TRAGEDY

The 12-yěar-old got on his bicycle to leave the supermarket, but the 18-year-old chased him in his car and rān him over. He was his parents’ only child.

Since then, silence has reigned throughout the town and surrounding area. Grief and sadness filled the area. This is very unusual here. That is why the media reportage is massive.

The victim belonged to the Protestant church, but last Sunday all the churches remembered him.

The first picture here shows his mourning in his own church whereas the second picture shows the Catholics remembering him in their own church.

Since Thursday, many people, both Catholics and Evangelicals (Protestants), visit both churches to pray and light candle for him.

Many centuries ago, it would have been unimaginable for a Protestant child to be prayed for in a Catholic church or by Catholics, or vice versa.

Many centuries ago, Catholics would have used this catastrophe to mock Protestants. Many centuries ago, Catholics and Protestants fought and kìĺled each other in Germany over their belief differences.

That era of blindness is over. When Germans remember it today they weep for their blindness.

Unfortunately, Christianity, which came to Africa, especially Nigeria, and more especially Igboland brought with it the stigma of this division between fellow Christians and other religious groups especially traditional African religions.

Europeans have reached the end of their tether with this madness of division based on belief differences, while Africans, especially Nigerians, and more especially Ndi Igbo are caught in the middle of it.

Even in the 21st century, our people still condemn one another based on their faith or beliefs. This is nothing but mādness. Something our ancestors never did. Indeed, our ancestors never fought a single religious war anywhere.

People we should be teaching religious tolerance to are the ones teaching it to us. The teacher has become the student.