My Ynaija article! The Fourth man in this Furnace

Mr Ibu’s wife and one year old son have not seen for about a week now. The actor-comedian whose real name is John Okafor said he has been waiting to hear from the kidnappers for about four days now to no avail after they had called to reduce the ransom from fifty million to six million. Mr Ibu is afraid they may have been killed.

Before the New Year celebrations, hundreds of people in Jos lost their lives in a bomb incident . The same happened in Abuja. That wasn’t Abuja’s second time of erupting in flames like that; the Independence day occurrence is still fresh in our memory.

In Lagos, we are advised to stay away from public places because there have been bomb scares in places like Motorways and Shoprite. Yesterday, a client amidst her malarial fever was able to confide in me, her pharmacist  that she had been told to stay away from Ajah bus stop because of a rumoured bomb incident.

Everywhere is public as far as I’m concerned. There is no place in Lagos that is low density.

I have just chronicled all the above events, dear reader, for you to see that the whole country has become something akin to a furnace. A furnace is like a large enclosed space for heating things. Nebuchadnezzar the king asked his men to heat it up seven more times so that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego won’t have a chance. Nigeria has indeed been heated up more than seven times for there are bombs and rumours of bombs just like the Bible said about the end times : there would be wars and rumours of wars.

For you to know how hot that furnace was, Nebuchadnezzar’s  men were killed just by drawing close to throw the three men in; an important lesson in following death-trap instructions. Should I pray that those heating up Nigeria should be killed by their own fire?

As soon as those men were thrown in, Nebuchadnezzar got up and looked into the furnace and screamed, “did you not just throw three men in?” I wonder who he was asking seeing as the throwers were dead. He went on, “I see four men in there, the fourth with the form of the Son of man” And because of this private vision, he fell on his knees and worshipped and ordered that the men be brought out and that no one spoke ill of their God.

The Bible says, “not one hair on their body was singed”, and the most awesome part, “the smell of the fire did not pass on their clothes. I believe that to be a particularly spectacular miracle as I’m well acquainted with the pungency of smoke!

There is a fourth man in this furnace. His name is Jesus. He isn’t just any ordinary man but a fourth man to three men who were joined by their unwavering faith. The guys had said, “even if he does not save us”. I think that is faith at its purest;  faith that commits to stand even when no results are seen  because it is really faith in someone rather than for something.

There is a fourth man in this furnace. There would be no excuse to lose integrity because of the heat of the fire. In our schools, in our work places and in our families we are required to be steadfast, unmoveable and abounding in love. People who love are not violent, dishonest, intolerant and all such things.

There is a fourth man in this furnace. Fear should be out and faith in. The entire country is a public place, and we still have to go out. Be security conscious but not rumor conscious. Whether we live or die, we do to the Lord.

There is a fourth man in this furnace. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s carved image. We must not bow to oppression, political manipulation and the voter apathy pervading us; the youth. On the 15^th of January, voter registration begins and we must all come out and put our names on those registers. Come April, let’s take a stand and commit to a decision. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego took a stand against Nebuchadnezzar’s god and likewise we must take a stand against kidnapping, acts of terrorism, treasury looting and all such unrighteous acts in our country.

I feel I have to do this. I decree and declare that Mr Ibu’s family be returned to him safe and sound in the name of Jesus.

Jesus is the fourth man in this furnace!

Humor's limit

I read this news report on 234Next.com yesterday,

"The family of one of Nigeria’s top comedian and Nollywood actor John Okafor (Mr Ibu) have been kidnapped in Enugu State earlier this evening, NEXT has learnt.

This was confirmed in a short interview with a friend of the Okafors, who said they were kidnapped on their way home.

Mr Henry Oduenyi told NEXT that he had been on the phone with Mr Okafor, who said the car carrying members of his family and in laws was trailed from town. The kidnappers have also asked for a ransom of 50 million naira."

Today, in the report of the Daily Sun, I read this, 

"The heavily armed kidnappers who invaded the Agbani Road, Enugu State home of top actor/comedian, John Okafor, famously known as Mr. Ibu and abducted his wife and one year old son, on Tuesday night have reduced their ransom demand.

A devastated Mr. Ibu, in a telephone chat with Daily Sun yesterday morning said the abductors had reduced the ransom from N50 million ealier demanded to N6 million, adding that they were also magnanimous enough to allow him speak with his frightened wife for a few seconds.
“In the spirit of New Year, my family and I are on our knees praying and begging these kidnappers to set my innocent wife and one-year-old baby free without any harm or ransom. They are now demanding N6 million; where will I get that huge amount from? I’m just an entertainer and peace-loving Nigerian who earns his normal wage by making people and their families happy. I wonder why this is happening to me in this New Year.
The kidnappers allowed my wife to speak briefly with me this morning, and throughout our conversations she and my one-year-old son were crying. I want Nigerians and our government to immediately come to my aid. I have done too much for this nation to deserve this kind of treatment. I want my family back without any harm or ransom,” Mr. Ibu cried.

Mr Ibu we all know is a very very funny guy and he has made me laugh a couple of times. Once I see his face, I usually just start laughing even before a word comes out of his mouth. Which is why I am so upset at what these kidnappers have done. How do you go and kidnap the wife and one year old son of this happy-go-lucky guy? How dare you?

Mr Ibu is not laughing right now. In fact, he is very distraught. There are no jokes to crack that would wish this situation away. He loves his wife and child. I was just wondering how that certain things cannot simply be laughed off in an ‘Odieshi’ way. There are serious things in this life, such as the kidnapping of one's better half and one’s seed. Because if you say a wrong thing to the criminals on the phone, you just don’t know what they might do. In short, humor does have its limits eh?

I am also someone who addresses issues with lots of humor. In a bad situation, it helps me to think; it's not that serious. But I know that this particular situation will not get me laughing. As in, you won't even see my teeth. Think about it; your one year old son? I shudder to think. Imagine ChooChoo.....

I pray these people release Mr Ibu's family oh. It's not even funny....as in literally.