A tribute to the Warrior by Femi Fani-Kayode

The warrior is noble and strong. His resolve is firm and his commitment is total. His is to kill, to shed blood and to be killed. His is to die for his King and for a worthy cause. His is to protect and lay down his life for his faith, his nation, his people and his loved ones.

What manner of men are these whose spirit speak of such valour and nobility? Consider the ancient Spartans and the Roman warriors of old. Consider the fearsome Vikings who believed that it was a curse to die a peaceful death and that the only way to heaven was to die violently and heroically in fearsome battle.

Consider the greatest warrior that ever lived, the noble and gallant Achilles, the pride of the Greeks and the glory of the Mermidans, who slew noble Hector and brought down the walls of Troy.

Consider Aragorn, King of Gondor, who saved the Middle Earth from the power of the Ring and from the hordes of Mordor. Consider beautiful Legolas, Prince of the Elves, who gallantly stood behind him with his mighty bow and strong arrow. Consider brave Horatio who stood at the Roman gate.

Consider Ragnar the Viking King who crushed his enemies under his feet and brought glory to his people.

Consider Kahl Drogo of the Dothraki who rode into battle with fire and fury and who crushed all that stood in his path.

Consider Jon Snow Targarayan of the Nights Watch who manned the wall, who rode dragons into battle, who loved Khaleesi and who saved the Seven Kingdoms from the army of the dead.

Consider Alexander the Great who said “lose your fear and conquer the world” and who established the greatest empire that the world has ever known.

Consider King David, the greatest of all Kings, who relished in blood and war yet who was a man after God’s heart.

Consider David’s “strongmen” who stood with him through thick and thin and who fought for him to the very end.

Consider their gallant Captain, the mighty Joab and the others, Abishai, Asahel, Eleazer, the Tachomonite, Shammah, Benaiah, Eliam, Igal and Uriah the Hittite.

These were David’s ”strong men”: all great and valiant men of war whose courage was legendary and whose loyalty to their God and their King was unflinching and unquestionable.

Consider Richard the Lionheart, Shaka the Zulu, Robert the Bruce, Bonny Prince Charlie, Beowulf the Nordic King and William Wallace the liberator of Scotland.

Consider King Henry V of England who routed the French at Agincourt even though he was outnumbered by three men to one.

Consider Julius Caesar who came, who saw and who conquered. Consider Ertugrul Gazi who resisted the mighty Mongols, who rallied the proud tribes of the Orghuz and Anatolia, who called God’s name as he rode into battle, who laid the foundation for the Turkish state and whose brave son Osman Gazi was the founder of the mighty Ottoman Empire.

Consider Salahudeen the Compassionate, who fought the Crusaders, who re-took the City of Jerusalem, who rejected the path of vengeance and who showed the Christians mercy.

Consider Aslan, the great Lion of Narnia, who sacrificed himself, who rose again, who killed the white witch, who saved the world and who crowned Kings and Queens.

Consider the great Heracles who fought giants and monsters and who brought them to their knees. Consider the mighty Hercules whose father was a god, whose strength was unmatchable and who never lost a fight.

Consider Spartacus, who turned slaves into men. Consider Samson, who slew a troop with the jaw bone of an ass and yet who fell at the touch of a woman.

Consider Gideon who slew the Midianites, Jeptha who sacrificed his daughter, Joshua who brought down the walls of Jericho and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, who drove his chariot like a madman, who slew the witch-Queen Jezebel and who fulfilled prophesy by ensuring that the dogs ate her flesh and licked her blood in the fields of Jezreel.

Consider those that laid down their lives for our great and noble faith: Paul of Tarsus, the greatest of all the Apostles, who brought the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the gentiles and to the wider world.

Peter the disciple, who became the Rock on whom the Church of God was built. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Stephen, Isaiah, Elijah, Daniel, John and all the other disciples and Prophets of old.

For martyrs and heroes that lived and died for God are also gallant warriors who feared not death and who stood firm to the end in defence of their faith.

Consider George Washington who led his troops into battle and whose battle cry was “victory or death”.

Consider the noble Samurai and the 47 Ronin who avenged their Lord.

Consider the great Oduduwa who came down from Heaven and who established the Yoruba race.

Consider King Alfred and his gallant Saxon warriors who took their last stand at the Battle of Hastings.