ASIA OJEDE
A FALLEN POLICEMAN, AN UNGRATEFUL NATION
Early evening of a new year's day assassination hit home. Sadness and pains trigger anger, rage, heartaches that chill and shiver our bones. So, our dearest relative in the Nigeria police force, our pride and joy, our beloved Asia Ojede, an affable Nigeria policeman who shares the same family and ancestral lineage as me, died from hails of the assassins' bullets.
He was young, adventurous and an exciting elixir in our extended family traditions.
Sometimes in 2020, he was among the police squad sent to Eastern Nigeria to serve, protect and provide the region with security to an emerging quagmire.
Eastern Nigeria has become a national security risk to the foundations of a collectively diverse people, sewn with a terrible and delicate needle and tread by British colonialism in 1914. Every day, fountains of secessionism sprout from this great rising sun region.
Asia was stationed in Owerri, Imo State while his wife and children live in Lagos.
His family will never see him again.
That day when he got a call to report for a national assignment, he hugged his children, kissed his dearest young wife and left to serve our nation. Neither Asia nor his wife and children knew that those felicitation moments would be the last time a dear husband would hold and kiss his dear wife, hug his children and smile with them as he left for Owerri. His only contact with his family the next year would be through social media engagements, daily telephone calls; WhatsApp video calls and conversations.
On New Year’s early morning, Asia called his wife and children to wish them a happy new year. During the call, he promised his wife he would call her again within a few hours as he had unscheduled errands. She is still waiting to hear her awesome husband's voice ring through her ears.
As the benighted wondering birds began to empty the sky and return to their nests early new year evening, Anyasi, Asia's younger brother, called his older brother. They had a brief conversation. It’s my understanding that Asia noted, during the conversation, that he was allegedly driving towards a gas station( Filling Station) to buy gasoline. I understand he promised to also call his younger brother back. Some minutes after arriving at the gas station, Asia was fatally sprayed mwith bullets, several times. He didn't have the chance, time and opportunity to gallantly defend himself. The assassins' firepower cut his life down instantly. They left him, smeared, stained and choked to death by his blood as they fled the scene. It appeared the assassins had secretly followed and watched him for days. He was a roving target in a region that is fast escalating into a field of deaths by assassinations. Life has no value in East. Everyday, a tragic sun sets before it’s time. Innocent bloods of helpless and vulnerable Nigerians stain the soil of East earth.
I am saddened by his death because Nigeria is not worth dying for, especially, to die without dignity.
Asia did not deserve to go out in a blaze of the assassins' bullets.
The Police in Owerri says it is conducting an investigation. I do not believe the investigation will lead to any arrests and prosecution. Our family may never have closure as to who killed our flesh and why they wasted our young blood. It is dead on arrival and shall soon become a distanced narrative. If it leads to arrests, those assassins shall be released before the ink on their arrest warrants dried up. Money shall quench this murder. Na Naija we dey!
Young Nigeria police officers are sent to the most gruesome and dangerous zones in Nigeria to fight crimes and protect the country from terrorists and rogue assassins. They risk their young lives, leave their beautiful families behind to die for a country that soon forgets their services to the nation. Nigeria does not give these young patriots the sophisticated supports and logistics needed to serve and protect.
The police shall soonest, forget Asia when it releases his corpse to our family.
Another fallen hero to an ungrateful nation.
Rest In Peace, Asia Ojede, the great son of a spectacular uncle, late diokpa Itigwe Ojede. Stay with me.
Azuka Jebose : Is A US based Nigerian journalist and activist