Posted by By BUCHY ENYINNAYA, Asaba on
Those who think that the dead do not have anything to do with the living would certainly have a re-think after listening to the confessions of Mr Patrick Chiedu Mekoma, gang leader of the group that kidnapped a man of God.
Those who think that the dead do not have anything to do with the living would certainly have a re-think after listening to the confessions of Mr Patrick Chiedu Mekoma, gang leader of the group that kidnapped a man of God.
Chiedu Mekoma, in his 40s had, with others, kidnapped Reverend Father Dibie based on false allegations.
The gang kidnapped, assaulted and nearly snuffed life out of him. They obviously did not heed the biblical injunction, "touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm."
Mekoma says that life became difficult and unbearable for him and his family since he attacked the man of God. According to him, he began to experience nightmares and severe setbacks soon after. His mother then advised him to confess his sins openly to Reverend Father Dibie.
"Go to the prayer ground and see for yourself. Tell him the truth and ask for his forgiveness, for he is a powerful man of God.He will understand your plight and forgive you," the spirit of his dead mother told him. Sequel to this advice, Chiedu Mekoma , Nosike Omeife, and Johnson Anigboro who had been living with the evil consequences of their abduction and kidnap of the priest came recently to Maryland Adoration Centre, Issele-Uku, confessed their sins and pleaded for forgiveness.
Mekoma, clad in white caftan, led the group during the confession which lasted for more than 15 minutes during the ministry's prayer and worship service.
Before the confession, the congregation had taken that Tuesday January 24 as any other Tuesday. But in the midst of the congregation were these repentant kidnappers and members of their families , as well as friends and probably well-wishers .
They wanted to apologise for their evil act. Patrick Chiedu Mekoma , the prime actor in the March 5, 2005 kidnap and abduction of the Parish Priest of Saint James Catholic Church, Ubulu-Okiti in the Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, had alleged that the priest had demanded NI00,000.00 from his wife, Patricia Mekoma as payment for prayers for her. On the basis of this, he and his partners abducted and manhandled the priest.
Confession and recant of allegations
The group confessed that they abducted the man of God. Mekoma leading the group, confessed that allegations levelled against Reverend Father Dibie were not true and that even his informers had confessed to him that the allegations were deliberate falsehood. In his words, the informers had pleaded with him for forgiveness.
Mekoma told the congregation that the statement he made to the police and acceded to in the court, were false.
The man, who looked remorseful alongside his co-travellers, also confessed before the congregation that the whole incident and tribulations were the handiwork of the devil and were aimed at dragging the cleric through the mud.
Mekoma disclosed: 'I was the one that made the phone call to Father Dibie to come to the hospital and pray for a sick person. Even in my room, I watch his gospel and musical video cassettes.I have his calendar, posters, but I didn't know him. I have never been here before.
'I thought he was an ordinary Reverend Father who someone can deal with and get away with it, but I thank God that today, we are all alive to give this testimony."
Setback and nightmares.
Mekoma also disclosed that following their abduction of the priest, life became a torment for him.He began to experience nightmares and severe setbacks and problems came from everywhere.
'Things started going round in circles . Nothing was the same any more.Problems were all over me. Friends and well-wishers deserted me and my dead mother started to appear to me in my dreams. Please, I have come to beg for forgiveness.
'Reverend Father Dibie did not ask for N100,000.00 from my wife and that rumour making the rounds is not true. I cooked up the story at the Police station in order to evade detention.
'If I had known that he (Father Dibie) was as popular as I can see based on what I am seeing here in this praying ground, I wouldn't have talked of N100,000. I would have said a million pounds. Please, forgive me.
'My mother advised me in a dream to stop going round, that I should go to see my victim and openly confess my sins and ask for forgiveness."
Looking vindicated, Reverend Father Dibie openly accepted the apologies of his abductors and prayed for God to forgive them .
'Who are we not to forgive? We offend God and He forgives us. Why shouldn't we forgive ?So, with this, I am praying that my brother, Chiedu Mekoma is forgiven".
What hurt Father Dibie most
While forgiving his kidnappers, Father Dibie told Daily Sun: 'In fact, what pained me most was not the N100,000 he alleged that I demanded from his wife.
He said that I was going out with his wife. My own spiritual daughter? That was what pained me most.
'How can that be? My own spiritual daughter who comes here for prayers. It is a painful thing and I was deeply touched."
Father Dibie also said he was sad about the incident because it was a blackmail.
He told Daily Sun that the message he preached to the congregation before his kidnap, entitled: 'We are overcomers ,"was an indication of the temptation that was to come. ' The message was on how to resist temptations and how to overcome them; how some men of God are destroyed. I never knew I was talking about myself."
'What happened was a living testimony for which I cannot stop thanking God.
'My appeal to Chiedu is to start from today to attend church regularly. I am also appealing to everybody to be serious for the day of the Lord is at hand. Everyone should repent and live a holy life."