TELL MY BROTHERS, I DIED WELL
Slain Borno Pastor*
[Remembering *Pastor George Orji*, Martyred by Boko Haram, 10 years Ago]
He was captured by members of Mohammed Yusuf’s Boko Haram sect, along with many other Christians. Like many others, he was murdered in a gruesome manner, but he held onto his faith, till his last breath. James Bwala reports the tragic story of late Pastor George Orji.
As the Goodnews Church of Christ in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital mourned and remembered the late Pastor George Orji, testimonies from Christians within and outside the church, who were caught together with the pastor by members of the Boko Haram, the notorious Islamic sect of Mohammed Yusuf, showed that Pastor George Orji died singing and praising God after preaching to Mohammed Yusuf and all who were in the camp, in which the religious fanatics kept their victims.
In an interview with some of the abducted persons, *Nigerian Tribune* learnt that even though some of the captured Christians were forced to accept Islam, they were not set free, as most of them were reported to have been killed by the same people who forced them to accept Islam.
Mr Thomas Ali, one of the victims, who managed to escape, told *Nigerian Tribune* that he was kidnapped by the Mohammed Yusuf sect and was forced to take a bath as a sign of accepting Islam. He said he could not really describe how he escaped, but vowed never to forgive Mohammed Yusuf for the trauma he went through during the six hours he stayed in the camp, where people were brought in and slaughtered like chicken.
He said:
● “It was an unholy situation, and I wonder why the so-called human rights organisations were worried about the killing of a man like Mohammed Yusuf, but not about the hundreds of people that were slaughtered like chickens for refusing to denounced their faith."
● “The security agents that were caught and brought into the camp were slaughtered as if they were not human beings. Mohammed Yusuf and his men were not human, they are animals, and people should not be deceived by their religion. If Islam is like that, then Islam is a fake religion.”
Another lucky victim, Mr Emmanuel Ndah, who was abducted along with Pastor George Orji, said that they were arrested by Mohammed Yusuf’s men when they went to check on a widow at her home in the State Lowcost area. According to him, when they were abducted, they were taken to Mohammed Yusuf’s camp and were asked their names.
“When we told them our names, they realized that we were not Muslims, and asked us whether we would denounce our faith and accept Islam, but *Pastor George encouraged us not to accept Islam, but rather to hold unto what we believed in. He was singing and praying all through, and encouraging the believers not give up, even unto death.* It was his words of encouragement that kept us till the time we were released. However, the men killed so many of us Christians who had even been forced into Islam. I cannot not say how I survived it, but I did by the grace of God,’’ he said.
According to him: *“While we were laying there, tied up, Pastor George turned to me and said, ‘If you survive, tell my brothers that I died well, and am living with Christ. And if we all die, we know that we die for the Lord.”*
While giving his testimony, one Okechukwu Nwankwo, who witnessed the killing of Pastor George Orji, said that he was actually abducted with all the members of his family, and was forced to bathe and accept Islam, which he did under duress. He said luckily for him, he was asked to leave and while he was looking for his wife and children, that was when he saw them dragging Pastor George Orji.
He said: *"They dragged him far away from the camp, they forced him to bend his head as he passed before Mohammed Yusuf. He was singing and praising God and praying. I saw them deal him a matchet cut from the back of his neck, and he fell down. His body was dragging on the ground and it rolled and rolled for a long time before he finally gave up the ghost.’"*
If comments in the condolence register is anything to go by then, Pastor Orji did not die in vain:
● ‘’With the death of Pastor George Orji, a life in the service of God and humanity, which was as rich and fruitful as any in the whole history of the Good News church as an organisation, has come to an end. The church will always be indebted to late George Orji for the removal of the obstacles to our faith. He gave us the picture of a world with a unity and harmony surpassing the boldest dreams of the past.’’
● “Indeed, the breadth of late George Orji’s views and the openness of his mind found most remarkable expression in the very same years when he gave a widened outlook to the preaching of the word. The same spirit that characterised Orji’s unique way of preaching the gospel also marked his attitude in all human relations. Notwithstanding the increasing reverence which people everywhere felt for his attainments and character, he behaved with unchanging natural modesty, and expressed himself with a subtle and charming humor."
● "The late man of God was always prepared to help people in difficulties of any kind. To the whole of mankind, George Orji’s death is a great loss, and for those of us who had the good fortune to enjoy his warm friendship, it is a grief that his gentle smile shall never more seen, nor his voice listened to. But the memories he has left behind will remain an ever-living source of fortitude and encouragement."
Late Pastor George Orji was appointed as a Pastor by the Good News Church on 25th March, 1999 and posted to the Riverside Church. He served as Pastor in charge of the headquarters church from June, 1999 to March, 2004 before his posting from May, 2004 to April, 2009, to the headquarters.
Born to the family of Mr and Mrs Philip Orji on 30th June, 1966, at Orokam Village of Ogbadigbo Local Government Area of Benue State, and an Idoma by ethnicity, late Pastor George Orji attended Sabon Gari Primary School Zaria from 1973 to 1978, Mount St Gabriel Secondary School Makurdi from 1978 to 1983. He was the Chapel Prefect, and served excellently. Late Pastor Orji also obtained a diploma in Ministry in December 1998 at the School of End of Time Ministerial Anointing Food For Total Man Ministry in Kaduna.
The slain Pastor George Orji also attended the Nigerian Institute of Science and Technology, Zaria, and obtained an Intermediate Diploma in Laboratory Technology in 1998. He was at the University of Maiduguri, and studied Science Laboratory Technology, for which he obtained the Higher National Diploma in 2004. He also holds a Diploma in Computer Application from Yashib Computers.
Between 2006 and 2007, he was at the ECWA Theological Seminary, where he obtained his post-graduate Diploma in Theology. Pastor George Orji went back to ECWA Theological Seminary, Jos, Plateau State, where he was pursuing a Master’s degree in Divinity before his death.
He is survived by a wife, Mrs Veronica Orji, and two children.
Slain Borno Pastor*
[Remembering *Pastor George Orji*, Martyred by Boko Haram, 10 years Ago]
He was captured by members of Mohammed Yusuf’s Boko Haram sect, along with many other Christians. Like many others, he was murdered in a gruesome manner, but he held onto his faith, till his last breath. James Bwala reports the tragic story of late Pastor George Orji.
As the Goodnews Church of Christ in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital mourned and remembered the late Pastor George Orji, testimonies from Christians within and outside the church, who were caught together with the pastor by members of the Boko Haram, the notorious Islamic sect of Mohammed Yusuf, showed that Pastor George Orji died singing and praising God after preaching to Mohammed Yusuf and all who were in the camp, in which the religious fanatics kept their victims.
In an interview with some of the abducted persons, *Nigerian Tribune* learnt that even though some of the captured Christians were forced to accept Islam, they were not set free, as most of them were reported to have been killed by the same people who forced them to accept Islam.
Mr Thomas Ali, one of the victims, who managed to escape, told *Nigerian Tribune* that he was kidnapped by the Mohammed Yusuf sect and was forced to take a bath as a sign of accepting Islam. He said he could not really describe how he escaped, but vowed never to forgive Mohammed Yusuf for the trauma he went through during the six hours he stayed in the camp, where people were brought in and slaughtered like chicken.
He said:
● “It was an unholy situation, and I wonder why the so-called human rights organisations were worried about the killing of a man like Mohammed Yusuf, but not about the hundreds of people that were slaughtered like chickens for refusing to denounced their faith."
● “The security agents that were caught and brought into the camp were slaughtered as if they were not human beings. Mohammed Yusuf and his men were not human, they are animals, and people should not be deceived by their religion. If Islam is like that, then Islam is a fake religion.”
Another lucky victim, Mr Emmanuel Ndah, who was abducted along with Pastor George Orji, said that they were arrested by Mohammed Yusuf’s men when they went to check on a widow at her home in the State Lowcost area. According to him, when they were abducted, they were taken to Mohammed Yusuf’s camp and were asked their names.
“When we told them our names, they realized that we were not Muslims, and asked us whether we would denounce our faith and accept Islam, but *Pastor George encouraged us not to accept Islam, but rather to hold unto what we believed in. He was singing and praying all through, and encouraging the believers not give up, even unto death.* It was his words of encouragement that kept us till the time we were released. However, the men killed so many of us Christians who had even been forced into Islam. I cannot not say how I survived it, but I did by the grace of God,’’ he said.
According to him: *“While we were laying there, tied up, Pastor George turned to me and said, ‘If you survive, tell my brothers that I died well, and am living with Christ. And if we all die, we know that we die for the Lord.”*
While giving his testimony, one Okechukwu Nwankwo, who witnessed the killing of Pastor George Orji, said that he was actually abducted with all the members of his family, and was forced to bathe and accept Islam, which he did under duress. He said luckily for him, he was asked to leave and while he was looking for his wife and children, that was when he saw them dragging Pastor George Orji.
He said: *"They dragged him far away from the camp, they forced him to bend his head as he passed before Mohammed Yusuf. He was singing and praising God and praying. I saw them deal him a matchet cut from the back of his neck, and he fell down. His body was dragging on the ground and it rolled and rolled for a long time before he finally gave up the ghost.’"*
If comments in the condolence register is anything to go by then, Pastor Orji did not die in vain:
● ‘’With the death of Pastor George Orji, a life in the service of God and humanity, which was as rich and fruitful as any in the whole history of the Good News church as an organisation, has come to an end. The church will always be indebted to late George Orji for the removal of the obstacles to our faith. He gave us the picture of a world with a unity and harmony surpassing the boldest dreams of the past.’’
● “Indeed, the breadth of late George Orji’s views and the openness of his mind found most remarkable expression in the very same years when he gave a widened outlook to the preaching of the word. The same spirit that characterised Orji’s unique way of preaching the gospel also marked his attitude in all human relations. Notwithstanding the increasing reverence which people everywhere felt for his attainments and character, he behaved with unchanging natural modesty, and expressed himself with a subtle and charming humor."
● "The late man of God was always prepared to help people in difficulties of any kind. To the whole of mankind, George Orji’s death is a great loss, and for those of us who had the good fortune to enjoy his warm friendship, it is a grief that his gentle smile shall never more seen, nor his voice listened to. But the memories he has left behind will remain an ever-living source of fortitude and encouragement."
Late Pastor George Orji was appointed as a Pastor by the Good News Church on 25th March, 1999 and posted to the Riverside Church. He served as Pastor in charge of the headquarters church from June, 1999 to March, 2004 before his posting from May, 2004 to April, 2009, to the headquarters.
Born to the family of Mr and Mrs Philip Orji on 30th June, 1966, at Orokam Village of Ogbadigbo Local Government Area of Benue State, and an Idoma by ethnicity, late Pastor George Orji attended Sabon Gari Primary School Zaria from 1973 to 1978, Mount St Gabriel Secondary School Makurdi from 1978 to 1983. He was the Chapel Prefect, and served excellently. Late Pastor Orji also obtained a diploma in Ministry in December 1998 at the School of End of Time Ministerial Anointing Food For Total Man Ministry in Kaduna.
The slain Pastor George Orji also attended the Nigerian Institute of Science and Technology, Zaria, and obtained an Intermediate Diploma in Laboratory Technology in 1998. He was at the University of Maiduguri, and studied Science Laboratory Technology, for which he obtained the Higher National Diploma in 2004. He also holds a Diploma in Computer Application from Yashib Computers.
Between 2006 and 2007, he was at the ECWA Theological Seminary, where he obtained his post-graduate Diploma in Theology. Pastor George Orji went back to ECWA Theological Seminary, Jos, Plateau State, where he was pursuing a Master’s degree in Divinity before his death.
He is survived by a wife, Mrs Veronica Orji, and two children.
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