Leah, You remind me the Faith displayed by the three Hebrew guys Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego threatened by Nebuchadnezzar’s blazing furnace but do not succumbed.
To his face they said ” O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up”. And God did not disappointed them, and He shall not disapoit you.
Until your liberation, you will continue to be in our hearts. it is not yet ‘UHURU” for Nigerians, until Leah regain her freedom. The Nigerian citizenship question shall rest on our conscience as a people as the case of Leah affirms. The LORD laughs at the ungodly and the wicked shall surely be repaid in full.
Through your faith, I pray that your captors come to the knowledge of truth-that Jesus is LORD to the glory of God the Father. Your faith shall also be source of strength to all believers.
NASIRU JAGABA
jagabanasiru@gmail.com
