S4 Ep. 238 The Path to Healing: A Nigerian's Response to Benue Killings

Speaker 1: Okay, guys, not in my usual element, but somehow I am compelled to do this. I'm compelled to do this. Hi, how are you? Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good everything. I always would do this. Yes, I'm a Nigerian. Hope you know that Somebody saw me once in one of my trips somewhere in Angola and said you look like an American. I said no, I'm not an American, I'm a an American. I'm a Nigerian to my very bones and I've come to see that in black Africa, in Africa, in our Kabul land. That's the real world for Africa. Nigeria is a beautiful place. We're an amazing people, resilient. We don't deny our roots. I've not seen a Nigerian who tells anybody I'm not a Nigerian , like no matter what is happening in this country, no matter how, would I say, say deplorable, the situation may be . You see, in Nigeria, rather, he's going to use these lines God day, ego, beta. A lot has been happening in our nation recently, precisely in Benue state A lot of killings. I happen to be in the midst of a good number of people from Benue, a lot of people around me in Abuja, people I work with from Benue, people I work with from Benue, not to say I don't have other tribes or ethnic group around me, but a lot of them, and it feels like there's this silence. There's this silence, there's this silence and it's heartbreaking. I'm not here to call names, I'm not here to point accusing fingers at anybody, but this is what I see. There is a calculated plot by the enemy, by the wicked one, to put us in a state, as a nation, not to see that there's something huge, bright ahead of us. And I'm here to encourage all of us. Yes, I know you're pained. I was discussing with my children the other day concerning this Benwe killings. They were really pained. Their pain, the way they felt, was like let it be translated into violence. But there's something I've learned from Christ he who kills by the sword dies by the sword. Violence is not the answer Peace. I want to encourage all of us out there. It is time for us to raise up the banner of peace, the light of peace. Yes, I read Mandela's book A Long Walk to Freedom years ago when he came out from prison, and I asked myself this question how would this guy be in prison for 27 years of his life? Let's say he went to prison at the age of 30, so it means he came out, or he went to prison at the age of 40, so he came out , and when he came out, he had no grudge whatsoever against those who imprisoned him. There's something he discovered there, and I think that is what we need to discover as a people in this nation. It sounds difficult, isn't it? That is true, yes, it's true. I just want to encourage us with this. I think we need to pray for our enemies. It's difficult, but that's what our belief teaches us Pray for your enemies. Pray for how do you say I should pray for somebody who is killing me? But that is what we are taught. That is the height of true power, and that's what I want us to do. I'm going to end with this. David said something he said I lift up my eyes to the heels from whence cometh my help? My help cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord, who has made the heavens and the earth. I know a lot of us have been asking. It's like is there any site for help? We've been looking, who will come to our rescue and all that. Our help is of the Lord, and it is time I speak to you, christian leader Khan, pfn, the family. It's time for us to mobilize the force of peace. Yes, our politicians have failed us. They have, but God will not fail us. It's time for us to mobilize. This is my message from the World Cafe to you. Yes, you, at the Benue Valley. No-transcript. God has not given up on us, he hasn't. It's time for us to pray, it's time for us to heal. Yes, I know your father was killed, your brother was killed. I know Jesus was killed, that his blood cried salvation. This is my prayer. The blood of our brothers that have been shed will not cry vengeance, but will salvation, salvation. Their blood was not in vain. I know it's heavy. Yes, it is, yes, it is Well. I have to go now. I have to now, I have to. Please take care. Please take care of yourself, take care of your immediate family, take care of there's a sound of victory on the horizon. Yes, there is. You know, giz Baba and Loris Oyo released a song recently and we were all dancing, rejoicing, and the enemy's not happy about it, and all of a sudden he wants to dampen our spirit. But I think it's time for us to sing that song. We will not turn back now. It's already too late. We won't turn back now. My name is Amakri Amakri Sobhue . Stay blessed. Bye for now.