On Saturday, a huge crowd consisting of Christian and Muslim faithfu reportedly showed up at the memorial service of the slain Chairman of the Michika Local Government Area chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Adamawa State, Rev Lawan Andimi.
After the memorial service, the Chairman of the Adamawa chapter of CAN, Bishop Dami Mamza, in an interview with Church Times Nigeria, said he was shocked to see that the service did not bear the emblem of sorrow.
Mamza said, “I had thought I would see people mourning and crying. But I was shocked to see that people were full of praise to God and it was like many were emboldened by the death of Rev Andimi in the hands of the insurgents to lay their lives for Christ.
“I did not see a single person shed tears at the event. His wife was full of gratitude to God and all the people present were joyful and thankful that Andimi had gone to be with the Lord.
“The sentiment of sadness was put aside. The service was an encouragement to the family. Andimi is a martyr. The mood was that of joy and the look on the face of people was that they were also prepared to die the kind of death that Andimi died,” he said.
While noting that Michika was largely a Christian community, Mamza said the death of the CAN official will not affect the faith of the people.
“What I have seen so far is that his death has further increased the faith of the people and their resolve to serve the Lord more. The insurgents will now know that they have been only able to kill the flesh but not the spirit. The church of God is marching on.”
