Dear Sir,
I resort to writing you an open letter because I
don’t know how to reach you confidentially. The
only thing I know about you is that you are a
judicious man, a Reverend and an expert in
negotiating between terrorist and any
government that contracted you. I was told you are the guy who helped negotiate between the
Federal Government of Nigeria and the then Niger
Delta bad boys who took arms against the state
though their reasons for doing what they did was
and is still glaring to all. I believed you had an easy job with the Niger
Delta boys considering the fact that the Niger
Delta boys were physical beings who we always
see in flesh and blood compared to your recent
assignment with Boko Haram who always
operate like a ghost with no clear basis of their evil deeds.
Sir, I am one of those who don’t and will never
envy your job. This is because I hate terrorists
and criminals. The idea of reaching them and
discussing with them for whatever reason
therefore is not and will never be my style or vocation. I don’t know the area you are asked to cover by
the Federal Government in negotiating with Boko
Haram all I know is your findings which you
choose to make public through a questionable
media house. I got my dose of the news of your
findings through the Facebook page of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai one of the most addict critics of this
government. But sir, the reason for this open letter is to seek
further clarifications on the ways and manners
you choose to reveal the identity of those
responsible for the evil activities of Boko Haram. I
am not an expert in terrorism. The only thing I
know about them is that they kill, destroy and instill fear into the lives of the people with the aim
of scoring a political or religious goal. My question
and concern therefore may be as a result of my
inexperience or limited know-how in such a
sensitive area of specialties. I ask therefore that
you forgive my inadequacy and lack of vast knowledge. In your findings, (the area which most Nigerians
are interested in), you mention some names of
those supporting Boko Haram in cash or in kind.
You called the name of the pass Governor of
Borno State Ali Modu Sheriff and the immediate
pass Army Chief Gen Ihejirika. The third you did not mention him by his name but by the
institution he represent. Sir, is that your style, you
negotiators of terrorism, that you don’t mention
the names of all those involve at the first attempt?
Why did you choose to mention the names of the
first two persons but only mention the institution of the third culprit? Was that how and what the
terrorist themselves told you to do? Did they
furnish you with half information and asked you
to come for the remaining ones some other time?
What is so special in the name of the third person
that makes it too difficult for you to call it just as you did the first and the second for the Nigerian
public? Is the name written in Chines or Japanese
that you most look for an interpreter to confirm it
for you before making it public? Or do you decide
to withhold the third and maybe the fourth names
as bargaining chips for the remaining of your contract sum with the government? I believe you know the seriousness of your
assignment and the expectations of the federal
government and the people of Nigeria. We wish
and want to know all that is there to know. The
terrorist have been killing people openly and with
no mercy. The Nigerian people demand therefore that you make the name of the third and all the
people responsible for this our suffering.
Withholding names of certain criminal persons for
whatever reasons to us is not acceptable. Since you are a pastor, a reverend and a gentle
man, I hereby appeal to you to vomit all that is
remaining in your system for us to know and
arrive at a balance position. I believe you know
withholding information was not and is not the
style of Jesus and as a pastor, Jesus is your example. We have suffered enough already on
this Boko Haram madness. Please don’t add to
our suffering through waiting for something that
is right there in your lips. I pray that God will keep you in good health and
if negotiating with terrorists is your way of
earning a living, may God change a job for you or
better call you home to glory.

Yours faithfully

Shady Emmanuel.

@ the last line there

Hmmmn. . . . .