Why did Apple now destroy my second unused iPad for no good reason?

[Arlen Holder]

I figured I'd test a tutorial out for badgolferman, when...

Whenever I set up an iPad, I make up an iCloud account
(some...@iCloud.com) and I then never use that iCloud account
ever again (except that very first day).

This works fine, for years on end, but now, Apple is starting to destroy
the iPad, little by little, as explained in this thread on one of my iPads:
o Can someone helpful tell me why my iPad has been asking for an Apple ID Verification for months on end?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.ipad/bx3H0DMGBys>

As shown here on that first iPad, Apple is playing games with us:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/LXzB3Lc0/appleid01.jpg>

Well, today I grabbed a second iPad that I haven't used in years, and lo
and behold, Apple is playing even worse tricks to destroy my iPad:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/zfJY7yNT/applenotsetup01.jpg>
o <https://i.postimg.cc/VNDQVzsp/ipadnotsetup02.jpg>
o <https://i.postimg.cc/SRYBR8Lb/ipadnotsetup03.jpg>

Why?
o Is there a good solution short of taking a trek to the genius bar?
(and, no, I don't know the login nor should I need to know it)

Note: I realize most of you know nothing about iOS except what you're fed
by MARKETING; but I'm hoping there's at least one purposefully helpful
_and_ knowledgeable person on this ng (which, I know, is a long shot).
--
I didn't log in as I can't log in as I don't ever log in so I didn't hit
"find my iPhone" which is what Apple seems to be claiming happened.