Posted by By Henry Chukwurah, Port Harcourt on
His experience while it lasted was hurting, quite all right. However, if you expected Prof Nimi Briggs, the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to curse the militants who abducted and kept him hostage for nearly two weeks, you have failed with distinction.
• Hostage forgives captors, prays for them
His experience while it lasted was hurting, quite all right. However, if you expected Prof Nimi Briggs, the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to curse the militants who abducted and kept him hostage for nearly two weeks, you have failed with distinction.
True, he might not be in a position to tell the boys, who he said, are within 18-19 years age bracket, to go and sin no more. Not when the state government is yet to make up its mind on whether or not to grant automatic amnesty to the gun-totting and violence-wreaking youths.
All the same, the highly-prized ex-hostage sure has a soft spot for the boys. Reason, he was too willing and ready to forgive them when they asked. Prof Briggs did not stop there. He iced the forgiveness cake with prayers.
Sharing his sordid experience recently, the former Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt said he made peace with the militants before his release.
'They did apologize to me and I told them I had forgiven them and I even prayed for them".
Prof Briggs also gave assurance that he would help the boys if given the opportunity despite his undeserved maltreatment.
He said: 'What happened to me was very unfortunate and I don't deserve it. I have served this country in various capacities and I have not been partisan.
'I suffered a lot from it and I went through very difficult times.",
So painful was his experience in the hands of the kidnappers that the RSIEC chairman was tempted to consider turning his back on his present job but for, 'wiser counsel" that prevailed.
'If I told you I did not consider it (resignation), I would be telling a lie …..
So, I did give consideration to that but wiser counsel."
Offering the militants fatherly advice, the 63-year-old chairman urged them to turn a new leaf because they have a lot to gain from the society in future considering their ages.