THE MURDER OF CLETUS TERNENGE LABE: THE MURDER OF HARD WORK, PATIENCE, DESCIPLINE AND COMMITMENT AS PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS In our present society where young people are confused about where success really comes from, the murder of this innocent young man, Labe Ternenge Cletus who has been full of zeal, commitment, hard work and dedication constitutes a big discouragement to the upholding of all the virtues that bring progress and success. I have known Labe and we have been friends for not less than twenty years now. I got in touch with this intelligent, calm and good-willed young man when we first mate in Mt. St. Micheals Secondary School Aliade campus where we studied under St. James Minor Seminary. We eventually had to enrol into St. Micheal in order to offer the science subjects that we intended to offer since the Minor Seminary had not yet introduced the sciences. We both wanted to read medicine. Cletus eventually could not read medicine but took up pharmacy and became a pharmacist while I could not read medicine but took up the priesthood and became a priest. As a pharmacist, Cletus went back to the secondary school, registered for the arts subjects, sat for WAEC and got the required credits that qualified him to apply for Law. He went further to register for JAMB in which he scored the required points, went to the university and studied Law. Cletus is a pharmacist and lawyer. After my priestly ordination, I got inspiration and encouragement from my Friend Cletus. I went back to the secondary school and registered for the WAEC, remedied my physics, applied for medicine, sat for the JAMB examination at BRISTOL Gboko and passed. My Bishop whom I showed my result and who decides what we should study for the local church decided otherwise. Here is just my short story with Cletus. Cletus challenged me and made me work hard with his seriousness with studies. He is a gentle man with a stable calm voice and character. He has been a living testimony of hard work. Is unfortunate that all the virtues that are supposed to win for Labe affirmation, encouragement and admiration have sadly won for him an embarrassing death. I wonder if his murderer thought little of the implications of his murder at all. The murder of Cletus is a discouragement to hard work. Cletus has been a patient young man who took his time to get to where he wanted no matter how long. Very Rev. Fr. Drs. Like Simeon Iber, Nicholas Tarbo and Patrick Alumunku through whose teaching hands Labe had the privilege to pass, will have testimonies to share about this exceptional young man, a testimony of success coming with hard work. I cant figure out what has convinced the murderers of Cletus to kill him. For me, the life of Cletus should Have been left to remain an open and public lecture on, Hard work, Patience and commitment as Necessary paths to Greatness. If it meant consulting God and the Tiv ancestors to prolong the life of Cletus for many centuries, that should have been done for the benefit of our youth who seem not to be sure of the source of success. The assassination of Labe is an assassination of so many virtues in our land. Are we saying people should be lazy and that will attract them more love and longer life? Envy and jealousy may be the sources of his death but is it worth it? Where are we going to? Cletus, I weep that you have died, I weep more that you have died innocently and I weep lauder that your death constitutes a discouragement to me and may do so to many others. I pray God to grant you eternal life, console your wife, children and your family. I took some of my younger ones whom I had encouraged with the story of Cletus to him when I was home in August for them to encounter this symbol of hard work and commitment to studies that I grew up with, and they enjoyed it. With this pay that Labe has received, what will I tell them again? I think it will be safer to keep the news away from them. Cletus, May God help me to understand why you have been murdered for until I do that, I will keep searching restlessly to do so.--PILLA GENDA JOSEPH (Collegio San Pietro Apostolo-ROME)
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 11:42:28 +0000
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