Rose, from Nigeria, is bravely bringing up
her daughters as a single mother after
extremists killed her husband
Matthew and Rose were expecting their
third child when, one day in April, a brutal
attack on their village in Nigeria left Rose a
single mother to her two daughters.
With one gunshot, extremist Fulani
herdsmen took Matthew’s life, leaving
Rose, 34, to bring up her children alone –
all this happened as the coronavirus
pandemic sent the world into lockdown.
Rose is one of the women which anti-
persecution charity Open Doors UK &
Ireland is honouring by celebrating the way
they have faced persecution with courage.
On the morning of April 7, Rose got ready
for an appointment at the clinic for a pre-
natal check-up.
“I woke up feeling very positive and eager
for the clinic visit,” she said. “I finished all
my house chores and prepared a meal for
my husband and daughters.”
But when Rose bid goodbye to her husband
that day at their home in Nbra Zongo,
Plateau State, there was no way she could
know that she would never see him alive
again.
That evening it had been Matthew’s turn to
patrol the village to check for any signs
that would indicate a looming attack from
Fulani herdsmen, many of whom have
become militant Islamists.
“After the patrol, my husband was on his
way back home to the children when he
was shot dead,” said Rose.
“Villagers later took me to the place where
he was killed. I saw my husband lying
dead with the grave already dug.
“My husband died a very tragic death. He
was not only shot, he was butchered.
Rose’s husband was brutally murdered,
depriving her children of their father.
(Photo: Open Doors UK)
“While we were waiting for the coffin to be
brought, I took courage and hugged him. I
whispered a prayer to him and then we had
to leave that place.
“I held my daughters close and cried.”
But the difficulties had only just begun for
Rose. Her in-laws accused her of being
complicit in Matthew’s death by first
marrying him and then not being around on
the day he was killed.
They went to her house, confiscated most
of the couple’s livestock, their food
reserves and everything else of value.
They left Rose behind alone and empty-
handed to fend for herself and for her
children.
Right at that time the Nigerian government
announced lockdowns to curb the spread
of COVID-19. Survival became even more
challenging for Rose and her young girls.
“Severe hunger came, and we had no
money for food,” said Rose.
“We couldn’t trade anything for money
because the markets were closed.
“I don’t even have the strength to do
rigorous work to feed my children. We have
just been managing ourselves.
“It was mango season, so we fed on the
mangoes, but when the season finished we
would sometimes we go to sleep without
any food.”
While her church did what it could to help
Rose, the lockdown had greatly diminished
its income and ability to provide
assistance. Christians are also often last in
line when it comes to receiving government
food aid.
Rose with her newborn. Despite all the tragedy,
she is trusting God every day to see her through
(Photo: Open Doors UK)
But through her relationship with God, Rose
is finding the strength to raise her children
as a single mother. She said: “I only put
my trust in God to see me through. Today
we are among the living ones. It’s a
miracle.
“Whenever I read Psalm 119:11 – ‘I have
hidden your word in my heart, that I might
not sin against you’ – I feel so encouraged
despite the situation I find myself in.
“He who watches over the widows neither
sleeps nor slumbers.”
Open Doors is working to bring urgent food
aid and other necessities to people like
Rose – she is one of the thousands of
Christians in desperate need of help.
In Nigeria alone, Open Doors has identified
more than 9,000 families who do not know
where their next meal will come from.
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