Adieu Ian Paisley (b. 1926 d. 2014 a. 88y)

September 12, 2014

The Reverend and Right Honourable
The Lord Bannside

I have otherwise known you sir as the Reverend Ian Paisley. I have known you as a charismatic leader who always meant well for his people. Throughout your political and religious career, you championed the cause you believed in.

I cannot say I was your biggest fan. By no means. Most of your positions were different from mine. You scorned the icons I revered (I remember your ill-advised and misguided 1988 excursion to the European Parliament, for instance, and the events that led to your forced exit therefrom); you had great respect for some people for whom I nursed the most undiluted and unblemished form of contempt possible.

But I admired your work within your fractured country. I was inspired by the reports that came out of Northern Ireland about your efforts as a private citizen to better the lot of your people. I still am thrilled by the extent of your sense of humor, such as you displayed in an incident recounted by SDLP leader John Hume wherein he said to you: "Ian, if the word 'no' were to be removed from the English language, you'd be speechless, wouldn't you!" and you just as promptly replied, "No, I wouldn't!"

On several occasions during the course of your sojourn here, you manifested the ideals of Christian living, and God counts you among the ones who genuinely loved Him.

Now you have moved on to another realm, a realm where it doesn't matter if you are Catholic, Protestant, or Presbyterian, or even "Moorish". That must be alien terrain for you, but that is your new home; that is where you will find rest from all your work on earth; that is the place we love to call Heaven; that is the place we all hope to be someday.

My prayer for you is that you are there already.

Adieu Reverend.

Naijaman.