Vol 13 No 20

Transcription

Vol 13 No 20

A publication of the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi www.nnewidiocese.org/outlook.htm
ISSN 2141-0178
N
VOL. 13 NO. 20 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2014
We Are Happy
Obi Left APGA
- Umeh
Nkwo Nnewi Triangle:
Nzuko-Ora Drags
State Govt to Court
... Claims N500m
See page 20
Kidnappers'
“APC will
Buildings
Govern Imo
Demolished
for 20 Years” in Nnewi, Ojoto
See back page
See page 15
See page 4
Arinze, 23 Bishops,
Hundreds Gather To Pray As Nnewi Cardinal
over 500 Priests Officiate at
Diocese Holds Second Pilgrimage Bishop Okafor's Requiem Mass
By Ifechukwu Edokwe
It was a journey of faith for the
Bishop, Most Rev. Hilary
Okeke, Priests, Religious and
lay faithful of the Catholic
Diocese of Nnewi as they
gathered at Our Lady of the
Rosary Pilgrimage Center,
Okija for the second
Diocesan pilgrimage on
Saturday, October 4, 2014.
The event which
witnessed the recitation of the
Holy Rosary, Holy Mass,
Reflections and Sacrament of
Reconciliation began with the
exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament and penitential
Service conducted by the
Dean of Ukpor Deanery, Rev.
Fr. Donald Chidolue.
contd on page 9
Late Bishop
Simon Okafor
(1934-2014)
T
Bishop Okeke with a cross section of Rev. Frs. during the Eucharistic Celebration at the pilgrimage centre
uesday 7 October, 2014 was the day the Catholic
Faithful of Awka Diocese, friends and well wishers
inside and outside Anambra State assembled at St.
Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, Awka to bid farewell to the
late Emeritus Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most
Rev. Dr. Simon Akwali Okafor who died on 29th August,
2014, at the age of 79.
Nurse Steals Baby in
Nnobi Health Centre
…Care-Giver Sells Day-Old Baby for N700, 000 in Onitsha
See page 4
The former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Peter Obi ( middle), with the PDP hierarchy from the South-East, including Gov. Godswill Akpabio, shortly
after Obi joined the PDP at his Onitsha GRA residence.
See page 18
EDITORIAL
Saturday November 1, 2014
THE CHRISTIAN OUTLOOK 2
Implications of Peter Obi's Membership of PDP
A
t last, the defection of the
former Governor of
Anambra State, Chief Peter
Obi, to the Peoples Democratic
Party has been consummated. The
long awaited confirmation of a long
standing rumour came to light on
Tuesday, October 7, 2014 in
Onitsha, Anambra State.
As he himself often
recounted, he left the All
Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA) because he wanted a new
platform he would use to pursue
the overall wellbeing of Ndi Igbo.
APGA had, however, brought him
and his followers untold fortunes
having used the platform to win
governorship elections two times
and delivered democracy
dividends to Anambra people.
Obi also used his defection
ceremony to restate his past
support for the PDP – led Federal
government. He said that the
immediate target was to help the
process of getting President
Jonathan re-elected; expressing
strong desire to be part of a process
of creating a solid and robust
platform of involvement in the
election of the President, and post
election governance structure
which would
help MISSION
to engender
OUR
rapid socio-economic
development.
Chief Obi said that his
decision to join PDP was taken in
the overall interest of Nigeria and
its democracy which is now
mortally endangered by a group of
forces that must be confronted. He
pointed that he was convinced that
joining hands with other
Nigerians, committed as he is at
repositioning the PDP is the
appropriate thing to do now.
His recent defection,
however, may be causing ripples
within the state chapter of the PDP
and APGA. Though not confirmed,
but expectedly, the state chapter of
the PDP would not surrender the
structure of the party to Chief Obi,
even as the tenure of the incumbent
state executive of the party ends
officially in few weeks.
Though APGA stakeholders
had continued to berate Chief Peter
Obi's defection to PDP as not being
able to affect APGA's fortune in any
way, at any time, yet, the mammoth
supporters that would follow him
to the PDP would, no doubt, be a
source of strength to the PDP, and
would certainly weaken his former
party to some extent. This is
because Chief Obi remains one of
the greatest political forces in
Anambra State.
The PDP in the last
governorship election when Chief
Peter Obi was governor of
Anambra State under APGA had an
abysmal outing while APGA under
Obi took over in almost all the local
governments.
OUR MISSION
“To provide our readers with high quality, trustworthy news that is contemporary,
engaged with the world and faithful to what the Church teaches so as to strengthen
the faith of Christians & deepen their commitment to God in line with objective
journalistic ethics.”
The Christian
In service of the truth
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF NNEWI
PUBLISHER
-
Bishop H.P.O. Okeke
DIRECTOR
-
Rev Fr. Hygi Aghaulor, Ph.D.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF -
Rev Fr Anthony Ibegbunam
EDITOR
-
Solomon Mokwugwo
NEWS EDITOR
-
Ifechukwu Edokwe
REPORTER
-
Awuzie Oscar C.
GRAPHICS
-
Uche Okoye, Chika Odunukwe, Uju
Ogbuewu, Patricia Amadi
PRODUCTION
-
Obinna Okeke
PROOF-READERS -
Umeh Obi M. and Chukwumah Freeman
BOOK-KEEPING-ACCT. REC -
Anadi Ngozi C.
ADVERT
-
Oliver-Ross Udeafor, Ngozi Asonibe
CIRCULATION
-
Frank Ohanyere, Uzochukwu Ekweanua
It is not clear if different
divisions and factions in Anambra
PDP would be willing to come
together now and move the party
forward; however, Peter Obi's
membership of the PDP would
simply strengthen the party in
Anambra State.
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The Holy Fathers
Intentions For
The Month Of
October, 2014
·
Peace. That the Lord may grant
peace to those parts of the world
most battered by war and
violence.
·
World Mission Day. That World
Mission Day may rekindle in
every believer zeal for carrying
the Gospel into all the world.
Bishop’s Intention For
The Month of October, 2014
General: That all Christians may
experience the Joy of the Gospel as the
hope that sustains and joyfully bear
witness to the gift of faith in Christ.
* For Missionary work of the
Church
PUBLIC SCHEDULE OF BISHOP HILARY
ODILI OKEKE October, 2014
Sun 19- World Mission Sunday (Universal PMS
Special Collection for missionary work of
the Church) mass at Our Lady of
Assumption, Nnewi
Sat 25- Day for RECDOT
Sat 25- Pastoral Visit to St. Charles Parish, Lilu
Note
Religious QUIZ Competition at parish
level to end latest 25 October 2014
Sun 26- Pastoral Visit to St. Charles parish, Lilu
November
Sat 1- Solemnity of All Saints- pastoral Visit and
Patronal Celebration at All Saints parish
Mbosi
Sun 2- All Souls Day Mass at Our Lady of
Assumption Cathedral, Nnewi Parish
Project Collection
Copyright © 2014, The Christian Outlook Inc. The Christian Outlook is
printed and published forthnightly by Catholic Communications, Inc. Media House
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08063831036.
Editorial Address: The Christian Outlook, Editorial Dep., Media House,
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www.nnewidiocese.org e-mail: kathcomnnewi@yahoo.com
STATE NEWS
Gov. Obiano Solicits Cooperation
Anambra State Government
Of Magistrates Against Criminality Establishes Schools in Market Places
O
n October 8, 2014 in
Awka, Governor Willie
Obiano of Anambra
solicited for the support and
cooperation of the Judiciary,
especially the magistrates in
the fight against crime and
criminality in the State.
The Governor made
the appeal at the
commencement of the 2014
Magistrates Association of
Nigeria (M.A.N.) Week,
Anambra chapter, held in
Awka.
The theme of the
seminar is “The Role of
Magistrates in Justice
Delivery.”
“I urge you to bear in mind that
any attempt to give undue
liberal consideration in favour
of crimes, especially, felonious
crimes will not augur well for
the peace and security of the
State,” he said.
The Governor also
appealed to the magistrates to
see as their duty to give revenue
cases priority in their daily
cause lists. Obiano was
represented by the State
Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr.
Chude Anali at the occasion.
While declaring the
workshop open, the State Chief
Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi,
charged the magistrates not to
relent in the discharge of their
duties.
Umeadi commended Obiano
for approving the construction
of 28 new court halls across the
state and assured that the
Governor Willie Obiano
judiciary would continue to
live up to its expectation.
In a lecture titled
“The Role of the Magistrates in
Justice Delivery,” Justice
Theresa Abadua of the Court of
Appeal, Port-Harcourt
Division, stressed the need for
provision of infrastructure to
the judiciary. According to her,
the efficient and effective
delivery of justice in our
judicial system is dependent
largely on delivery of
infrastructure.
She said that
infrastructures including
electricity, court rooms,
information technology, court
procedures, court processes,
enforcement of judgment and
access to courts were some of
the challenges being faced by
magistrates.
Abadua further
suggested the continuous legal
education for magistrates as
well as the provision of law
pavilion gadgets as some of
the transformations needed to
improve the knowledge and
performance of magistrates.
She also called on
state governments to obey the
Constitution of the country
which mandated them to pay
monies meant for the judiciary
directly to the head of the
Court of the state.
“This would impact
positively on the justice
delivery system in the state,”
Abadua stated.
In her remarks, the
state chairman of Magistrates
Association of Nigeria
(M.A.N.), Mrs Vivian
Udedike, stressed the need to
enhance the performance of
magistrates through
continuous legal education.
“We call on the state
governor to relinquish the
funds accruing to the judiciary
to them and ensure
improvement in the welfare of
magistrates,” Udedike added.
While commending
the governor for constructing
new court halls, she said
however, that the judiciary
was still faced with the
challenge of facilities like
court recorders and law
libraries, among others.
The chairman
explained that the workshop
was a forum for magistrates to
brainstorm on issues,
challenges and make
meaningful contributions on
the administration of justice
system in the State.
….Receives praises from UNESCO, UNICEF, Others
By Raymond Ozoji
A
nambra State
Government has been
commended for its giant
strides in the education sector
of the state especially its adult
and non-formal education
sector.
The commendation
was made by development
partners, the Federal Ministry
of Education and a host of
other bodies and organizations
that attended the 2014
International Literacy Day
held at the Alex Ekwueme
Square Awka.
On the occasion,
Governor Willie Obiano,
represented by his
Deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, said
the occasion provided a
veritable platform for his
administration to present its
score card on developmental
efforts in the education sector
of the State. Governor Obiano
stated that his administration
recognized the importance of
education in all spheres of
human development as his
administration placed special
focus on marginalized and
vulnerable groups in the state
adding that emphasis on adult
and non-formal education sub
sector as a tool for addressing
out-of-school boys equally
received priority attention in
the state.
The Governor said
that it was now a policy in
Anambra state that every new
market should have market
school for adult and nonformal education programmes
and that government has also
continued to encourage
learners in the State to
participate in Post literacy
Adult and Non-formal
Education Completion
Examination as well as Junior
School Certificate
Examinations by providing
designated centres for them
aimed at achieving education
f o r
a l l
and millennium development
goals in the State. The State
Commissioner for Education,
Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha,
on her part, reiterated the
present administration's
commitment to educational
development in the State
noting that Obiano's
administration was
determined to ensuring that
the educational needs of the
state citizenry were met
through equitable access to
appropriate learning and lifeskills programmes as well
as ranked amongst one of the 3
states with lowest illiteracy
r a t e
i n
t h e
country. Chairman National
Commission For Mass
Literacy, Adult and Nonformal Education, Dame (Dr.)
Esther Uduehi, noted that the
theme of the 2014
International Literacy Day
Celebration “Literacy for
Sustainable Development” was
geared towards achieving
functional education for
Releases
State Govt Urged to Intensify Gov.25Obiano
Prisoners
Efforts in Agriculture
By Raymond Ozoji
By Oliver-Ross Udeafor
T
he Traditional Prime
Minister of Ihembosi
town Prof. John Kamen
has called on the State
Government to intensify her
efforts towards Agricultural
development in the state in
order to increase food
production in the state and
create employment.
Prof. Kamen made
the call during his marking of
this year's new yam festival
which preceeded his town's
new yam festival which he held
in his country home in
Ihembosi Ekwusigo local
Government Area.
The university don,
however, commended the
Governor of the state, Chief
Willie Obiano over his effort so
far in the areas of Agriculture
which he said is one of the four
pillars of his administration
and said that his effort towards
that would not only make the
state have more food to feed
her citizens but would also
create job for the youths in the
state thereby reducing crime in
the state. Prof Kamen who used
the occasion to state the
importance of yam in Igboland
described yam as the kingship
of crops in Igbo land and as
such he said it deserved the
respect and cerebration being
given to that in Igbo land. He
called on the Igbos to continue
to promote its traditional and
culture by showing more
respect to the crop in
celebrating it.
The Onowu of
Ihembosi described the
performance of yam and other
harvests in his community this
year as being good as according
to him, this year's harvests are
far better than last year's. He
thanked God for this and
prayed that next year's own
would be far better than this
year's. He also prayed for the
progress of his town and her
people and prayed God to
continue to guide and be with
his people as they celebrate
this year's new yam festival
and be with them in all their
endeavours.
The university don
however appealed to the state
governor to come to the aid of
his community by providing
road network in the town as
according to him, the town is
in the dire need of road as the
roads in the town were in bad
condition and needed
rehabilitation.
I
n the spirit of the 54th
Anniversary of Nigeria's
Independence, Governor
Willie Obiano of Anambra
State has granted amnesty to
25 inmates in prison custody
across the state.
Governor Obiano
made the revelation at the Alex
Anambra Police Parade 40 Robbers,
Fake Number Plate Specialists
A
nambra police
command has paraded
over 40 suspected
criminals including those
suspected to specialize in
faking number plates, armed
robbers and kidnappers.
The “Operation
Kpochapu” team inaugurated
by Goevrnor Willie Obiano
arrested the suspects
impounding the fake number
plates and arrested the people
manufacturing them as well as
others who specialized in car
robbery in Anambra State.
They were arrested within a
space of two weeks in Onitsha,
Nnewi and Awka where they
had been carrying out their
criminal acts.
Briefing newsmen,
the State Commissioner of
Police, Hassan Karma, said a
group among the criminals
who specialized in church
robbery, attempted a bank
robbery during the weekend in
Awka which led to the death of
the leader of the gang and a
mobile police official on duty
at the bank.
Also among the
suspects was a woman who
used her father's house to keep
kidnap victims. Various arms
and ammunition used by the
suspected hoodlums were also
Items recovered from the suspects
displayed.
The Police boss said
that the efforts of the police
were in line with the vision of
the Inspector General of Police
and that of the Governor of
Anambra State, Willie Obiano.
Mr. Karma said that
the police would continue to
work through intelligence led
policing to make Anambra safe
for citizens and investors.
He further urged
traditional rulers to support the
war against criminals by
talking to their subjects to live
right and find legitimate means
of livelihood.
Ekwueme square Awka while
addressing the State citizenry
on the occasion of the nation's
2014 Independence Day
Celebration.
T
h
e
Governor stated that, as the
chief servant of the state, he
decided to exercise his powers
of prerogative of mercy in
consonance with advice from
the State Attorney-General
and Commissioner for Justice
to grant freedom to the
aforementioned number of
inmates who were serving
various jail terms in prisons
across Anambra State.
Further, Governor
Willie Obiano informed the
people that it has become
necessary to address the issue
of building collapse in the state
following recurrent incidences
of collapsed buildings across
the state in the recent past. He
maintained that no
responsible government would
sit down and watch lives and
property being wasted in
avoidable incidence like
building collapse and that as
proactive response to the
situation, his administration
had set-up an investigative
panel on collapsed buildings in
Anambra State with the
mandate to investigate all
incidences of building collapse
across the state.
He therefore urged
those engaged in building
construction to obtain
certification from the Anambra
State Housing and Urban
Development Board prior to
the commencement of such
building projects as his
administration would not
hesitate to deal decisively with
any person whose negligence
leads to loss of lives and
property in an incident of
collapsed buildings.
national development. Dr.
Uduehi said that literacy helps
a nation to reduce poverty,
creating employment for the
citizenry as well as providing
efficient healthcare for
mothers and children alike.
She stated that there should be
a renewed commitment for
behavioural change in favour
of adult and non-formal
education, generate adequate
investments and incorporate
adult education programmes
as part of a sector-wide
education strategy as she
equally believed that
achieving the goals of mass
literacy required increased
attention, policies and special
interventions.
Also, the Executive
Secretary of the National
Commission For Mass
Literacy, Adult and Nonformal Education, Alhaji
Jibrin Yusuf Paiko, remarked
that the occasion was a
platform for all the
stakeholders in the nation's
education sector to reinforce
their commitment to the
common goals in the sector.
Alhaji Paiko said that the
commission had not relented
in its efforts to improve the
literacy status in the country.
He however appealed to states
and development partners to
redouble their efforts to
ensure that literacy was fully
recognized as one of the most
powerful accelerators of
sustainable development.
Representative of
UNICEF at the event, Dr.
Aghata Nzeribe, noted that
UNICEF recognized the place
of literacy in national
development. He said that the
organization would continue
to work with the present
administration in the country
to ensure that every child had
access to quality and
functional education.
She extolled the
efforts of Gov. Willie Obiano in
the education sector stressing
that Anambra was one of the
most responsive states in
replicating UNICEF
supported programmes.
Meanwhile, the
Director-General of UNESCO
represented at the occasion by
Ateh-Abang Alice, observed
that about 781 million adults
worldwide cannot read, write
or count. According to her, to
succeed in the fight against
illiteracy, there must be
change in the traditional
approach towards literacy
programmes to go beyond
mere reading and writing. She
urged that the nation must
invest more in the education
sector while appealing to
states and development
partners to redouble their
efforts to ensure that literacy
was recognized as one of the
most powerful accelerators of
sustainable development the
world over.
The Honourable
Minister of State for Education
Dr. Yeson Wike who was
represented by Dr. Olu
Ayewoh commended
Anambra State government
for demonstrating stronger
commitment on reducing
illiteracy in the State noting
that the State has the lowest
poverty rate in the country due
to its efforts in ensuring
education for all.
Highlights of the
occasion were cultural dance
d i s p l a y s , a w a r d
presentation to deserving
L.G.As in the State,
performances by school
children and a host of other
Saturday November 1 2014
NEWS
Nurse Steals Baby in Nnobi Health Centre Court Grant s Order for Accel er at ed
…Care-Giver Sells Day-Old Baby for N700, 000 in Onitsha
A
nurse at the Primary
Health Care Centre,
Ebenesi, Nnobi, (names
withheld by us) had allegedly
connived with a strange
woman to steal a two-day old
baby boy delivered by one
Nneka Chiedu from Ebonyi
State who delivered of her baby
in the health centre recently.
The heart-broken young
mother told The Christian
Outlook that she laid her baby
in the bed in the ward to spray
her wet clothes outside, and
when she came back, she could
not find he baby and that all
efforts made to recover the
baby proved abortive. She
insisted that the nurse on duty,
(names withheld) must have
connived with a strange
woman who entered the health
centre as at the time of the
incidence to make way with her
baby.
When The Christian
Outlook team visited the health
centre in search of the truth, a
nurse who was on duty as at the
time of the visit, who spoke on
the condition of anonymity
confirmed the story. According
to her, “four women gave birth
to four baby boys the same day
in the health centre and, after
delivery, a woman entered and
told the nurse on duty that she
wanted to visit one of the
women that delivered in the
centre.
“The unsuspecting
nurse permitted her; but when
she got inside the ward, she
told the women that she was
approaching labour and
quickly came to the hospital.
The women did not suspect
her. They stayed together and
continued talking till night and
they all slept.
“Meanwhile, in the
next morning, three out of the
four women left the health
center. Only one of the women
remained with the strange
woman who told them she
came to the hospital to deliver
of her own baby.
“After taking her
breakfast, the young mother,
Nneka, left her baby at the care
of the strange woman and went
outside the ward to wash some
clothes. It was the time she was
washing outside the ward that
the strange woman sneaked
out with the newly delivered
baby boy;” the nurse narrated,
disclosing that the hospital
management had made frantic
effort to find the whereabouts
of the baby but their effort was
not successful.
All efforts made by
our reporter to get Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO) Uche
Ezeh, to get police angle to the
story proved unsuccessful, as
the PPRO could not pick his
calls and also could not reply
text messages sent to him.
In a related
development, baby factory
owners in Anambra State are
on the run sequel to the
uncovering of a baby factory by
the Anambra State Police
C o m m a n d .
The state police
command said it uncovered a
baby factory where women
with unwanted pregnancies
were harboured till delivery,
after which the babies were
sold to interested buyers,
without their mothers' consent.
The owner of the
baby factory, woman popularly
known as NURSE who ran the
home and her agent were
arrested and detained by the
police for allegedly selling one
of the new born babies for
N700, 000, without the
mother's consent.
Our source revealed
that the suspect who is from
Imo State, was alleged to have
opened a maternity home at
Odekpe - Ogbaru near Onitsha,
where she nurtured the babies
after birth and then sell them to
prospective buyers.
The source hinted
that the deal that landed her in
police custody started in
August 27, when a baby boy
was born. According to the
source, the suspect had on
August 28, a day after the
delivery, sent Adaku, mother of
the baby, to a nearby
compound to fetch a gallon of
water to bath the baby, which
s h e
o b e y e d .
It was gathered that on
returning from the errand, she
discovered that the suspect
had disappeared with her
baby. It was gathered that
several phone calls she made
to find out the whereabouts of
the suspect were futile as her
line was switched off.
The source stated
that when the suspect
eventually showed up about a
week later without the baby
and was confronted by Adaku,
she simply asked her to allow
h e r
t o
r e s t .
The suspect was
later arrested by the police for
another offence. When she
was released from custody and
was confronted again by
Adaku, she replied: “Can't you
see I am just returning from
police custody?”
Our reporter learnt
that it was at this point that
Adaku contacted one of her
cousins who lodged a
complaint at Police Area
Command Headquarters,
Onitsha, and the suspect was
a r r e s t e d .
She confessed to the
police that she had sold the
baby to someone at Obosi,
Idemili South LGA, for seven
hundred thousand naira only
(N700, 000), after which she
took the police to Obosi where
the baby boy was recovered.
The Police Area
Commander for Onitsha,
Benjamin Wordu, an Assistant
Commissioner of Police who
confirmed the arrest, told our
reporter that he had just
transferred the matter to the
State Criminal Investigations
Department, CID, Awka, for
further investigations.
The state Police
Public Relations Officer,
PPRO, Uche Ezeh, also
confirmed the arrest to
newsmen in a telephone chat,
adding that the suspect would
be charged to court after
investigations. He also
disclosed that the baby boy
had been released to his
mother.
Kidnappers' Buildings Demolished
in Nnewi, Ojoto
A
t Nnewi, a mansion
used by Lotanna
Nnadike at Nyaba,
Umudim Nnewi for
kidnapping has been
demolished by the joint task
force in Anambra State.
A g a i n , t h e
bungalow belonging to a
kidnap and armed robbery
kingpin, one Izu
Amalunwoke at Ojoto Uno in
Idemili South Local
Government had also been
demolished. Governor of
Anambra State, Chief Willie
The kidnapper’s building demolished in Nnewi
Obiano had authorized the
demolition.
The Anambra
State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO),
Mr. Uche Ezeh, in an
interview, said the State
police force was poised at
bringing kidnapping
activities to an end in the
State.
Hearing over Newi North Council Election
A
n Nnewi High Court
presided over by Hon.
Justice Peace N. Otti
has granted the Labour Party
an order for an accelerated
hearing over the case she
instituted against Anambra
State Independency Electoral
Commission ( ANSIEC) and
others over the inconclusive
January 18, 2014 local
Government Election in the
Council.
The order was sequel
to a motion filed by the party,
its chairmanship candidate as
well as the councillorship
candidates of the party on
Tuesday September 30, 2014.
The party had
through its Lawyer, Mr. Ike
Obeta, filed a motion where it
sought six orders from the
court against the electoral
umpire and its agents.
A counsel from Ike
Obeta's chamber, Mr. Jack
Iyioku, informed the court that
the motion was filed on
September 18, 2014 and that
the papers were served on the
defendants and that on the last
adjourned date, the
defendants' counsel, D.J.A
Ezeh, told him that he was not
going to oppose the motion. He
also said that he even called the
defendants' counsel who reassured him that he would not
oppose the motion. He then
asked the court to grant the
reliefs he was asking.
In her ruling, the
court granted the six orders
sought by the counsel and
adjourned the case to
November 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th,
and 27th.
In the paper filed by
the plaintiffs, they asked for
the following reliefs,” An order
joining the returning officer
Nnewi North Local
government area for the 18th
January, 2014 local
government election as the 5th
defendant in the suit; an order
of substituted service of the
originating processes in the
suit on the party so joined (6th
Defendant) through the 1st
Defendant at ANSIEC
headquarters, Awka and an
order of accelerated hearing of
the suit in view of the peculiar
nature of the case. Other reliefs
sought were an order of
extension of time within which
the plaintiffs were to file a reply
to the defendants' statement of
defence and an order deeming
the reply to the defendant's
statement of defence
separately filed along with the
motion as having been
properly filed the necessary
fees, and penalty having been
paid.
CSO Charges Jonathan on Good
Governance, Anti-Corruption
A
s Nigeria celebrates her
54th independence
anniversary, a Civil
Society Organisation, Media
Initiative against Injustice,
Violence and CorruptionMIIVOC has charged
President Goodluck Jonathan
to give an independence gift of
good governance and
commitment to the war against
corruption to Nigerians.
Executive Director of
the Initiative, Walter Duru
gave the charge during an
Independence Day chat with
newsmen.
D u r u ,
a
Communication and Civil
Society expert lamented over
the inability of the present day
Nigeria to attain the dreams of
the fore-fathers and urged the
President to fasten his seatbelt
and make the difference. He
expressed dismay over what he
described as pervasive
corruption which has eaten
deep into every fabric of the
country's institutions and
further challenged the
President to take deliberate
steps to check the menace.
“At 54, we are far
from reaching the dreams of
our ancestors. Although there
are some significant
improvements in the Nigeria of
today, the journey to greatness
is still very far. Majority of our
leaders are ultra-corrupt.
Corruption is Nigeria's single,
Nigeria at 54: Chief Sunnyside
Okafor Scores Nigeria
By Ben Chike
T
he former Presidential
Candidate for National
Youths Forum of Nigeria
(NYFN), Chief Dr. Sunnyside
Okafor has scored Nigeria as
the country celebrated its 54th
Independence Anniversary.
Speaking from his country
home in Amichi, Nnewi South
Local Government, Chief
Okafor observed that the
politics of yesteryears were
based on political parties'
identity but had changed today
as the electorate votes for
individuals' achievements and
patriotism to serve them
accountably.
The elder statesman
went memory lane to recall the
era when big political parties
like NCNC, Action Group and
NPC were the major parties and
the voice of their ethnic groups;
when the game was played by
resource political giants like
Zik of Africa, Chief Obafemi
Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu
Bello, before the Nigerian
independence, after which Dr.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was ushered
in as the President of the
country with Tafawa Belewa as
the Prime Minister to suit the
parliamentary system of
democracy then.
Chief Sunnyside
Okafor said that the colonial
masters experimented self
governance in the country with
the then Northern Region
before the West and then, the
East. He said that he was a
youthful politician then. He
said that he was the vice
chairman of the Nigerians
Peoples Party (NPP) in the
defunct Anambra State during
the Jim Nwobodo regime and
defected to the PDP where he
became a front line leader also.
He said that
Governor Willie Obiano has
done well in the area of security
which he provided for Ndi
Anambra and that the
commencement of
construction works at the
second Niger Bridge by
President Goodluck Jonathan
was a good score on the part of
the President, which he said,
would thin down traffic
bottleneck witnessed at the old
bridge.
He advised the
politicians of today to play the
game with the spirit of
sportsmanship pointing that it
must not be a do or die affair.
Chief Dr. Sunnyside Okafor
Jonathan
most formidable problem and
must be confronted with the
seriousness it deserves. Good
governance remains a mirage
in our country.
“President
Jonathan must act fast before it
is dark. We want to see corrupt
public officers disgraced out of
office and jailed in Nigeria. We
want to see anti-corruption
agencies in Nigeria sanitized.
Corruption is at the center of all
Nigeria's woes. Nobody should
be shielded. There should be no
sacred cow. The legal
framework against corruption
should be strengthened. Only a
holistic war against corruption
will take us forward.”
Speaking further, the
MIIVOC Executive Director
commended the National
Assembly for passing the
Nigerian Financial Intelligence
Center Bill, describing it as a
plus to the country's war
against money laundering and
terrorism financing, even as he
urged the lawmakers to make
haste to pass the Proceeds of
Crime, Mutual Legal
Assistance, Whistle Blowers
Protection and other related
anti-corruption Bills pending
at the National Assembly.
While charging the
President on the timely signing
into law of the NFIC Bill, Duru
urged him to ensure that
credible persons are appointed
into leadership positions in the
Center.
He warned against
any attempt to hijack the
Center through the backdoor
by those he described as
enemies of the country and
charged all Nigerians to be
vigilant. He however used the
occasion to wish Nigerians a
happy 54 t h Independence
anniversary.
NEWS
Obi Disagrees With Obiano Over the
Status of Sports in Anambra State
Chief Peter Obi
were selected for professional
careers in Europe. Obi
initiated the first ever
Governor's Unity Cup and the
first Traders Cup in 2013. Obi
initiated the first disabled
sports competition in the
State. He hosted the Flying
Eagles twice and placed
members of Old Rangers on
monthly stipends, provided
buses for them, the Ministry of
Sports, Anambra State
Chapter of Nigerian National
Supporters Club, and the
National Youth Council.
Rather than acknowledge this
and try to build on them and
even surpass them, all
Nnaecheta could say was to
describe the state of sporting
facilities as shameful. When
prominent person in the state
said they voted the present
Governor because of Obi's
work in the State, what does
the Commissioner think they
were saying?” Obienyem
asked.
T
he College of Health
Sciences of Nnamdi
Azikiwe University,
Nnewi Campus now has a new
Provost. He is Alexander
Nwofor, a professor of Surgery
of the university.
Prof. Nwofor was
elected into the office sequel to
an election that took place on
September 29, 2014 where he
defeated the former Provost,
Prof. Clement Ezechukwu, a
Professor of Pediatrics of the
same university. With his
election, Prof. Nwofor is the
9th Provost of the college since
it was established in 1989.
Prof. Nwofor, an
acclaimed administrator and
academician, has held various
offices both in the university,
in the hospital and in other
professional bodies.
He was the former
chairman, Medical Advisory
Committee of Nnamdi Azikiwe
University Teaching Hospital,
Nnewi (1998-2002). He was
Head of Dept of Surgery of the
University (2004-2009) and
the Dean Faculty of Medicine
he recently elected
executive of the Eziora
Ozubulu Progress
Union, in Ekwusigo Local
Government Area has
officially received the hand
over note from the out gone
executive of the union.
Speaking at the
occasion the out-gone
President-General of the
union, Mr. Chidi Ibekwe,
congratulated the new
executive especially the new
president- General Chief
Louis Ifepe on their election
noting that the election should
be seen as a called to duty to
continue from where they
stopped. He noted that his
executive has done a lot to
make the community to be
united and as such they
should maintain that unity
which they had brought to the
community.
Mr. Ibekwe harped
on the importance of peace in
the community and said that if
the new executive could
sustain the peace that the
community would witness
more development. He
assured the new executive of
the support of the out gone
executive and informed them
of the readiness of the former
executive to make suggestions
on how to move the
community forward anytime
they were called upon to do so.
T h e f o r m e r
President-General, also called
on the people of the
community to extend the
same hand of cooperation and
support they extended to him
and his past executive that
“Operation Kpochapu” Raids
Criminal Hideouts in Nnewi
A
nti-Crime Crack
Squad named
“ O p e r a t i o n
Kpochapu” recovered arms
and ammunition, including
one AK4, Military rifle,
handcuffs, 1,500 live
ammunition and 30 fully
loaded magazines, from an
uncompleted estate at
Uruagu Nnewi, owned by an
o v e r s e a s - b a s e d
b u s i n e s s m a n .
NAU College of Health
Gets New Provost
Eziora Ozubulu Progress Union Exco Gets Handover Note
T
G
overnor Willie Obiano
and his predecessor are
in war of words over the
status of the sports in Anambra
state before his assumption of
office. But it was good enough
the two elephants were not
doing it themselves but their
aides. It was Obi's SSA Media
and Publicity, Obienyem
Valentine and the Obiano's
commissioner for sports, Chief
Tony Nnacheta.
The Media aide to
Chief Peter Obi, the former
Governor of Anambra State,
has disagreed with the
Anambra State Commissioner
for Sports, Mr. Tony
Nnaecheta, on the State of
sporting infrastructure in
Anambra State. Reacting to the
s t a t e m e n t b y t h e
Commissioner describing what
the administration of Chief
Willie Obiano met on ground in
sports as a shame, Mr.
Valentine Obienyem said
either the Commissioner was
misquoted or it was plain case
of a person who lacked the
capacity to convey his thoughts
the best way they should be
without endangering facts.
Obienyem said that
Mr. Peter Obi was the only
Governor Anambra State had
in the past that worked in all
sectors.
“By the time Obi
became Governor, no aspect of
the state was working. In
sports, Anambra State lay
prostrate, but today through
the efforts of Obi; the State now
has three mini stadia- Justice
Ikpeazu Stadium, Onitsha
South Stadium and Awka
stadium (on- going). Obi
rehabilitated the Ime Obi and
Rojenny stadium at Onitsha
and Oba respectfully. Obi
reintroduced school sports in
the State; and from 15th
position in 2011, Anambra
came 5th in 2012 and 3rd in
National School sports in 2013.
Anambra won Gold Medals in
both male and female National
Youths Sports Federation
(YSFON), in 2012 that
qualified Anambra to
represent Nigeria at the World
Youths Sports Federation held
in Oslo, Norway. In May 2013,
Anambra funded Anambra
footballers to World preseason tournament at Antalia,
Turkey, where 6 Anambrarians
(2009-2012). The new Provost
was a 1979 graduate of
University of Nigeria Medical
School at Enugu. He did his
Postgraduate Residence
Training in Surgery at the
University of Nigeria Teaching
Hospital, Enugu, specializing
in Urology. He bagged his
professorship in Surgery in
2005.He has held many
professional offices in Nigeria
and outside Nigeria.
Prof. Alexander Nwofor,
This is the effort of
the Anambra State
Governor's strategic war
against crime which has
continued to yield
commendable results.
The joint task
force uncovered the
criminal hideout in Nnewi
after a search on an erosion
site in Nnewi North
Council Area Anambra
S
t
a
t
e
.
Governor Obiano
has repeatedly charged
youths resident in the State
to engage themselves with
responsible and profitable
businesses stressing his
resolve to flush out all
forms of criminal activities.
The outgone PG Mr. Ibekwe (1st right) handing over to new PG Chief Ifepe (2nd left) as other exco watch
made them achieve all they
achieved in the community to
the new executive.
In his response, the
new President-General, Chief
Louis Ifepe thanked the
outgone executive on how they
were able to pilot the affairs of
the community during their
stay in office and promised to
continue from where they
stopped.
He assured the outgone executive that he and his
executive would continue to tap
from their wealth of experience
and work together to achieve
more for the community. He
called for the support and
cooperation of the entire
community towards their new
executive so that they would
surpass the achievements of
their predecessor.
Meanwhile, the new
president-General, Chief Ifepe
in an interview with our
reporter has said that one of his
administration's priorities
would be to rebuild the
community's ancestral home
stead (Obi) so that it would be
like a modern one that would
bequeath the community's
status as a leading quarter in
Ozubulu. He also promised to
bring new innovation that
would see the community
maintain its position in the
town.
Chief Ifepe used the
occasion to call on the
governor of the state, Chief
Willie Obiano to come to the
aid of the town by fighting the
erosion in the community. He
also appealed to him to see that
the brewery industry his
predecessor started in the
town, that the construction
work is started in earnest in
order to create employment for
the youths in the area. He
however commended the
governor for what he is doing
in the state especial in the area
of security.
Obi Commends Jonathan, Calls for the
Establishment of the Ministry
of Basic Education
T
he former Governor of
Anambra State, Chief
Peter Obi has
commended President
Goodluck Jonathan on the
trajectory of his government,
especially its Transformation
Agenda that was taking
manufacturing and
Agriculture seriously.
Speaking to the
newsmen after the State of
Africa Session at the just
concluded World Bank 2014
Annual Spring Meeting at
Washington, where the
World Bank Managing
Director, Sri Mulyani
Indrawati submitted that
within 2 decades of growth,
Asian countries have been
able to reduce poverty by
40%, while Africa reduced it
by mere 8% over the same
period, because
African
neglected manufacturing and
Agriculture. Obi said it was
about time Nigeria focused
more on manufacturing and
Agriculture.
“Looking at the
Government of President
Goodluck Jonathan, one will
notice that his emphasis now,
responding to global
requirement, is mainly on
encouraging the
manufacturing sector and
agriculture, while not
neglecting other sectors. We
have started to see the result.
Once this is continued, the
growth in our economy will
increasingly lead to job
creation and invariably lead
to the reduction in poverty
level”, Obi said.
As a corollary to the
foregoing, Obi also called for
more attention to be paid to
education. “When you look
closely, you will find out that
those Asian countries in
question invested heavily in
education and skill
acquisition as well. For
African countries to develop,
they must build their human
resources and engage in
practical capacity building,”
Obi said.
He called for the
establishment of the
Ministry of Basic Education
arguing that Nigeria needed
that now to lay proper
educational foundation for
the children of the State
bearing in mind that
education is the most
portent tool for competition
in the world.
Justifying the call,
Obi said: “Education is
demanding and challenging.
It is one sector that is very
active in terms of caring for
the schools, the welfare of
the pupils and students,
curriculum development,
admissions, labour matters,
regulation and registration
of schools, among others. It
shall be better coordinated if
the sector has two
Ministries, where one is
devoted to basic education,
which is the terra firma on
which subsequent grade of
education and teaching are
hinged, Obi concluded.
JDPC Chides Govt over Poor Sanitation
Facilities in Anambra
P
oor sanitation and
insufficient manpower
in schools and
hospitals in Anambra State
has been identified by the
Justice Development and
Peace Commission (JDPC),
Awka, as the major
impediment hindering better
service delivery in both public
and private Primary Health
Care Centres in Awka North
and Orumba North Local
Government Areas of
Anambra state.
The Project Officer
of the Commission, Mr.
Chinedu Ugwuta who led a
team of JDPC members on
the on-the-spot assessment
of the education and health
services rendered in the 26
communities that made up
the two council areas
observed that most of the
hospital equipments in some
of the hospitals were old and
worn out while some schools
had no toilet facilities for
teachers and students and
called on the authorities
concerned to ensure that
some of the facilities were
changed.
The JDPC, Awka,
partnering with Christian Aid
and support from UK Aid also
decried non availability of
resident doctors in most of the
health care centres visited in
Amanuke, Urum, Isuaniocha,
Mgbakwu, Okpeze, Amaetiti,
Awa and Ndiowu
communities in the pilot
council areas and also called
on the government to
endeavour to post resident
doctors in those health
centres for improved health
condition of the rural
dwellers.
They however
regretted that government
neglect of schools and health
facilities in those areas were
glaring, adding that some
primary schools visited in
the area had no library shelf,
source of water supply,
reading desk and tables for
pupils and teachers.
The Project Officer
of JDPC flanked with the
Assistant Project Officer,
Rose Ajero, Orumba North
Supervisory Councillor for
Education, Hon. Agbani
Afam, his Health
counterpart, Nnaemeka
Ifeoma, HOD, Education and
Social Development, Awka
North, Dr. A.E. Ofojebe and
Supervisory Councillor for
Health, Hon. Onyeka Umerie
also hinted that JDPC
embarked on such
assessment to assess the way
the primary and secondary
school teachers interact with
their students and to also
assess the level of amenities
at the disposal of the students
and pupils as well as the state
of health care facilities in
Awka North and Orunmba
North council areas.
CHURCH
LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD
My dear People of God,
I am writing to call you to be cautious in this world
full of deceits. Caveat emptor,(BEWARE
BUYER) which is a warning to buyers of any
commodity, especially land, is a warning sign for us
in every aspect of life. Many people are fooled into
acquiring fake property or into entering a fake
school, or into buying a fake product or into joining
a false religious group, all because they do not heed
the warning – CAVEAT!
Most Rev. Let
Hilaryus
Paulstart
Odili Okeke
with religion. Religion is the
most important factor in any human being's life.
Religion is primarily for eternal salvation. That is
why Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is indeed,
“My Lord and my God” (see John 20:28) warned us,
“What, then, will anyone gain by winning the whole
world and forfeiting his life? Or what can anyone
offer in exchange for his life?” (Matthew 16:26).
Life here is not just earthly life but more and most
importantly, eternal life. Jesus Christ was aware
that many deceivers would exploit people's
gullibility to lead them astray. He warned: “Beware
of false prophets who come to you disguised as
sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves ... It is
not anyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' who will
enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who
does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew
7:15, 21). He repeated the warning in a stronger
way: “for false Christs and false prophets will arise
and provide great signs and portents, enough to
deceive even the elect, if that were possible. Look! I
have given you warning” (Matthew 24:24-25). The
Apostles continued to shout the warning for all to
hear: False teachers, preachers, prophets and
wonderworkers would come to mislead people (see
1 Timothy 4:1-11; 1 Timothy 6:3-10; 2 Timothy 2:1419; 2 Timothy 3:1-5).
In our days, the warning has become more
urgent and more necessary: many persons wake up
and start their own religious group or church and
the best way to attract people to their church is of
course to advertise their prowess, their might, their
miracles and their visions and prophetic powers as
well as their oratorical power and skills. They set up
their own “Nollywood” presentation of the gospel
with music, dance, spectacles and demonstrations,
which I call “HOLYWOOD”, all designed to attract
people. They offer every incentive – no sickness, no
suffering, no poverty, rather prosperity, abundance
and wonders and miracles galore! They present
themselves as mighty men and women of God!
Authentic seekers of God and eternal life, beware!
Not all that glitters is gold. Jesus Christ told us:
“When the day comes many will say to me, 'Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out
demons in your name, work many miracles in your
name?' Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have
never known you; away from me, all evil doers”
(Matthew 7:22-23).
Do not be deceived! “Miracles”, wonders,
portents, visions and prophesies do not necessarily
come from God. There can be fake miracles! There
can be miracles from God. There can be “miracles”
from the Devil. Moses worked wonders from God
and the sages and sorcerers of Pharaoh worked
their own wonders (See Exodus 7:10-12, 20-22;
8:2-3). The Beast in the Book of Revelation had
miraculous powers to deceive God's people. “This
second beast exercised all the power of the first
beast, on its behalf making the world and all its
people worship the first beast, whose deadly injury
had healed. And it worked great miracles,
even to calling down fire from heaven onto
the earth while people watched. Through
the miracles which it was allowed to do on
behalf of the first beast, it was able to lead
astray the people of the world and persuade
them to put up a statue in honour of the
Our society is in a grave danger coming
from miracle workers and seekers. Nobody has the
patience to follow the due process, to work for
desired results. Sick persons have a shortcut to
health – miracle centres of prophets and healers!
Healing, Prayer and Miracle centres are in vogue.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
beast that had been wounded”
(Revelation 13:12-14). Caveat cultor! Beware
worshippers! Do not allow yourself to be deceived
with appearances of power, miracles or
prophesies! St. Paul advised us: “Do not stifle the
Spirit or despise the gift of prophecy with
contempt; test everything and hold on to what is
good and shun every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians
5:19). Take heed! Do not allow yourself to be led
astray by those who use religion for money-making
(see 1 Timothy 6:5-10; Titus 1:11). Pope Francis
warned against “spiritual worldliness”, the
deceptive use of religion, piety not for the glory of
God but for one's personal interest, “selfcentredness cloaked in outward religiosity bereft of
God” (Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium,
no. 97).
The deceit is also prevalent in the area of
education. Education can be a mission or vocation.
The Catholic Church is into education for the good
of the young. “The Church has in a special way the
duty and right of educating, for it has a divine
mission of helping all to arrive at the fullness of
Christian life” (Canon 794 §1). The Catholic Church
aims at promoting education that caters for the
formation of the whole person, so that all may
attain their eternal destiny and at the same time
promote the common good of society (see Canon
aware and should do all in their power to see that
their children receive proper education and not
fake certificates and results that do not have any
bearing to the content of the brains of their
children and the knowledge acquired by these
children. The Catholic Church reminds parents
and teachers that “Children and young persons are
therefore to be cared for in such a way that their
physical, moral and intellectual talents may
develop in a harmonious manner, so that they may
attain a greater sense of responsibility and right
use of freedom, and be formed to take an active part
in social life” (Canon 795). Parents, take heed that
nobody leads you into destroying the future of your
children and society by attracting you to their fake
schools!
And it worked great
miracles, even to calling down
fire from heaven onto the earth
while people watched.
Through the miracles which it
was allowed to do on behalf of
the first beast, it was able to
lead astray the people of the
world and persuade them to
put up a statue in honour of the
beast that had been wounded”
795). Unfortunately, there are many charlatans in
the field of education, men and women for whom
education is business and commercial investment.
Schools become a sort of supermarket. If it is only
this, one can bear with the commercial educators.
But some of these exploit the gullibility of people
and their desire to have their children pass
examination. These charlatans advertise their
schools and make false and mouth-watering
promises of scholarship or free education to attract
candidates whom they exploit and even charge
more than normal when they have committed
themselves to their schools. Most of these run
“wonder centres” or “miracle centres” where every
student is assured of A,s in all subjects. The miracle
of A,s is effected through payment of heavy sum of
money with which the management of the schools
corrupt the staff of WAEC and NECO to
manipulate the results of the schools. Supervisors
and invigilators at the examination centres of the
schools run by these fake educators are
compromised into allowing full-blown
examination malpractices. The saddest part of it is
that the actions of these people encourage the
supervisors and invigilators to expect such
monetary inducement from Catholic schools and
when they do not get it, they write negative reports
against the Catholic schools.
Parents who allow themselves to be led
astray into sending their children to schools called
“wonder schools” or “miracle centres” betray their
responsibility as parents. They are instilling
corruption into their children. Such parents
consciously or unconsciously destroy the future of
their children by exposing them to the vagaries of
corruption and falsehood. Good parents should be
Most Rev. Hilary Paul Odili Okeke
Bishop of Nnewi
COLUMN
You Can Be A Saint
St. Martin de Porres, (1579 – 1639), Martin, the Charitable
“Compassion is preferable to cleanliness. Reflect that
with a little soap I can easily clean my bed covers, but
even with a torrent of tears I would never wash from my
soul the stain that my harshness toward the unfortunate
would create." - St. Martin de Porres (1579 - 1639)
St. Martin de Porres, the patron saint of all those who
suffer discrimination, was born in the city of Lima, Peru,
on December 9, 1579. He knew prejudice from the
moment of his birth. His unmarried mother, Anna
Velazquez, was a freed black slave of African descent born
in Panama. His father, John de Porres, was a wealthy
Spanish nobleman, a Knight of Alacantra, Spain. Born
Rev.his
Fr. Anthony
Nzubechukwu
Ibegbunam and African features,
with
mother's
dark complexion
nzubemaria@gmail.com
Martin was rejected by his father. Subsequently his
father abandoned his illegitimate son, Martin, and his
mother.
Though Martin grew up in poverty, he cultivated
an immense love for the poor and afflicted. At the age of
12, he was apprenticed to a surgeon to learn the medical
arts; this path in life allowed him to exercise charity to his
neighbour and care for the sick while earning his living.
Martin had a calling to the religious life,
however, his ancestry proved to be a liability. By law in
Peru at that time, descendants of Africans and Indians
(Indigenous people) were barred from becoming full
members of religious orders. The only route open to
Martin was to ask the Dominicans of Holy Rosary Friary
in Lima to accept him as a layman who performed menial
tasks in the Friary (monastery) in return for the privilege
of wearing the habit and living in the religious
community. At 15 he started working as a servant at the
Holy Rosary Friary in Lima.
Martin's exemplary humility, charity and
obedience were noted by the prior (superior) of Holy
Rosary Friary, Fr. John de Lorenzana O.P. After eight
years of heroic life at the Holy Rosary Friary, the prior
decided to turn a blind eye to the law and permit Martin
to take his vows as a member of the Third Order of Saint
Dominic. He took the vows at the age of 24 in 1603. The
Holy Rosary Friary was home to 300 men; sadly not all
were as open-minded as Prior de Lorenzana. Some of the
Dominicans insulted Martin. One of the novices called
Martin a “mulatto dog.” A priest mocked him for being
illegitimate and descended from slaves. Martin bore
sneers, insults and contempt with heroic patience. By his
good example he converted many people in Peru. By the
time of his death, Martin had won the affection and
respect of many of his fellow Dominicans as well as a host
of people outside the Friary.
When Martin was 34, he was assigned to work at
the Infirmary. He was placed in charge of the Infirmary
and would remain in service until his death at the age of
59. He used his medical knowledge to serve the sick. His
superiors saw in him the virtues necessary to exercise
unfailing patience in this difficult role. He was
outstanding in his dedication to the sick. Martin also
cared for the sick outside his Friary, often bringing them
healing with only a simple glass of water. In fact, God
worked many miracles through his instrument, Martin.
One day an elderly beggar, covered with sores
and almost naked, stretched out his hand, and Martin
took him to his own bed while he cared for the sick man.
The brothers reproved him. Martin replied:
"Compassion, my dear Brothers, is preferable to
cleanliness. Reflect that with a little soap I can easily
clean my bed covers, but even with a torrent of tears I
would never wash from my soul the stain that my
harshness toward the unfortunate would create."
On another occasion, Martin found on the street
a poor man, bleeding to death from a dagger wound, and
took him to his own room until he could transport him to
his sister's hospice. The prior, when he heard of this,
reprimanded Martin for disobedience. The prior was
extremely edified, however, by his reply: “Forgive my
error, and please instruct me, for I did not know that the
precept of obedience took precedence over that of
charity.” [Arthur M. Granger O.P., Vie du Bienheureux
Martin de Porrès, Dominican Press: St. Hyacinthe,
1941.] The prior gave him liberty thereafter to follow his
inspirations in the exercise of mercy. Martin cared for
LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF ST MARTIN DE
PORESS
The example of Martin's life is ample evidence that we
can strive for holiness and salvation as Christ Jesus has
shown us: first, by loving God "with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind; and second, by loving
your neighbor as yourself." [John XXIII, “Homily at the
Canonization of St. Martin De Porres”, May 6, 1962.]
The life of St Martin de Poress teaches us that “It
Feast day: November 3
everybody, the poor, the slaves, the nobility with
such dedication that people began to call him: “Martin the
charitable” or “Martin of Charity”.
Giuliana Cavallini, in her book Martin DePorres,
Apostle of Charity, tells of Martin's great humility: “One
day Martin learned that the prior had gone out to sell
several valuable objects, not having enough money to pay
certain debts of the monastery and to provide for the
needs of the community. The news made him
thoughtful... Could not some other solution be found?
“Perhaps Martin recalled having heard how St. Dominic,
in order to redeem a poor woman's brother from the
slavery of the Saracens offered to go as a slave in his
place...So Martin ran through the streets of Lima after the
prior, who was headed for the merchants' quarter. He
overtook the prior and, still breathless, explained his idea,
begging him not to sell the objects he had with him, but to
sell him...and it would be a great blessing for him to find,
at last, someone who would treat him as he deserved!
“The prior was dumbfounded. At first he did not
understand Martin. When he grasped Martin's plan, his
eyes filled with tears. “Go back to the monastery, Brother.
You are not for sale.” The prior's simple words show his
profound love for the saint. Martin seems to have
exhibited a youthful innocence, docility and humility that
many other saints like him have possessed. [Thomas
Schaefgen, OP, “St. Martin DePorres: 50 Years a Saint”,
The example of Martin's life is
ample evidence that we can
strive for holiness and
salvation as Christ Jesus has
shown us: first, by loving God
"with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your
mind; and second, by loving
your neighbor as yourself."
May 6, 2012. http://www.preachingfriars.org/st-martindeporres-50-years-saint]
God endowed Martin with many gifts. He was
able to heal the sick by his mere touch, and by his prayers.
He had the gift of prophecy, and could read people's
hearts and understand unexpressed desires even at great
distances. Although he never left Lima, his native city,
there are several authenticated cases of his having
personally assisted those in sickness and distress in
Mexico, Algiers, France, the Philippines, China and
Japan. At times God permitted his fellow Dominicans to
see him accompanied by Angels or enveloped in light
during the ecstasy [A.J.M Mausolfe and J.K Mausolfe,
Saints Companion For Each Day, St. Pauls, Bombay,
1995, p. 365.]
Martin worked tirelessly for the poor. He
founded an orphanage and a children's hospital in the city
of Lima. He was a very humble man and had a great sense
of the magnanimity of God. Martin is often depicted with
a broom, and even affectionately referred to as the 'Saint
of the Broom,' because he considered all work to be
sacred, no matter how menial.
Martin maintained an austere lifestyle. He fasted
often and did not eat meat. He practiced mortification of
the flesh, both for his own failings and for the conversion
of unbelievers and sinners. He was deeply devoted to the
Blessed Sacrament, and prayed for many hours before the
Lord. As he grew older these hours increased. Martin
always meditated looking at the Crucifix contemplating
the suffering of Christ. On November 3, 1639 he died
clutching a Crucifix. The people already thought of Martin
as a saint; they cut small pieces of his habit to keep as
relics as he lay on display for all to pay their respects.
After the death of Martin, the miracles and graces
received through his intercession multiplied in such
abundance that his body was exhumed after 25 years and
was found incorrupt, and exhaling a fine fragrance. Many
people wrote letters to Rome requesting for his
beatification. The decree affirming the heroism of his
virtues was issued in 1763 by Pope Clement XIII. Pope
Gregory XVI beatified Martin de Porres in 1837, and Pope
John XXIII canonized him a saint in Rome on May 6, 1962
St. Martin de Porres
saying, “A springtime flower has opened in the Church.”
Around the Diocese
Bishop Okeke Visits St Christopher's Parish First Nnewi Woman
Ihiala, Blesses Chapel, Confirms Candidates Religious Dies At 81
By Ngozi Asonibe
Bishop Okeke blessing the new chaple of Adoration flanked by Frs. Anaele & Brendan Onah CSSp
“
Many are called by God but
few are chosen, so
endeavour to be among the
few chosen, by living a holy life,
having faith in God with Good
Conscience”.
These are the words
of His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr.
Hilary Okeke, Catholic Bishop
of Nnewi Diocese during his
pastoral visit to St
Christopher's Parish, Ihiala on
Sunday, October 12, 2014.
Bishop Okeke said
that God offers us the free gift
of salvation and we should
accept His gift by repenting
from our sins.
The Catholic Prelate
explained that some Christians
attend church not because they
feel the need for God but
because they see others going.
He emphasized that
Christians should know God by
faith, follow Him through the
sacraments of the church and
strive to live with Him
eternally through living a Holy
life.
Citing the gospel of
the day, which is the parable of
the wedding banquet and the
robe, Bishop Okeke said that
the
parable is about the
kingdom of heaven and the
unattended invited guests had
other things they considered
important than the kingdom of
heaven.
He advised the
faithful to take the pain to
climb the mountain of the Lord
which involves dropping
excess luggages. He urged all
to be steadfast in seeking the
kingdom of God.
To the confirmed
candidates, Bishop Okeke told
them that without the gifts of
the Holy Spirit, it will be
difficult to please God.
According to him,
baptism makes us to be
children of God while
confirmation makes us to be
steadfast in the teachings of
the church.
In a vote of thanks,
Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Anaele
CSSp, Parish Priest of St
Christopher's Parish Ihiala
thanked God for the
successful event and
commended Bishop Okeke on
his pastoral and
administrative skills on the
diocese especially his writings
to the people of God.
He lauded the
parishioners of St
Christopher's Parish Ihiala for
their love and support in the
progress of the parish
especially Mr Theo Mbajiogu,
Onitsha Branch and Sir. Engr.
Humphrey Odenigbo.
In a welcome address
presented by Ide /Sir
Epiphanus Noble Nwabugwu
(KSM), Secretary of the Parish
Council on behalf of St
Christopher Ihiala appreciated
Bishop Okeke on his great
works in the diocese.
Listing the various
successes of the Parish, Ide
Nwabugwu said that the parish
has fenced the church
compound with protective
gate, soon to be completed
parish hall with modern toilets
courtesy of parish CWO etc.
Responding, Bishop
Okeke advised them never to
give heed to false teachings and
to hold on to the teachings of
the Catholic Church especially
in going to the sacrament of
confession and receiving Holy
Communion on a daily basis.
In their separate
remarks, Engr Sir Humphrey
Odenigbo, Chief Jude Awugosi,
chairman of the occasion
maintained that Bishop Okeke
is a gift to the Catholic Diocese
of Nnewi.
Blessing of the
Chapel of Adoration and
confirmation of over 70
candidates were the high
points of the occasion.
Uruagu Deanery CMO Holds Inauguration
By Ifechukwu Edokwe
I
t was a dream come true
for members of Uruagu
Deanery Catholic Men
Organization (CMO) on
Saturday 11 October 2014
inaugurated the association
in the deanery at St John
Cross Parish Egbo, Uruagu
Nnewi.
The inauguration
ceremony was also an
opportunity to install grand
patrons and honour some
members of the association
who have distinguished
themselves in the
association.
In his opening
remark during the
Eucharistic celebration,
Former Dean of the Deanery,
Very Rev. Fr. Maurice Okeke
thanked God for the
inauguration of the CMO in
the deanery
Giving his homily
during the Eucharistic
celebration to mark the
Inauguration, Former
Chaplain,Uruagu Deanery
CMO, Rev. Fr. Patrick
Ezefunamba said that every
Christian nay CMO ought to
perform every of his actions
with faith and work with and
for the church with the hope
of eternal reward in heaven.
Fr. Ezefunamba
noted also that it seems some
Catholic men do not realize
the exalted position God has
bestowed upon them as head
of the family as many are not
good model for their family.
Fr. Ezefunamba said
every CMO must be
accountable for his family and
will get his reward or
punishment regarding his
actions in the family.
He further noted
that a father must make sure
that his family is rooted in
faith and called on them to
use the opportunity of
inauguration to install good
virtues and behaviours in
their various families.
After the mass,
patrons and awardees were
blessed and awarded for their
great contributions towards
the association both at the
parish level and their various
fields of life.
On his part,
Episcopal Vicar Nnewi
region, Rev. Fr. Peter Ezeani
welcomed Uruagu Deanery
CMO members to the parish
and wished them a fruitful
and successful inauguration.
In a welcome
address read by secretary of
the association, Mr. Nwosu
Vincent thanked all those
that worked towards the
success of the inauguration.
The address
equally called for more
support from individuals
and groups to ensure that
they meet their various
engagements both at the
deanery and diocesan level.
Baring his mind
after the inauguration,
President Uruagu deanery
CMO, Sir Chris Obi said it is
a thing of thanksgiving to
God witnessing the
inauguration of the Uruagu
deanery CMO as it is a dream
come true.
Sir Obi thanked in a
special way members of the
Fr. Maurice Okeke, Episcopal Vicar Nnewi region, Fr. Ezeani, Fr. Patrick Ezefunamba
with some of the award recipients during the inauguration ceremony
planning committee led by
Mr. Osita Cyril Umeh for
organizing a successful
activity, Parish presidents
and other members of the
association whose sacrifices
ensured the success of the
inauguration.
By Ifechukwu Edokwe
T
he first Nnewi Woman
Religious, Rev. Sr. Mary
Catherine Laboure
Onuegbu was on Thursday 9th
October buried at St Theresa's
Cathedral Abakaliki, Ebonyi
State.
The requiem Mass
held at St Peter Clavers
Catholic Church Otolo Nnewi
presided by the Catholic
Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most
Rev Hilary Paul Okeke and
concelebrated by priests from
the town and other dioceses
attracted various people both
religious and lay faithful.
Giving his homily,
Rev. Fr. Prof. Christopher
Ejizu said the death of Sr. Mary
Laboure Onuegbu reminds us
to be alert to meet our creator
anytime.
Speaking about the
deceased, Fr. Ejizu said Late
Sister Onuegbu from her early
days followed God and became
a religious when it was a
difficult mission and a taboo
for people.
Fr. Ejizu maintained
that Sr. Onuegbu was among
those who inspired many into
the religious vocation
especially in Nnewi town.
Fr. Ejizu therefore
called on all never to allow
their eyes go away from the
heavenly goal as death is a
necessary end as the world is
only a preparation stage.
In a vote of thanks, ,
Parish Priest, St Peter Clavers
Otolo who is also the dean of
Otolo Deanery, Rev. Fr. George
Ezukwo thanked the Bishop,
Priests, religious and lay
faithful especially Nnewi
Vocation Association for their
support and encouragement
especially to the late sisters
family.
Brother to the
deceased, Engr. Gregory
Onuegbu lauded the support
and sacrifice of all that ensured
the success of the funeral
ceremonies.
Describing her late
sister, Engr. Onuegbu said Sr.
Mary Laboure is a unique rebel
who always comes out with
successful results which was
made evident when he joined
the religious life not minding
strict opposition by her
parents and also when he
sought to move to Abakaliki to
establish a school for the
handicapped.
In his message of
condolence, Bishop Hilary
Okeke condoled with the
Onuegbu family and urged
them to take solace that Late
Sr. Onuegbu was a committed
and fervent religious who
made enormous sacrifices for
the poor and the needy.
Rev. Sister Mary
Catherine Laboure Onuegbu
born in 1933 joined the
religious life in 1955, and took
her first religious profession in
1957.
Sr. Onuegbu died on
September 7 2014 after 57
years as a woman religious.
Late Sr. Mary Catherine
Laboure Onuegbu
Fr. Dr. Ernest Simple
Okoli Buries Elder Brother
By Ngozi Asonibe
O
n Friday October 3,
2014, Rev. Fr. Dr
Ernest Simple Okoli
buried the mortal remains of
his Elder brother, late Prince
Denis Nnabuike Okoli
(Destiny) at Umudara
Umunuko Ukpor.
The Requiem Mass
was presided by very Rev Fr.
Donatus Ike, Chancellor of
Nnewi Diocese and
concelebrated by many
priests.
In his homily, Rev
Fr. Cyprian Ohagwa said
that faith is at the centre of
Christian life and without
faith, it will be impossible to
please God.
He made it clear
that funerals remind us to
consider our own final end.
Fr. Ohagwa
explained that Christians
should treat their bodies as
the temple of the Holy Spirit
and live their lives in order to
make heaven.
He said that when
we turn to the Lord, trusting
in his words, then we can be
rest assured that he has our
best interest at heart.
T h e c l e r i c
reminded the faithful to
always remember death as it
is
an inevitable part of
human life.
He advised the
faithful to always practice
charity and humility for man
will lose all the material
things after death, but they
carry with them the rewards
of their charity and humility
to heaven.
In a condolence
letter to the Okoli Royal
Family, Most Rev. Hilary
Okeke said, “I join you all in
mourning his departure. His
death is also an opportunity
to manifest our
faith in God and
to thank Him for
the life of the
deceased.”
“As St
Paul teaches us,
for all things
give thanks, this
is the will of God
for you in Christ
(1 Thess. 5:18)”
H
e
urged the family
to take heart and
be consoled and
prayed God to
receive Prince
Dennis in our
home land in
heaven.
I
n
appreciation, Fr.
Dr Okoli thanked all the
priests, dignitaries that
attended the burial Mass of
his Elder brother.
He said that his
brothers death is a great loss
to the entire family especially
Dara Emenahi Community
as the late Dennis was the
symbol of royalty in the
community.
Fr. Okoli also
commended all the efforts of
the medical experts that
assisted to make him better
but God has the final say.
Fr. Simple performing dust to dust rite
AROUND THE DIOCESE
Saturday October 4, 2014
Hundreds Gather To Pray As Nnewi Diocese Holds Second Pilgrimage
contd from front page
Bringing his
reflection from the parable of
the prodigal son, Fr. Chidolue
said that the prodigal son left
the father's house probably
because he felt he was going
to a better place than where
he was.
Fr. Chidolue stated
that the same situation was
what is witnessed daily by
some Christians who, like
the prodigal son, left the
presence of God, not
knowing that without God
they were bound for doom.
The Dean of Ukpor
Deanery said, unlike most
people who swayed from
God and resisted avenues of
repentance, the parable of
the prodigal son teaches us
that we should go back to
God with sincerity of heart
A group of women religious at the pilgrimage center
St Cletus Parish Nnewi Eulogises Fr. Edmund Nwagbala
at Sendforth Ceremony, Welcomes Fr. Alfred Umeh
By Ifechukwu Edokwe
T
hough emotion ladened
but it was an occasion to
eulogise and thank him
as parishioners of St Cletus
Parish Nnewi bid farewell to
their erstwhile Parish Priest,
Rev. Fr. Edmund Nwagbala on
Sunday 5th October 2014.
Reading the address
chronicling the pastoral
activities of Fr. Edmund
Nwagbala in the last six years,
5th October 2008 through 5th
October 2014, Secretary,
Parish Council, Engr. Vin.
Ejike noted that Fr. Nwagbala
affected many facets of the
Christian life of the
parishioners handed to him for
pastoral care.
Engr. Ejike stated
that the Fr. Nwagbala availed
himself to every parishioner
and was a dependable source
of good counsel. He further
stated that he took care of the
sick and elderly and invited
doctors who gave free medical
treatment to them
E n g r . E j i k e
maintained that to ensure
empowerment of the active
poor parishioners, Fr.
Nwagbala instituted St
Theresa's group that sees to
their needs and also a
committee known as parish
sympathizers that visit a
bereaved family upon the
death of a parishioner.
The address also
commended the astuteness
and accountability of their
former parish priest towards
church funds and
administration, growth of
statutory bodies and pious
societies, Education and his
ever inspiring and detailed
homilies.
In his opening
remark during the reception,
Chairman of the occasion,
Chief Cletus Ibeto CON said
the 8 years pastoral ministry of
their Parish Priest witnessed
great successes, growth of the
parish and the parishioners.
Chief Ibeto also
urged him to continue to
discharge his priestly duties
according to the mind of Christ
and the church.
On his part, Chief
Emma Obiora thanked Fr.
Nwagbala and prayed God to
continually sustain him in
good health to do more for the
Church and his new parish.
A n d f o r F r .
Nwagbala, it is a moment of
thanksgiving for the grace of
God as the work done within
the six year period is to his
glory.
Entertainment and
dance displays enriched the
sendforth ceremony
like the prodigal son who
upon realization of the
abundance awaiting him in
his father's house, made a
decision to go back.
H e b e r a t e d
Christians who professed
their repentance without
accompanying it with equal
action. He therefore urged
the faithful to make a
permanent decision to go
back to God.
The Penitential
Service was followed by the
recitation of 20 Decades of
the Rosary by: Sr. Chiazokam
Ugwueze DDL (Joyful
Mystery); Mr. Innocent
Erekwe (Luminous Mystery);
Mrs Theresa Onyebuchi
(Sorrowful Mystery) and Mrs
Catherine Ndianefo
(Glorious Mystery).
Speaking on the
topic, Powered by the Holy
Rosary, Fr. Stanislaus
Ojimba maintained that the
rosary is a weapon which the
children of God use to fight
the enemy. He encouraged
Catholics not to be ashamed
of praying the Rosary in the
public. He said that praying
of the Rosary brings about
divine visitation as Mary
always intercedes when
called upon as she did at the
wedding at Cana.
According to him,
the invitation of Mary
through the Rosary brings
about the miracle of Cana.
Intercessory
prayers led by the Parish
Priest of St. Martin de Porres
Nnewi, Rev. Fr. Luke
Nworah, and benediction
followed immediately.
The programme
climaxed with a Eucharistic
celebration presided over by
Bishop Hilary Okeke and
concelebrated by priests
from the diocese.
In his opening
remark, Bishop Okeke said
the diocesan pilgrimage was
an opportunity to thank God
for the gift of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. In his homily,
Bishop Okeke said that the
faithful had come to
showcase their faith in God
who gave them a son through
Mary which is the bedrock of
Christian faith.
The Catholic
Prelate said the promise of
the father finds its fulfillment
in Jesus and his mother.
According to him, Jesus at
his death gave us his mother
thus, inviting all Christians
to make Mary their mother.
Bishop Okeke said
it was based on this that the
Diocese of Nnewi
established the pilgrimage
center to seek the
intercession of Mary so as to
fight against the challenges
facing us as a people.
Rector of the pilgrimage
center, Fr. Innocent Ofiaeli
expressed his gratitude to
individuals and groups who
ensured that the center was
in good shape for the people
of God. He also thanked
Bishop Hilary Okeke for his
care and concern towards
the progress of the center.
The pilgrimage
came to a close with the
blessing of articles of faith by
the Bishop.
Highlight of the
occasion was the
presentation of the World
Youth Day Cross to the
young people by Bishop
Okeke.
Bishop Okeke giving his homily
Fr. Donald Chidolue moderating
the penitential service
Fr. Stanislaus Ojimba giving a talk
titled, Powered the Rosary
St. Paul's Seminary Ukpor Invests
the students and the school
the seminary and that they
was great. He also
New Students should
see their admission as
commended the Rector of the
N
ew students of St.
Paul's Seminary
Ukpor, Nnewi South
Local government Area have
been advised to show
seriousness in their studies,
obey the rules and regulations
of their school in order to make
good students worthy to be
priests in the vineyard of Christ
in future.
This advice was given
by the bishop of the Catholic
Diocese of Nnewi, Most Rev.
Hilary Odili Okeke in a special
Mass to mark the official
admission of the students to
the school held in the school's
Chapel in Ukpor. The Bishop
was represented at the
occasion by the Episcopal Vicar
of Ozubulu Region, Very Rev.
Fr. Patrick Unegbu.
Bishop Okeke who
harped on the need for the
students to be obedient to the
rules and regulations of the
school noted that the journey
into the priesthood which
started from the seminary was
a special one; noting that they
were called just like Samuel
was called in the Bible and
asked them to listen and obey
just like Samuel did when he
was called.
He maintained that
as Samuel was called and he
answered, they were being
called to start their journey in
something they should take
serious.
T h e p r e l a t e
reminded them of the need to
be obedient to their formators.
He noted that school is a place
where they must follow the laid
down rules in order to come
out as good students.
Meanwhile, bishop
Okeke has called for special
prayers for the priests working
in the seminaries because
according to him, they were
doing special works which
needed prayers for them to
succeed.
Speaking on his
personal capacity, the
Episcopal Vicar commended
bishop Okeke for the attention
he has been giving to the
students of the school, saying
that the love the bishop has for
Seminary, very Rev. Fr. (Dr.)
George Oranekwu and his
priests for the good work they
were doing in the school.
In his speech, the
Rector of the Seminary
congratulated the new
students and their parents
and reminded them that they
were lucky to have made the
list of new students. He called
on the parents of the students
to continue to show interest in
their children and always be
part of all the activities in the
school. He also reminded the
students to see themselves as
being special.
The high point of the
event was the formal blessing
of the students and their
school uniforms by the
bishop's representative.
A group of men during the penitential service
A group of CWO members during the penitential service session led by Fr. Don Chidolue
The new students in a picture after the Mass with Bishop’s rep.,
Rev. Fr. Unegbu (Centre) Rector Fr. Oranekwu (right) and Fr Ifeakor
COLUMN
Ezeemo Receives
Award of Excellence
By Ngozi Asonibe
T
he publisher of Orient
Newspaper and
Magazine, Mr. Godwin
Chukwunenye Ezeemo has
advised wealthy individuals
in the society to use their
wealth in the service of God
and humanity. Ezeemo stated
this shortly after receiving an
award of excellence for Peace
a n d C o m m u n i t y
Development from the
Advent Church of the Holy
Spirit, Housing Estate Fegge,
Onitsha. Mr Ezeemo, a
devoted Christian noted that
God is above all things and
expressed appreciation for
having been singled out for
the award.
T h e f o r m e r
Governorship aspirant
under the platform of
PPA emphasized that
the spirit of giving was a
virtue adding that the
recognition would spur
him to work further in
uplifting the living
standard of people.
Presenting
the award to Ezeemo,
the Vicar of the Church
of Holy Spirit Fagge
,Venerable Joe
Agaefobi, said that
E z e e m o
h a s
distinguished himself
in human capital
development, adding
that his charity towards
the poor and the less
privileged in the society
would be rewarded by God.
According to him, “Ezeemo
has shown excellence in
leadership, business and
community development.”
Earlier in a Sermon,
titled “Divine and Human
Love Contrasted” a guest
Preacher, Evangelist
Nnamdi Eze, challenged the
Christian faithful to
reciprocate God's love with
all their hearts and
understanding. He noted
that God's love is kindness,
patience, and truth, purity,
sacrificial, warm and
unconditional. He called on
Christians not to
compromise their faith as
they grow in wealth or office.
Mr. Godwin Ezeemo
Tax Controller Urges
Traders to Pay their Taxes
By Ngozi Asonibe
D
r. Shoude Ifedayo, Tax
controller of Federal
Inland Revenue
Services (FIRS) Onitsha has
reinstated that it is the duty of
the Federal Inland Revenue
Services (FIRS) to help
sensitize the citizens on the
need to pay tax and contribute
to the developmental reforms
in the country. Shoude
Ifedayo made the call during
an interactive session with the
executive of Market Traders
Associations in Onitsha.
“It is only when we
pay our taxes that we position
ourselves better to hold
government accountable,” he
said adding that the Nigerian
tax system has undergone
several reforms geared
towards enhancing tax
collection and administration
with minimal enforcement
cost which include the
introduction of Tax Payers
Identification Number (TIN),
Automated Tax System that
facilitates tracking of tax
positions and issues by
individual tax payers, epayment which enhances
smooth payment procedure
and reduces the incidence of
tax touts in the country.
He explained that
citizens have the obligation to
support government through
the payment of tax used to
pool resources for public
health, shelter counts,
amongst others for good of the
citizenry.
Speaking, Mr. Daniel
Daria, Head of RPP said that
tax is not a voluntary payment
or donation but an enforced
contribution exacted pursuant
to legislative authority and
comprises any contribution
imposed by government
whether under the name of
duty, custom subsidy or by any
other name.
He noted that tax
system in Nigeria features a
contribution of direct and
indirect taxes to individuals
and entities that earn income.
He urged traders to
incorporate their companies,
come to the tax office with the
documents and register as a tax
payer with Federal Inland
Revenue Service (FIRS) and
obtain Tax Identification
Number (TIN).
Mrs Sanni Ireti,
Assistance Manager FIRS
Onitsha maintained that tax
registration and information
were free and advised the
traders to be careful on relating
to unauthorized tax
consultants in the State. She
promised that FIRS would
always provide them with
professional guidance and
treat their tax matters
confidentially.
In appreciation,
Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo,
President General of Anambra
State Traders Association
commended the FIRS Onitsha
for educating and sensitizing
them on the need to register
Eze-Ben Gives Isele
Nwanyioma Befitting Burial
By Chukwumah Freeman
T
he children of the Late
Ezinne Paulina
N w a n y i n k w o
Amaechina (lsele Nwanyi
Oma) who passed on recently
at the age of 72 years, accorded
their mother a most befitting
burial on Friday 26th
September, 2014 after a
funeral Mass celebrated at St.
Michael's Catholic Church
Ozubulu. It was a roll-call of
Reverend Fathers, religious
men and captains of industries
as the road leading to the
Benedictine Monastery was
kept busy with cars and
individuals from all walks of
life.
Born in 1941 to the
Family of late Mr. and Mrs.
Ofodumogu of Umueze-Akwa,
Akwa Village, Ozubulu;
Ekwusigo L.G.A of Anambra
State, Late Madam Pauline was
known for her cheerfulness
and generosity. These qualities
were dearly seen on the lovely
Isele Nwanyi Oma as so many
people reaped from her tree of
generosity.
Speaking to our
reporter, the chief mourner,
Mr. Bernard Eze-Ben
Amaechina recalled some of
the things he would miss in her
late mother: “IseIe
Nwanyidiegwu was more than
a mother to us. She was our
companion and when she was
alive, she made it emphatically
clear to all my siblings that we
are one family and no one
should discriminate against
Late Ezinne Paulina Nwanyinkwo
each other. As the head of the
family, I will abide by her
words and ensure that we stay
together as one.”
As for the lovely wife
of Mr. Eze- Ben, Mrs. Chinyere
Amaechina who is fondly
called Chi-Ben by her darling
husband and friends, “Mama
was more like a biological
mother to me. She is always in
a happy mood. Every moment
of her life has been a glorious
one that when you stay with
her, you are bound to be
happy. In fact, I am happy to be
in this great family nurtured
by Mama.
Mr. Eze-Ben appreciated the
presence of everyone that
attended the funeral and
wished them journey mercy
back to their various
destinations.
Hon. (Dr.) Oranezi wished Ihembosi people
Mbido Igbo Association Honours Love and Peace As They Mark New Yam Festival
The contender in
Ezeemo with Agboma Ndi Igbo Award
Medical Practitioner
the next year's general
A
words, “National New Yam
socio-cultural Igbo
provision of money to the
Festival has come to stay; we
Organization with the
committee and fencing of the
are promoters of Igbo cultural
name Mbido Igbo
National Yam House arena.
heritage; we are glad and can
Association has honoured a
In their separate
now beat our chest for the fact
frontline politician, job creator
speeches the traditional ruler
that Igbos are now serious with
and former governorship
of Igboukwu, Igwe Dr. Martin
cultural rejuvenation and
candidate of Progressive
Ezeh; HRH Raphael N. Offor
soon, our great cultural
People Alliance (PPA), in the
(Igwe of Omogho) and their
last gubernatorial election in
heritage would feature in the
Ndi Okolo Counterpart, Igwe
Anambra State, Mr. Godwin
cultural milieu of the world.
C.C. Okoli noted that the three
Chukwunenye Ezeemo with
“Our great ancestors
major ethnic groups in Nigeria
Agboma Ndi Igbo award for his
are happy with us that we took
especially Hausa and Yoruba
role in promoting Igbo
the right step towards reviving
had invested so much in their
language and culture.
and resuscitating our great
culture and called on Ndi Igbo
Presenting the
culture for posterity.
both at home and in Diaspora
award, the national chairman
Therefore, all hands should be
to invest in the Iri ji Ndi Igbo
of the group, Mazi Okafouzu
on deck to make sure that no
National Festival.
Ugochukwu said that Ezeemo
stone is left unturned towards
The monarchs while
had distinguished himself
achieving this goal. We call on
urging for support, explained
from others through his
all segments of governance to
that Mbido Igbo Association
burning passion for the
assist us in this onerous task,'
was set up to fight and have Iri
promotion of Igbo tradition,
O k a f o u z u
s a i d .
Ji Ndi Igbo National Festival
genuine philanthropy and
He called on Igbo
placed
in the world Map. They
selfless service to humanity;
sons and daughters especially
enjoined all to join the group in
noting that the group would
Governor Willie Obiano of
their quest to bring back Igbo
continue to reorganize and
Anambra State to kindly assist
lost glory.
h o n o u r p e o p l e l i ke h i m
them in the following areas:
Responding, Mr.
(Ezeemo) for their exceptional
Tarring of the entrance road to
Ezeemo who is an
love and dedication to the
the Natural Yam House
industrialist, farmer,
cause of Ndi Igbo tradition.
Building of a modern pavilion
publisher and manufacturer
He said that God
at the arena in Igboukwu;
thanked the group for
bequeathed to the Igbo people
providing the group with
recognizing him and promised
great tourism potentials and
functional bus and security
to do his best to assist the
they needed people who would
van; setting up a State
group in its struggle for the
assist them in developing the
committee for steady
restoration of the dignity of the
centres even as he said that the
organization of the festival;
tradition of the Igboman.
Federal Government had
thrown its weight
b e h i n d t h e
association but
decried lack of
interest and
support from the
p r e v i o u s
government led by
Chief Peter Obi
who said he had no
interest in culture
and tradition. He
called on Chief
Willie Obiano for
h
i
s
administration's
s u p p o r t .
Members of Mbido Igbo Association presenting the award to Mr Ezeemo
H i s
A
and former member of
the House of
Representatives, Hon. (Dr.)
Harry Oranezi has wished the
people of Ihembosi in
Ekwusigo Local Government
Area love, peace and progress
as they marked the 2014 New
Yam festival of the town.
The frontline
contender under the People's
Democratic Party (PDP) in an
interview described the
people of Ihembosi as a
wonderful people who he had
shared wonderful moments
with when he was in the
Federal House. He noted that
the town had great people who
he had wonderful and robust
relationship with.
Hon. (Dr.) Harry Oranezi
election for the House of
Representatives for Nnewi
North, Nnewi South and
Ekwusigo Local government
Areas described the feast of
new yam festival as “a very
wonderful programme in the
entire Igboland” and said
that he was very happy to be
part of the 2014 ceremony in
Ihembosi town. He prayed
for continued peace and
progress in the town urging
the people of the town to
continue to love one another
and live in peace as according
to him, it was through love
and living in peace that
progress would come into
any town.
Gov. Obiano Performed Well
– Ozubulu Ward III Councilor
By Ben Chike
T
he Councilor
representing
Ozubulu Ward
III in Ekwusigo Local
Government, Hon.
Innocent Nwobi has
said that the people of
Anambra State are
celebrating good
governance which
Governor Willie Obiano
procured. Speaking
from his country home
in Ozubulu, Hon.
Nwobi noticed with
satisfaction that the
Governor gave the
people of Anambra the
indescribable gift of
sound security where
people in the State
would move freely without
being harassed by hoodlums.
He said that such
gesture has endeared the
Hon. Innocent Nwobi
Governor to the people of
Anambra State and other
Nigerians that visit the State.
He described APGA as a
political party that has
continued to produce
governors with decent
and action packed
projects. This, he said
would secure undiluted
support for candidates the
party would field in 2015
general elections. He said
that investors were
presently trooping into
the state to establish their
businesses which would
g e n e r a t e
j o b
opportunities.
He said that
President Goodluck
Jonathan gave the people
of South East and South
South States the great gift
of construction of the long
awaited second Niger
Bridge. The project, he said,
when completed, would
reduce the bottleneck being
experienced at the present
Niger Bridge.
COLUMN
YOUTH ARENA
With
Chukwumah Freeman Arinzechukwu
08064315630
write2freeman@gmail.com
CHRISTIAN FUN
Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time. (PROVERBS 17:22)
SOLUTION TO THE 46TH EDITION
D
P
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WINNERS OF THE 46TH EDITION
* Jonathan (08034702182) of St. Charles Borromeo's Parish Nnewichi, Nnewi
* Emmanuel (08153930605) of St. Dennis' Parish Lilu
*Sunday (08152869911) of SPC Parish Otolo, Nnewi
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Gospel for October 19, 2014
Matthew 22:15 - 21
Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary
Time, Year A: The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle.
PLANS, TRAP, WORDS, SENT, HERODIANS, INTEGRITY,
TRUTH, OPINION, PAY, TAXES, CAESAR, EVIL, COIN,
DENAIRUS, GIVE
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Youth Service to the Cause of God
By Patricia Amadi
incarnation of Christ. Think about nation for the Savior's arrival. What
hich is the most difficult era i t . G o d t r u s t e d a y o u t h t o confidence God had placed in a
spiritual lad.
of human life? Infancy? accomplish such a vital role.
Adolescence? Mature
Mary
adulthood? Agedness? It probably Miriam
depends upon where you are as to how As the Hebrew people multiplied in One can only imagine how sweet the
you might answer that query. While the land of Egypt, they were beloved Mary of Nazareth must have
many might suggest that one's perceived as a threat to the stability been, as evidenced by the fact that of
“sunset” years are the hardest, my of that nation. Hence the order was all women in Israel, she was chosen to
own judgment would be that the given that Israelite male babies be the mother of our Lord. Something
period designated as “youth” might be were to be thrown into the Nile. of her spiritual depth is seen in the
the most challenging. Youth is a When Moses was born, his parents psalm she uttered when greeted by
frustrating time in life. It is that period hid him for three months; then, they Elizabeth, while visiting her kinsman
when one is hardly old enough to be placed him in a small vessel in the hill country of Judah. The song
“on his own,” and yet he is feeling a fashioned from the papyrus plant, is often called the “Magnifcat” (from
sense of independence. Youth ever are which they deposited by the river's the first word of the passage in the
attempting to find some sense of edge, committing their precious Latin Vulgate). The passage begins:
“My soul magnifies [present identity; that is why they sometimes baby to the care of God.
act and dress so weird. They are In the meantime, Moses' older continuously] the Lord, and my spirit
bizarre!
sister, who is estimated to be about hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Lk.
The Scriptures represent ten or twelve at this time was posted 1:46).
“youth” as a time both of danger and some distance away, keeping watch. Here is a fact that makes this even
challenge. Moses said that “the Finally Miriam obtained Jochebed, more astounding. In the Jewish
imagination of man's heart is evil Moses' own mother, as a nurse for culture, a girl was normally married
from his youth” (Gen. 8:21), and Paul t h e c h i l d . O h , t h e w a y s o f by the age of twelve or thirteen. Prior
to thirteen, a maiden might be
admonished Timothy to “flee youthful providence!
betrothed
to a man by her parents; at
lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22). By way of
Here is my point. The
contrast, though, the Creator also entire future of the Hebrew nation thirteen, she was of the legal age to
recognizes the value of youth to the — the instrument to be employed make her own choice. It is entirely
divine cause. Young people have for the conveyance of the Savior — possible, therefore, that when Mary
energy, they are daring, their hearts was entrusted to a young girl. Does gave birth to the Savior of the world
are filled with visions of the future; this say something about how God that she was in her early teens. Does
indeed; they can be a most valuable values the youth? Assuredly it does! this not speak volumes about how
God trusts spiritually minded youth?
component in the service of God.
Timothy
Solomon, who
There was no companion closer
wasted much of his life in
“It strikes me that
to the great apostle Paul than his
folly, perhaps thought better
of the matter in his declining
whereas our youth can young friend Timothy. When the
apostle wrote to the church in
days. He contended:
be quite impetuous and Philippi, the congregation for
“Remember now your
whom he had the greatest
Creator in the days of your
sometimes a bit silly,
affection, he pledged to send
youth, before the evil days
Timothy to assist them. He paid
come and the years draw near
they are, nonetheless, a the
lad the highest compliment
when you will say, I have no
when he told the Philippian
pleasure in them” (Eccl. 12:1).
wonderful resource in
saints that “I have no man likeAgain, Paul would say to
minded, who will care truly for
Timothy: “Let no man despise
the kingdom of God”
Your state” (Phil. 2:20).
your youth; but you be an
From time to time, during
example to them that believe,
Paul's missionary endeavors,
in word, in manner of life, in love, in
Timothy was at his side. And during
faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).
David
It strikes me that whereas our youth The story of David, who became those dark hours as God's apostle
c a n b e q u i t e i m p e t u o u s a n d Israel's king, is too well-known to awaited execution, he longed for the
sometimes a bit silly, they are, need elaboration. Who among us, friendship of Timothy. In his final
nonetheless, a wonderful resource in both as child and adult, has not epistle, Paul urged: “Give diligence to
the kingdom of God. The fact is, the thrilled to the narrative of David's come to me shortly” (2 Tim. 4:9).
Bible is replete with examples of how encounter with the devilish What a compliment to this young
God has used younger people in some Goliath? What a breathtaking Christian.
of the most vital roles in the unfolding episode — the soldiers of Israel on
In conclusion,a
of his marvelous plan of redemption. one side of the valley of Elah, the
Let's reflect upon some striking defiant Philistine champion on the c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e s e c a s e s
examples that demonstrate God's other. Morning and evening for mentioned above and others that
confidence in youth.
forty days, Goliath had challenged might be noted, clearly show that
Israel to combat, but they were young people, morally and spiritually
disciplined, are capable of
Joseph
frozen in fear (1 Sam. 17:10-16).
Joseph is truly one of the sterling When David arrived on the scene he courageous faith and considerable
characters of the Old Testament era. was chagrined at the timidity of his usefulness in heave’s cause. We can
He was a favorite of his father, which Hebrew kinsmen and volunteered accomplish magnificent things for
incited the passionate envy of his to take on the infidel. But he was God's cause. But do we always
brothers (cf. Acts 7:9). Accordingly, disdained as a mere “youth” — recognize this? Are our young people
these hateful siblings sold Joseph to a initially by king Saul himself, and merely ignored as empty-headed,
c a r a v a n o f I s h m a e l i t e s w h o then by Goliath (1 Sam. 17:33,42). silly people who are unworthy of
transported him down to Egypt, Never mind; God was with this serious responsibility? Sadly, this
where he was bought by an Egyptian “youth,” who may have been about may be the case sometimes. But we
officer named Potiphar. As most twenty-two or so at the time. should not overlook our values in the
everyone knows, during the course of Goliath was slain and the Philistine Master's cause. We must be on the
his duties, Potiphar's evil wife cast force was routed. Again, the Lord lookout for them and encourage
longing eyes toward him. She invested in youth, and the cause of ourselves along the way. God can use
us mightily if we are willing to heed to
attempted to seduce him, but he, with truth triumphed.
His call. God bless you!
firm resolve, resisted, insisting: “How
can I do this great wickedness and sin Josiah
against God?” (Gen. 39:9). One of the Josiah was but a boy of eight when
stunning features of the account is the he came to the throne. At the age of
fact that Jospeh was only seventeen sixteen, he began to “seek” God, and
years of age (Gen. 37:2)! A young lad, by the time he turned twenty, he
in a strange land, separated from his initiated a campaign to purge the
people and his center of religious southern kingdom of its idolatry (2
strength — yet faithful to his God. Chron. 34:1-3).
How thrilling!
When Josiah was twentyAs the story subsequently six, he arranged for repairs on the
unfolds, we learn that Joseph was temple. It was at this time that a
being used by God as a providential tremendously significant event
instrument for the preservation of the occurred. A copy of “the law of God
Hebrew nation. Joseph would later given by Moses” was discovered in
recognize: “God did send me [here] to the temple (2 Chron. 34:14). When
preserve life” (Gen. 45:5). Again, at the religious and moral message of
the end of his life, to his brothers he the sacred document was studied,
said: “You meant evil against me; but and the spiritual fabric of the nation
Miss Patricia Amadi is currently
God meant it for good … to save many was seen to stand in such glaring
studying Vocational & Technical
lives” (50:20). All of this was done, of contrast, a reformation was Education at Nwafor Orizu College
course, in view the Lord's use of the p r o c l a i m e d . J o s i a h w a s a n
of Education Nsugbe, Anambra
Hebrew nation as an instrument in important element in preparing the
State (08063959539).
the divine plan which resulted in the
W
Towards 2015
8 Ministers to Contest
Governorship Election
E
ight Ministers in
President Goodluck
Jonathan's Cabinet
would contest for governorship
election in their various states,
The Christian Outlook has
reliably gathered.
A m o n g s u c h
ministers are: Bala
Mohammed (FCT); Musiliu
Obanikoro (State for Defence);
Emeka Wogu (Labour); Nyeso
Wike (State for Education);
Labaran Maku (Information);
Kabiru Turakio (Special
Duties); Bashir Yuguda (State
for Finance); and Samuel
Ortom (State for Trade and
Investment).
While Obanikoro
Musiliu wants to overthrow
APC government in Lagos,
Emeka Wogu is interested in
becoming the next governor of
Abia State. Nyeso Wike,
Minister of State for
Education, on his part is
striving to use PDP umbrella to
displace APC in Rivers and take
over.
Labaran Maku is
interested in taking over
Nasarawa State while Turaki
Kabiru, a former governorship
aspirant on the platform of the
defunct CAN, is interested in
taking over from Governor
Saidu Dankingari in Kebbi
State. Yaguda Bashir is
interested in becoming the next
governor of Zamfara State.
Orton Samuel hopes
to succeed Gabriel Suswan in
Benue State while Mohammed
is planning to take over from
Isa Yiguda in Bauchi State.
The Ministry of State
Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola
Onwuliri, is said to be
considering contesting the
position of a Senator from Imo
State.
Two of the Ministers
who spoke to The Christian
Outlook correspondent in
Abuja, however, said they and
their colleagues were presently
wary of leaving their positions
because of unwritten
agreement between the
President and the governors of
the states where they intended
to contest.
“APC will Govern
Imo for 20 Years”
I
mo State Governor
Rochas Okorocha has said
the All Progressives
Congress (APC) will govern
the state for another 20 years
and even beyond under the
philosophy of his Rescue
Mission administration. The
governor said the party's
development strategy would
be based on one Rescue
Mission administration to
another.
Okorocha who
spoke in Owerri at the
inauguration of officers and
members of the state
campaign council, was quoted
as saying that governance in
Imo State had surpassed
making him the governor. He
noted that the philosophy of
the Rescue Mission would be
institutionalized for the rapid
development of the state.
Okorocha said: “We
are working; and with that, we
have been able to silenceother
political parties. We intend to
sustain that for life. We have
no gun, but the people. Our
work and the performance of
the administration have
destroyed the PDP in the state.
We only need to close ranks to
achieve the goal. I am
preparing the ground so that
the younger ones will have
opportunities tomorrow. The
R e s c u e
M i s s i o n
administration, under APC will
continue to grow. The masses
are behind us because they
have seen the difference.”
Governor Rochas Okorocha
Equity and Fair Play Has Been Sustaining
Political Unity in Ekwusigo LGA
– Hon. Ofodeme
electorates not to be partisan
in making their choices as
that would affect their senses
of judgment, but to vote for
people that would represent
them well.
When asked what
would be his reaction if he
failed to secure APGA ticket
for the State House of
Assembly, he said that he had
all it takes to represent
Ekwusigo well, but said that if
by reason of luck he could not
sail through, he would
support whatever candidate
that emerges.
Ezenagu Declares to Contest
Fed. House of Reps Seat
By Raymond Ozoji
D
etermined to
liberate the
people of AwkaNorth and Awka-South
Federal Constituency
from the “grip of poor
representation”, excommissioner for
agriculture and rural
development in Anambra
State, Chief Godson
Ezenagu has finally made
his intentions known to
contest the Federal House
of Representative seat in
next year's general
election.
Chief Ezenagu
who said he was not
contented with the quality
of representation of the
constituency at the lower
chamber of the national
assembly, stated that the
plight of his people in
Awka North and South
local government areas
spurred him into the race
in order to bring the
desired change. Declaring
his intention to represent
the constituency at the
national assembly in 2015
at the Barn-Hill hotel
Awka, Chief Ezenagu
assured his people that if
elected, he would compel
the Federal Government
to respond proactively to
the infrastructural needs
of the people.
T h e
e x commissioner said that
gone were the days when
people claimed to
represent their
constituencies at various
levels of governance but
on the contrary enrich
themselves at the expense
of the people they claimed
to represent. He observed
that roads were not
maintained in Awka
North, and assured that if
he eventually won the
election next year, he
would not only turn the
fortunes of the people
around, but would also
convene town hall
meetings every quarter as
feed-back mechanism as
w e l l a s e l e c t
representatives in all the
wards that comprises
Awka North / South
Federal Constituency to
be able to ascertain the felt
needs of the people and
respond to them
accordingly.
The House of
Reps aspirant contesting
on the platform of the All
Progressives Grand
Alliance (APGA) further
explained that his policy
thrust would be to always
consult with his
constituents to find out
what their needs and
agitations were and
address them holistically.
The leader of the
All Progressives Grand
Alliance in Awka North /
South local government
areas, Chief Austin
Ndigwe, on his part,
decried what he termed
self-aggrandizement
amongst those who had
represented the
constituency in the past.
Chief Ndigwe observed
that nothing has been
d o n e
b y
t h e
representatives to
improve the lots of the
people who voted them in.
Obituary Announcement
Ide Innocent Nwaolisa Orji
(AKA Nnabuenyi)
Onyeka
Ofodeme
A
nambra State House
of Assembly faithful
for Ekwusigo
Constituency, Hon. (Engr.)
Ofodeme Ikenna Sylvester
has said that since the
inception of the new
democratic dispensation in
1999, Ekwusigo Local
Government had not been
bedeviled in political crisis
because the council area had
meticulously observed equity
and fair play in the
distribution of political
offices among communities
that make up the local
government.
S p e a k i n g
exclusively with The
Christian Outlook at his
country home in Ichi,
Ofodeme (Owelle Ichi) said
that it does not go down well
when you see a man who had
benefited from the process of
equity and mutual
understanding going
contrary to the tenet of
political equity, fair play and
understanding.
According to him,
since 1999, the following
persons and towns had
represented Ekwusigo in the
State House of Assembly:
Hon. Vincent Atuigwe from
Ichi (1999-2003); Hon.
Nsofor from Oraifite (20032007); Hon. Afam Obi from
Ihembosi (2007-2011); Hon.
(Bar.) Pauly Onyeka from
Ozubulu (2011-2015).
Hon. Ofodeme
averred that when Hon.
Pauly Onyeka was contesting
in 2011, the entire
stakeholders and political
parties supported him. “It is
bad to see that it is the same
Onyeka who benefited from
this massive support from
our people across party
divide will turn around to say
that this arrangement would
not work again; as he wants to
go back to the House;
believing that whatever was
the arrangement in Ekwusigo
L.G.A. before, it would not
work again. This is not
leadership by example,” He
said, commending APGA for
maintaining the spirit of
equity in filling various
political positions, and said
that the spirit of equity had
kept APGA moving in the
right direction and was able
to control political crisis that
might arise in every election.
He said he chose APGA as
platform for fulfilling his
political aspiration because
it was only in APGA that
equity and rule of law comes
to play. He said that APGA
was only party that found it
easy to solve its political
problems.
Hon. Ofodeme
pointed out that his major
reason for contesting to
represent his people was to
empower the teeming
jobless youths and women,
and to help the aged people.
He said he was coming into
the system to bring
innovation; and, if elected,
he would as well introduce
equity and justice.
Ofodeme who said
that the people he assisted to
gain admission into
Universities had graduated
and were working, also said
that if elected, he would
work in partnership with the
state government to
introduce better security
apparatus in the state by
fighting crime through job
creation.
He advised
The Orji family of St Mary's Catholic Community, Ebeleogo, in St Martin De Porres
Parish, Inyaba, Umudim, Nnewi, announces with a deep sense of loss, but with total
resignation to the will of God, the death of their husband, son, brother, uncle and in-law
Ide Innocent Nwaolisa Orji
(Ide C.M.O.)
Ide Innocent Orji died on
Wednesday, 1st October, 2014,
at Emex Specialist Hospital,
Umudim Nnewi
after a brief illness.
He was aged 62 Years.
He will be buried on Thursday 6th
November 2014 after a Funeral Mass in
his home Ebelogo, Umudim Nnewi.
The burial brochure is in
progress, should in case you
wish to send condolence letter
to us, please it should reach us
on or before 25th October 2014
Call Mr. Patrick Ukachukwu
080-36972944
Signed: Onyedika Orji
(Son) For the Family.
May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace Amen.
PARISHES
1. Akwaihedi: St. Mary Mother of God Parish,
Akwaihedi
Parish Priest: Fr. Anthony Ibe
2. Amichi: Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Amichi
Parish Priest: Fr. Augustine Ndukaji
Parish Vicar: Fr. Isaiah Azudugwu
In Residence: Fr. Michael Oruche
3. Amichi: St. James Parish, Amichi
Parish Priest: Fr. Linus Iloegesi
Parish Vicar: Fr. Thaddaeus Ilechukwu
4. Amichi: St. Hyacinth Parish, Amichi
Parish Priest: Fr. Daniel Ileka
Parish Vicar: Fr. Bonaventure Nwosu
5. Azia: St. Andrew's Parish, Azia
Parish Priest: Fr. Jude Unigwe
Parish Vicar: Fr. Hyginus Igwe
6. Azia: Mary the Queen Parish, Azia
Parish Priest: Fr. Pius Ajuluchukwu
7. Azigbo: St. David's Parish, Azigbo
Parish Priest: Fr. Henry Okenu
8. Ebenator: St. Matthew's Parish, Ebenator
Parish Priest: Fr. Cyril Onwuasoeze
9. Ekwulumili: St Luke's Parish, Box 64,
Ekwulumili.
Parish Priest: Fr. Herbert Opara, CSSp
Parish Vicar: Fr. Richard Ezenwanne, CSSp
Parish Vicar: Fr. Innocent Mmaduwuba, CSSp
10. Ekwulumili: St. Mary's Parish, Ekwulumili
Parish Priest: Fr. Placid Udechukwu
11.Ezinifite: St. Michael's Parish, Ezinifite, Box
1026, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Remigius Ezeoke
Parish Vicar: Fr. Raphael Mbanefo
12.Ezinifite: St. Thomas Parish, Ezinifite
Parish Priest: Fr. Joachim Umeigwilo
13. Ezinifite: Our Lady Gate of Heaven
Parish, Ezinifite
Parish Priest: Fr. Emmanuel Okechukwu
14. Ichi: St. Patrick's Parish, Ichi
Parish Priest: Fr. Patrick Mbaebie
Parish Vicar: Fr. Francis Ezinne
In Residence: Fr. Matthew Umeze
15. Ichi: Divine Mercy Parish, Ichi
Parish Priest: Fr. Charles Udegbunam
16. Ihembosi: St. Anthony's Parish, Ihembosi
Parish Priest: Fr. Cajetan Obodozie
17.Ihembosi: Mary the Queen Parish, Ihembosi
Parish Priest: Fr. John Paul Ifechigha
PERSONNEL PLACEMENT 2014/2015
28. Isseke: St. Joseph's Parish, Isseke
Parish Priest: Fr. Gregory Ibe
In Residence: Fr. Michael Ngobili
29. Lilu: St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Lilu
Parish Priest: Fr. Ignatius Uzondu
30. Lilu: St. Denis Parish, Lilu
Parish Priest: Fr. Martin Unadike
31. Mbosi: St. Patrick's Parish, Mbosi
Parish Priest: Fr. Michael Onyekachukwu
Parish Vicar: Fr. Joseph Onyeka
In Residence: Fr. Francis Nnoruka
49. Nnewi: Our Lady of Fatima Parish,
Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Virginus Udenna
Parish Vicar: Fr. Sebastine Okoye
32. Mbosi: All Saints' Parish, Mbosi
Parish Priest: Fr. Innocent Ejinkonye
50. Nnewi: St. Martin de Porres Parish,
Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Luke Nworah
Parish Vicar: Fr. Basil Ofodile
In Residence: Fr. Alphonsus Okonkwor
33. Nnewi: Our Lady of Assumption
Cathedral, Nnewi
(a) Cathedral Parish
Parish Priest: Fr. Maurice Okeke
Parish Vicar: Fr. Jude Onwuaso
Parish Vicar: Fr. Cletus Uzor
In Residence: Fr. Jude Chukwuma
In Residence: Fr. Jude Umeh
(b) Bishop's House:
i.
Most Rev. Hilary Paul Odili Okeke
ii.
Very Rev. Donatus Ike
iii..
Very Rev. Fr. Hyginus Aghaulor
iv.
Rev. Fr. Celestine Okonkwo
v.
Rev. Fr. Bonaventure Ukatu
vi.
Rev. Fr. Ugochukwu Onuorah
24. Ihiala: St. Christopher's Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Alphonsus Anaele, CSSp
Parish Vicar: Fr. Brendan Aroh, CSSp
25. Ihiala: Mary the Queen Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Cyril Orazulume
In Residence: Fr. Peter Uzochukwu
26. Ihiala: All Saints' Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Raphael Ebedeagu
Parish Vicar: Fr. Kingsley Ekechukwu
In Residence: Fr. Alexander Umenweke
27. Ihiala: St. Theresa's Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Emmanuel Agina
53. Nnewi: Holy Spirit Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Emmanuel Oparaocha SVD
Parish Vicar: Fr. Chigozie Nwigwe, SVD
Parish Vicar: Fr. Jeffrey Nwoko, SVD
35. Nnewi: All Saints' Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Anselm Onwuegbuchunam
55. Nnewi: St. Augustine's Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Anthony Edoka
36. Nnewi: St. Mary's Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Ephraim Madu
Parish Vicar: Fr. John Okosa
In Residence: Fr. Cletus Ngadiukwu
In Residence: Fr. Gabriel Ezenwata
56. Ogwuaniocha: St. Paul's Parish,
Ogwuaniocha
Parish Priest: Fr. Gerald Nwenyi
37.
Nnewi: St. John Cross Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Peter Ezeani
Parish Vicar (Special Status): Fr. Michael Azike
Parish Vicar: Fr. Michael Udebuani
Parish Vicar: Fr. Evaristus Oruche
In Residence: Msgr. Hypolite Adigwe
(Evangelisation and Catechetics)
In Residence: Fr Anthony Edoka (Parish Priest,
St. Augustine's Parish)
38.Nnewi: St. Philip's Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Peter Onwuka
Parish Vicar: Fr. Christopher Nwaogu HFFBY
In Residence: Fr. Augustine Onyiloha
39.Nnewi: St. Louis' Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Michael Onuchukwu
Parish Vicar: Rev. Fr. Benneth Okeoma
In Residence: Fr. Anastasius Ezenwata
19. Ihiala: St. Gregory's Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Patrick Ezefunamba
Parish Vicar: Fr. Hilary Igwe
23. Ihiala: Immaculate Heart Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Francis Orah
In Residence: Fr. Simon Adigwe
52. Nnewi: St. Monica's Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Felix Umegboro
In Residence: Fr. Emmanuel Anagor
54. Nnewi: St. Jude's Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Ernest Ebulue
41.Nnewi: St. Peter Claver's Parish, Nnewichi,
Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Edmund Nwagbala
Parish Vicar (Special Status): Fr. Anthony Izuorah
Parish Vicar: Fr. John Paul Okonkwo
In Residence: Fr. Jonathan Madueke
22. Ihiala: St. Joseph's Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Godfrey Okoli
51. Nnewi: St. James Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Msgr. Gabriel Onuorah
Parish Vicar: Fr. Francis Ogboo
In Residence: Fr. Ferdinand Ume-Ezeoke
In Residence: Fr. Emeka Ibekwe
34. Nnewi: Holy Trinity Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Jude Umeh
Pastoral Assistant: Fr. Ugochukwu Onuorah
40.Nnewi: St. Peter Claver's Parish, Otolo,
Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. George Ezukwo
Parish Vicar: Fr. Jude Nwabeze
In Residence: Fr. Aloysius Nzukor (Principal)
21. Ihiala: St. Paul's Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Philip Nnadi
47. Nnewi: St. Felix Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Anselm Olua
In Residence: Fr. Christopher Ejizu
In Residence: Fr. Damian Obi
48. Nnewi: St. John Apostle and Evangelist,
Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Solomon Ugochukwu
In Residence: Fr. Maurice Izunwa
18. Ihiala: St. Martin of Tours, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Gabriel Ezewudo, CSSp
Parish Vicar: Fr. Titus Chilaka CSSp
Parish Vicar: Fr. Augustine Odilo CSSp
Parish Vicar: Fr. Hyginus Ezebuilo, CSSp
Parish Vicar: Fr. Cyprian Eluwa, CSSP
Hospital Chaplain: Fr. Innocent Chukwuka, CSSp
20. Ihiala: Christ the King Parish, Ihiala
Parish Priest: Fr. Raphael Madukwe
42. Nnewi: St. Charles Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Donatus Anosike, MSP
Parish Vicar: Fr. Patrick Nnamani, MSP
In Residence: Fr. Peter Ireoji, MSP
43.Nnewi: St. Michael's Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Patrick Ezeobata
Parish Vicar: Fr. Francis Anene
In Residence: Fr. Lawrence Nnoyiba (Principal)
In Residence: Fr. Julius Ututor
In Residence: Fr. Cletus Chukwuemeka
44.Nnewi: St. Joseph's Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Anthony Obele
Parish Vicar: Fr. Tobias Ubah
In Residence: Fr. Anthony Ibegbunam
In Residence: Fr. Jude Chukwuneke
45.Nnewi: Holy Family Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Barnabas Obinna CMF
Parish Vicar: Fr. Jude Obiechina CMF
46. Nnewi: St. Cletus Parish, Nnewi
Parish Priest: Fr. Alfred Umeh
Parish Vicar (Special Status): Fr. George Arinze
Parish Vicar: Fr. Nathaniel Madubugwu
57. Okija: St. Mary's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Innocent Ezike
Parish Vicar : Fr. John Paul Anamene
58. Okija: St. Patrick's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Ernest Simple Okoli
Parish Vicar (Temporary): Fr. John Paul
Onyiloha
59. Okija: St. Paul's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Innocent Ofiaeli
Parish Vicar: Fr. Patrick Onyeka
60. Okija: St. Michael's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Vincent Ikelionwu
Orsumoghu
Parish Priest:
Fr. Anthony Mobi
73. Orsumoghu: St. Theresa's Parish, Orsumoghu
Parish Priest: Fr. John Ohaegbu
74. Osumenyi: Holy Spirit Parish, Osumenyi
Parish Priest: Fr. Anselm Oruche
Parish Vicar: Fr. Bartholomew Nworah, HFFBY
75. Osumenyi: St. Anthony of Padua Parish,
Osumenyi
Parish Priest: Fr. Henry Ezeifedi
In Residence: Fr. Ethelbert Ifenatuorah
(Principal)
76. Osumenyi: St. Lawrence Parish, Osumenyi
Parish Priest: Fr. Jude Ikeokwu
77. Ozubulu: St. Michael's Parish, Amakwa,
Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Patrick Unaegbu
Parish Vicar : Fr. Damian Nnaji
Parish Vicar: Fr. Stanley Anachuna, HFFBY
In Residence: Fr. Cosmas Uzoukwu (Manager and
Chaplain, Ozubulu Girls)
78. Ozubulu: St. Michael's Parish, Eziora,
Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Paul Onwughalu
Parish Vicar: Fr. Anthony Nwachukwu
79. Ozubulu: Sacred Heart Parish, Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Ephraim Chukwuma
80. Ozubulu: Christ the King Parish, Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Hyginus Epunam
81. Ozubulu: St. Joseph's Parish, Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Christopher Ezimo
Parish Vicar (Special Status): Fr. Christian
Nwakile
Parish Vicar: Fr. Vitalis Nnadozie
82. Ozubulu: St. Kevin's Parish, Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Kizito Anamene
Parish Vicar: Fr. Ignatius Otiwu, HFFBY
Residence: Fr. Ignatius Obinwa
83.
Ozubulu: St. Anthony of Padua Parish,
Ozubulu (Ofufe-Nza)
Parish Priest: Fr. Paschal Uzor
84. Ozubulu: St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Humphrey Anameje
85. Ozubulu: St. John the Baptist Parish, Ozubulu
Parish Priest: Fr. Vincent Nnabude
86. Ubuluisiuzor: St. John's Parish, Ubuluisiuzor
Parish Priest: Fr. Francis Nwizu
61. Okija: St. Benedict's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Polycarp Mmaduabuchi,
C.S.Sp
87. Ukpor: St. Mary Mother of the Church
Parish Ukpor
Parish Priest: Fr. Donald Chukwudolue
Parish Vicar: Fr. Cyril Nwofor
Parish Vicar: Fr. Innocent Ahiwe, HFFBY
62. Okija: St. Anthony's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. John Nzewu
Parish Vicar: Fr. Emmanuel Onyejike, HFFBY
88. Ukpor: Holy Trinity Parish, Ukpor
Parish Priest: Fr. Basil Ugwu
63. Okija: St. Jude's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Oliver Onyema
64. Okija: Sacred Heart Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Norbert Eze
Parish Vicar: Fr. Linus Onah, HFFBY
65. Okija-Umuzu: St. Mary's Parish, Umuzu
Parish Priest: Fr. John Dismus Obinegbo
66. Okija: St. John's Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. Callistus Onuma
67. Okija: Christ the King Parish, Okija
Parish Priest: Fr. David Okwuma
68. Oraifite: St. George's Parish, Oraifite
Parish Priest: Fr. Gabriel Ugwunwangwu, CM
In Residence: Fr. Damian Nwankwo
In Residence: Fr. Benedict Okolo, CM
89. Ukpor: St. Mary's Parish, Umuohama,
Ukpor
Parish Priest: Fr. Bonaventure Ifedigbo
Parish Vicar (Special Status): Fr. Christopher
Nwobi
90. Ukpor: St. Peter Claver's Parish, Ukpor
Parish Priest: Fr. Cosmas Ike
Parish Vicar: Fr. Cyprian Duru
In Residence: Fr. Samuel Odajiri
91. Ukpor: Holy Family Parish, Ukpor
Parish Priest: Fr. Sylvanus Okoye
92. St. Matthew's Parish, Ukpor
Parish Priest: Fr. Theodore Uzochukwu
93. Unubi: St. Patrick's Parish, Unubi
Parish Priest: Fr. Basil Anunobi
Parish Vicar: Fr. Justin Evegbu, HFFBY
In Residence: Fr. Stanislaus Ojimba
69. Oraifite: St. Mary's Parish, Oraifite
Parish Priest: Fr. Felix-Mary Ndubisi
In Residence: Fr. Edwin Okonkwor (Principal)
94. Unubi: St. Jude's Parish, Unubi
Parish Priest: Fr. Jude Okwuelu
70. Oraifite: All Saints Parish, Oraifite
Parish Priest: Fr. Felix Obi
95. Utuh: St. Peter Claver's Parish, Utuh
Parish Priest: Fr. Felix Ibegbunam
Parish Vicar: Fr, Ambrose Ojoko
71. Oraifite: St. John's Parish, Oraifite
Parish Priest: Fr. Peter Nwanekezie
72. Orsumoghu: Immaculate Conception Parish,
His Lordship, Bishop Hilary Odili Okeke
Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese
96. Utuh: St. Stephen's Parish, Utuh
Parish Priest: Fr. Basil Umunna
Parish Vicar: Fr. Vitus Nnadi
NEWS
Onitsha Agog as Fr. Onukwuba Marks
Awka Diocese Re-Dedicates
Renovated St. Patrick's Cathedral Birthday, Silver Jubilee, Unveils Foundation
O
n Sunday, October 5,
2014, the Catholic
Diocese of Awka
rededicated the old Church
building of St. Patrick's
Cathedral, Awka which
renovation and beautification
were recently concluded.
Bishop Ezeokafor
also used the occasion to
enrolled over 150 children into
the Holy Childhood
Association (HCA) and
exhorted parents and
guardians to train their wards
in the fear of God, saying that
any child trained in God's way
would not only be useful to
himself and his family but
would also be useful to the
Church and society at large.
The rededication
ceremony commenced with a
Pontifical High Mass presided
over by His Lordship, Bishop
Paulinus Ezeokafor the
Catholic Bishop of Awka
Diocese and concelebrated
with the Diocesan Chancellor,
Very Rev Fr. (Dr.) Chudi Peter
Akaenyi; very Rev. Fr. (Dr.)
Lawrence Nwankwo, Bishop's
secretary; Rev Fr. (Dr.)
Sabestine Onuora, Awka
Diocesan Education Secretary;
Rev. Fr. Amobi Chukwuma,
Cathedral Administrator; Very
Rev. Msgr. J.P.C Nzomiwu;
Very Rev. Monsignor Jerome
Madueke, Director-Fides
Communications; Rev Fr.
Austin Okoye, Cathedral
Administrator II; Very Rev. Fr.
Francis Chudume; Very Rev.
Fr. Francis, Financial
Administrator; among other
priests.
In his homily, Bishop
Ezeokafor spoke on the need
for Christians to work and
invest in the Lord's vineyard.
The prelate admonished the
faithful to work according to
the mind of God, the owner of
the vineyard, because,
according to him every
labourer will give account of
his stewardship at the last day.
Referring to
Christians as ambassadors of
God who would go back to give
account of their deeds,
Ezeokafor regretted that some
Christians live their lives as if
they had no one to give account
to on the last day.
“We must live as
faithful servants in the Lord's
vineyard according to our
calling as Christians and to
remember that one day, we
shall be called to give account.
Those who do well will be
rewarded while those who do
evil will be punished
accordingly; “the bishop
admonished; calling also on
Muslim brothers to practise
their faith with love.
“I don't think there is
Obiano's Aide Hail Bishop Ezeokafor
On the Rededication of Cathedral Church
A
s the Catholic
Diocese of Awka rededicated the old
Cathedral Church
building of St. Patrick's,
Awka on Sunday, October
5, after renovation, a
parishioner, Hon. Egenti
Robert, the Senior Special
Adviser to Governor
Obiano on Accounts, has
commended the Bishop of
the diocese, His Lordship,
Bishop Paulinus
Ezeokafor, the Cathedral
Administrator, Rev. Fr.
Amobi Chukwuma, the
clergy, religious and lay
faithful who contributed
in their various ways to see
to it that the old Church
building was refurbished to the
greater glory of God.
“It is not quite long
when the new Cathedral was
completed and dedicated and
the old Church building was
equally renovated and
Cardinal Arinze, 23 Bishops
over 500 Priests Officiate
contd from front page
Over 6000 people attended
the funeral ceremony.
His Eminence,
Francis Cardinal Arinze,
former Prefect of Sacred
Congregation for Divine
Worship and Discipline of the
Sacraments, Vatican City,
presided over the Requiem
Mass concelebrated by 23
Bishops and over 500 priests
from various Dioceses in the
country.
In his homily,
Cardinal Arinze said: the
saying of Jesus “He who
believes in me will never die” is
our consolation as we gather to
bury Bishop Simon Okafor. He
described Bishop Okafor as a
shining start and a great
servant of God. Speaking on
the meaning of life on earth,
His Eminence said that God
created man to know Him, to
love Him and to serve Him, so
that he can be with Him in
heaven. “Our life is not a
meaningless creation,” He
said; admonishing everyone to
prepare for death because it
can come at any time. He
extolled the sterling qualities
of Bishop Okafor and urged the
faithful to pray for him and for
the faithful departed.
In a brief vote of
thanks, Archbishop Val Okeke,
Archbishop of Onitsha and
Metropolitan of Onitsha
Ecclesiastical Province,
thanked everybody who
attended the funeral
ceremony.
In a brief remark, the
any religion in this world that
teaches its followers to destroy
lives. The destruction of live in
the northern part of Nigeria is
ungodly. As children of God,
we shall look for those things
that will bind us together, not
things that will divide us…” He
Said.
The ceremony was
attended by dignitaries such
as Sir Victor Umeh, the
National Chairman of APGA;
Chief (Hon.) Anayo Nnebe,
former Speaker of Anambra
State House of Assembly; as
well as traditional rulers,
religious, the lay faithful and
many others.
Chief Sir Victor
Umeh (OFR) and Chief (Hon.)
Anayo Nnebe donated some
money at the event to support
the Church.
Catholic Bishop of Awka
Diocese, His Lordship Most
Rev. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor
described late Bishop Okafor as
a man with a large heart, good
listener and a friend of all. He
called on the faithful to support
and honour “the great bishop”
by donating generously to his
education foundation for the
training of the poor.
In an interview with
newsmen after the funeral
Mass, the Catholic Bishop of
Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev.
Hilary Okeke, described late
Bishop Okafor as a great man,
humble, simple, generous, and
peaceful and who had all
virtues that one could expect
from a good servant of God.
The Executive
Governor of Anambra State,
Chief Willie Obiano, said that
late Bishop Okafor was a source
of inspiration to many. He
prayed God to accept the soul of
the late bishop.
Very Rev. Fr. Ralph
Madu (Secretary General
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria,
Abuja) in an interview said that
Bishop Okafor was a selfless
pastor, a renowned teacher
who strives towards achieve
results.
In his remarks, the
Director of Fides
Communications, Very Rev.
Msgr. Jerome Ndubuisi
Madueke, said that the late
Bishop Okafor was a man of
integrity, father of all, a
compassionate leader and a
man who took delight in
almsgiving.
Hon. Egenti Robert
rededicated.
“I will commend all
those who contributed in their
various ways to see to it that
the old Church building was
completed and rededicated. I
will advise the Bishop, the
Clergy and entire lay faithful
to be encouraged and to
continue on the interest they
have in the things of God,” he
said, commending also
Governor Willie Obiano for
having the interest of all
Anambrarians at heart.
F
or Rev. Fr. Martin
Onukwuba, an Onitshaborn Catholic priest,
eulogies do not need to come
when one has passed on to the
great world beyond. One's foot
prints while on earth should be
celebrated, especially if the
person has been touching lives
positively.
Therefore, between
September 6 and 7, loud noise
of cymbals and drums
reverberated across the city of
Onitsha as people appreciated
the man largely described as a
good priest.
The popular Awka
Road in Onitsha, which is the
route to Onitsha Main Market
and Ose Okwodu, the two
major markets in the
commercial city, bustled with
unusual human and vehicular
traffic.
It was the 52nd
birthday and 25 years
celebration of his priesthood,
but that was not all, the
occasion also marked the
unveiling of his legacy project
known as Father Martin
Soteria Mission.
Fr. Onukwuba was
born on September 6, 1962 to
the family of Barrister Achike
and Osinigwe Onukwuba.
He was ordained a
Catholic priest on July 15,
1989 and has worked in
various capacities as Parish
Priest, Cathedral
Administrator, among other
assignments given to him by
the church.
He is the immediate
past director, Justice
Development and Peace
Commission (JDPC), a nongovernmental organization of
the Catholic Church where he
made a lot of impacts that cut
across the nation and beyond.
He is presently the
national president, Nigerian
Catholic Diocesan Priests
Association where he had
earlier served as the secretary.
T h e d o u b l e
celebration started on a
Saturday with a Holy Mass
presided over by the Catholic
Bishop of Nnewi, Most Rev.
Hillary Odili Okeke and with
about 60 other priests
officiating.
Fr. Francis Oborji
and Damian Chikeluba flew in
from Rome while Fr. Peter
Nwachukwu also came from
America to be part of the
celebration.
Bishop Okeke while
lauding the life and priestly
mission of Fr. Martin
proclaimed the title of Most
Reverend Father on him even
when there is no such title in
the Catholic priesthood
hierarchy.
The Silver Jubilee
Mass and reception on
Sunday was no less different
as it attracted more crowds
that the imposing St. Mary's
Catholic Church, Awka road,
Onitsha and Ezechima
Primary School field, venue of
the reception could not
contain the numerous guests.
In a homily, Fr.
Oborji praised God for the life
and ministry of the celebrant.
He said the cleric has
distinguished himself in his
priestly calling even among
his 1989 set of ordained
priests. He said that living a
righteous life gives one the
freedom from unnecessary
fears and protects one with a
divine grace which not only
elongates one's life but makes
such person ever young and
fresh.
In proposing a toast
for the celebrant, his younger
brother, Henry Onukwuba
described the cleric as an
elephant which means so
many things to many people.
“Fr. Martin is the
fourth in a family of 10
children, five brothers-in-law;
four sisters-in-law, 22 grandchildren and three great
grand-children, yet our
parents are still alive and
kicking. My closeness to the
church today was influenced
by Fr. Martin because I'm a
Catechist in Lagos. Fr. Martin
is enigmatic and pragmatic,
humble, unassuming and
charming. We celebrate the
beauty of service to God,” he
said.
Traditional Rulers Council Urges Christians
to be part of Development, Peace Building
A
nambra Central
Traditional Rulers'
Council urged
Christians to be part and
parcel of development and
peace building in their various
c o m m u n i t i e s .
The Chairman of the
council, Igwe Chukwuemeka
Ilouno, gave the advice while
receiving the remains of the
Emeritus Bishop of Catholic
Diocese of Awka, Most Rev.
Simon Okafor, to his hometown in Ifitedunu community,
Dunukofia LGA, in Anambra.
Igwe Ilouno said that
it was rather unfortunate that
people who lost the battle to
get political and community
positions connived with some
Churches to cause trouble in
some communities in
Anambra.
He noted that being
a Christian does not exonerate
one from contributing
positively to the growth and
wellbeing of one's community
notwithstanding the
differences in faith and creed.
“Our late brother
and Bishop Okafor taught us
that the Bible recognises that
everybody should be given his
due and everyone must pay his
dues or taxes and participate in
community developmental
projects no matter the worship
d i f f e r e n c e s .
“While he was alive,
he lived a life of love and
selflessness that knew no
bounds; always making sure
that he waded into disputes
threatening the peace of our
communities in Anambra;
paying his age-grade dues even
to the month of August when he
departed.
“Most people in our
communities were convinced
not by mere preaching but his
act of love that he showed to
everyone that encountered him
in all he did,'' Ilouno who also is
the Traditional Ruler of
Ifitedunu Community, said.
The monarch said
that the entire Anambra had
lost a peace-builder and
someone who would listen, find
solutions even if it meant
compromising for the sake of
brotherhood and oneness.
Speaking, the
Traditional Ruler of Ukpo
Community, Igwe Robert Eze,
said that the late Bishop helped
to bring up the standard of
education in Anambra and
tutored many people,
especially teachers, in the
S
t
a
t
e
.
“Late Bishop Okafor
was an accomplished lecturer,
who majored in Educational
Philosophy even at Doctorate
Degree level. His
appointments as the first
Provost and Chairman of
Nwafor Orizu College of
Education, Nsugbe and
Chairman, Anambra PostPrimary School Education
Board, respectively positioned
these institutions for their
excellent performance today.
“Many in my
community benefited from his
educational scholarship meant
to bring the children of the
poor to be at par with the rich
in the society,'' he said.
Holy Mass was held
for the late bishop at Ifitedunu
Civic Centre as well as St.
Gabriel Catholic Church,
Ifitedunu.
Over 10,000 people
in Dunukofia council area
flooded Ifitedunu community
to have last glimpse of the late
Bishop, who was a
philanthropist, educationist
and peace builder in Anambra.
The Metropolitan
Archbishop of Onitsha, Most
Rev. Valerian Okeke who gave
a speech amidst songs of
praise summarized his words
in three forms of gratitude.
“First is gratitude to
God Almighty who gave us the
gift of Fr. Martin Onukwuba,
second gratitude is to his
parents and the immediate
family who made him to grow
in the service of God while the
third gratitude goes to Fr.
Martin too who allowed God
to use him. If he abused the
privileges God gave him, we
will not be here today in
celebration. May your future
blessings be more,”
Archbishop Okeke prayed.
While unveiling the
Father Martin Soteria
Mission, the Senior Special
Assistant to President
Jonathan on Aviation
Reforms, Ann Ene- Ita,
described the pet project of
the cleric as the answer to the
yawning gap between the
haves and the have-nots. She
said the cleric has decided to
be a bridge between those
who have something to give
for charity and the receivers of
those charity items.
She called on all Nigerians to
support the initiative because
of its unique and transparent
package since there are still so
many underprivileged people
in the society.
The celebrant and
founder of the Father Martin
Soteria Mission in a speech
said that he was overwhelmed
by the numerous support and
goodwill by Nigerians on this
stage of his life. He said he was
inspired to establish the
Soteria Mission work based
on his conviction that being
charitable is a way of life while
it is a fact that many people
including priests are suffering
today.
He lauded the
former Aviation Minister,
Princess Stella Oduah for not
only being a blessing to him
but to the church, the society
and the priests.
He noted that
Oduah has been assisting 80
priests in their diocesan
union who are sick while she
also provided both office and
residential accommodation in
Abuja for the secretariat of the
Catholic Diocesan priests and
home for the staff of the
secretariat, among others
from her. He also appreciated
the Onitsha community for
t h e i r
l o v e
a n d
encouragement.
Fr. Martin's father,
84-year old Achike
Onukwuba said that Fr.
Martin has exhibited an
inborn trait of Catholicism
from his childhood. His son,
he said, has been interested in
church affairs as an altar boy
and when he indicated
interest in going into
priesthood, he decided to give
him his blessings.
Dr. Bayo Aluko
Olokun , a surgeon, working
in collaboration with Princess
Stella Oduah Foundation also
noted that he was drawn into
supporting Father Martin
Soteria Mission because of its
altruistic nature. He said the
priest has a track record of
transparent help to the needy
and service to humanity while
his supporter, Princess
Oduah has also been a dogged
fighter for the up-liftment and
development of the society in
general.
NEWS
Nigeria AT 54: “Govt has not met the
Expectations of Nigerian People” – Umeh
A
s Nigeria marks 54 years as an independent country, the
National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance (APGA), Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh (OFR), who is
also eyeing the Anambra Central senatorial seat, has said that
the country has not done very well in all spheres of life. He
commented on the type of leadership Nigeria needs, the 2015
election and other sundry issues.
Excerpts:
Nigeria at 54:
The last 54 years will not be said to have served its purpose for
the Nigerian people. In the past 54 years, we cannot say that
Nigeria has fared well. Government has not met the
expectations of the Nigerian people.
Looking back at the past 54 years of our nationhood, it
becomes important that people who are aspiring to leadership
positions in Nigeria must think about how to make Nigeria a
great nation – a nation that will effectively cater for the welfare
of its citizens; a nation where the representatives and the
government will be able to provide infrastructure and other
amenities and enabling environment for our youths and
guarantee happiness to everybody in the country. Therefore,
anybody coming out to contest an election should see his
coming out to contest for an elective position as a call to
national service; not for somebody to go and contest for
President, Senate, Governorship, or House of Rep just to
answer the name.
2015 General Election:
2015 general election is around the corner. I urge people who
have the interest of the country at heart to come out and
contest. I also advise the electorate to be very wise on the
choices they make during elections. The electorates must be
very dispassionate on accessing people coming out to represent
them. If we choose the right leaders and give them authority
over our affairs, they would be in a better position to solve the
problems of the Nigerian nation.
2015 is an important year for us. In 2015, we shall be
starting another life of 100 years journey as a nation. From 1914
to 2014 is 100 years. We have not done very well but we thank
God that we have survived our numerous problems. We are
starting another journey of another 100 years. With the
political awareness already created, we want to elect people
who will represent us at various levels of political
representation. We want to elect people that will make good
laws. We must elect people who have conscience; leaders who
consider the plight of ordinary people in the society; people
who will use the authority given to them to work relentlessly
towards alleviating the sufferings of the down trodden in the
land; not people who will go there to become emperors.
2015 Election in Anambra:
We have already elected a God-fearing Governor in Anambra
State. In 2015, we must be very careful to elect good people to
the Senate, House of Reps and State House of Assembly. We
must elect representatives who will support Governor Obiano
in the good work he is doing in the State. There is need for that
synergy in order to ensure continuity and good governance in
Anambra.
Advice for Jega:
I can say that the present INEC leadership is doing very well.
We met with INEC on Saturday, September 30 in Abuja
against the 2015 election. My advice for Prof. Atahiru Jega, the
Chief Electoral Officer of the country is to continue to deliver
credible election and to shun the tendency of dabbling into
unnecessary controversies that will jeopardize the electoral
process.
For 2015 election to be successful, Jega needs to be
constructive in his decision. He must avoid anything that
might breed any air of mistrust against the leadership of the
commission. Anything that people complain about as regards
2015 polls, he should be able to review them, so as to carry the
aggregate confidence of the Nigerian people while conducting
the 2015 General election.
Jega is a man of integrity, but like I said, anything that
Nigerian people will be suspicious about in the conduct of the
general election, he should avoid them. Anything the
commission will do should be something majority of Nigerians
would accept.
Creation of Multiple Polling Boots:
We have discussed the issue of creation of multiple polling
units by the Jega led INEC. We have discussed it with Jega as
one of the issues that would breed controversy in the 2015
election. On 30th September when we met with him, he gave us
his reasons for creating more polling units; but his step was
Umeh
misconstrued. Therefore, the onus is on him to explain to the
Nigerian people that he meant well. He told us that he created
more polling units out of existing ones where registered voters
are many so that voting and counting of votes would be made
easy. For example, a polling unit that have 3,000 or more
registered voters is further divided into say six polling units for
easy accreditation, voting and counting of votes; but you know
that everything in Nigeria today is politicized. The sharp
division in Nigeria today does not support that action. Though
his decision is based on facts, but some people have made it to
mean that he was favouring the North against the South; so,
instead of creating more polling units as he did, he should
create additional voting points in all he polling units. We did it
in Anambra State where in a polling unit; we created two or
more polling points after which the votes will be collated for
counting. If we have more voting points, instead of creating
more polling units, the controversies will die naturally. The
story out there about creation of additional polling units is the
one of bias; so, Jega must do everything possible to remove that
bias in the mind of Nigerians so as to make the 2015 election
more credible.
Christ the King Parish Ihiala in Triple Celebration
By Ngozi Asonibe
I
t was jubilation galore as
His Lordship, Most Rev.
Dr Hilary Okeke, Catholic
Bishop of Nnewi Diocese paid
pastoral visit to Christ the King
Parish, Umuezeawala Ihiala
and confirmed over 50
candidates, blessed the parish
hall, parish office and Marian
Grotto on Sunday October 5
2014.
The event started with a
Pontifical High Mass
Celebrated by Bishop Okeke
and concelebrated by the Dean
of Ihiala Deanery, Very Rev Fr.
Raphael Ebedeagu and Fr.
Raphael Madukwe.
During his homily,
Bishop Okeke said that God
gave us the necessary things to
bear fruits of eternal life.
He reminded the
faithful to always examine
their conscience, live a
righteous life as to live with
God for ever in heaven.
Bishop Okeke frowned at
Christians who always
deceives themselves for being
unfaithful to God and man but
can never deceive God who
knows all their deeds and
actions.
He advised the
faithful to live a righteous life
and always have in mind that
God will judge all their actions
on the last day.
To the candidates for
the sacrament of confirmation,
Bishop Okeke said every
Christian ought to be born
again; baptized with water and
Holy Spirit so as to bear the
fruits that will impact on the
society
In appreciation, Rev
Fr. Raphael Madukwe, Parish
priest of Christ the King Parish
Ihiala lauded Bishop Okeke for
his great strides in the Catholic
Diocese of Nnewi especially in
his pastoral letters and his
teachings in the letter to the
people of God in the Christian
Outlook Newspaper.
In a welcome
address presented by Ide
Ogunjiofor Barnabas,
Secretary of the parish council
on behalf of Christ the king
Parish, Ihiala thanked God for
the gift of Bishop Okeke to the
Catholic Diocese of Nnewi.
He commended, the
parish priest, Fr. Raphael
Madukwe "Ochiagha"
especially on his efforts in the
growth of the parish.
Ide Ogunjiofor noted that
since the last pastoral visit in
2011, and the parish has
witnessed tremendous growth in
the establishment of Nursery
and Primary school, parish hall,
Marian Grotto, security house
and fencing of the parish
compound.
He commended the
retired catechist, Mr. Gilbert
Udechukwu and appreciated the
efforts of the new catechist, Ide
Stan Okemadu.
Dance by parish CWO, Drama by
the parish Nursery and Primary
school and presentation of gifts
to Bishop Okeke were the high
points of the occasion.
Fr. Raphael Madukwe, Bishop Okeke poses with the confirmed candidates
During the blessing of the parish Hall by Bishop Okeke
the newly built parish office
(L-R Rev. Fr. Raphael Madukwe, Bishop Okeke,
Very Rev. Fr. Raphael Ebedeagu during the Mass
Bishop Okeke blessing the Mariam Grotto at the parish
Fr. Raphael Madukwe cutting the tape of the Marian Grotto
NEWS
Why Governor Peter Obi Dumped APGA
T
o many people,
especially APGA
faithful within
Anambra State and beyond,
the exit of the ex-governor of
Anambra State, Chief Peter
Obi from the All Progressives
Grand Alliance (APGA) to the
Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) was a big shock. To
political analysts- those who
had been following the trend
of politics in Anambra State
and Nigeria- those who has
been following the passionate
relationship between Obi and
the PDP Government at the
centre, it was not so.
When Chief Obi
declared for PDP in Onitsha
on Tuesday, October 7, and his
media aide, Mr. Obienyem
posted the information in his
facebook wall, hundreds of
comments that emanated
from information were
indication that many people,
even among politicians, were
not following the political
trends in the recent times.
When Obi took over
the governance of Anambra
State in 2006 after protracted
battle in the courts, he was
persuaded to defect to PDP by
the powers that be; but he was
not convinced to leave APGA
then.
The then President
of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo used some
stakeholders in Anambra and
beyond to entice Obi into PDP
but the attempts were
unsuccessful. That was
entirely the reason why Obi
was impeached in 2007
immediately after the expresident's visit to Anambra.
When the late
Umaru Yar'Aduah took over
from Obasanjo, he made a lot
of unsuccessful efforts to
bring Obi into PDP. With the
ascension of Goodluck
Jonathan, the ex-governor of
Anambra State was very close
to the PDP government in
Abuja. The bid to draw Obi out
of the Igbo political party
c o n t i n u e d , b u t s o u rc e s
revealed that Chief Peter Obi
actually wanted to transform
Anambra State using APGA
as a platform; and also to
hand over power to the party
that brought him to power
before taking any decision.
The pressure on Obi
to dump APGA intensified
when many PDP lawmakers
at the House of Reps with
other Rep members from
other political parties
defected to APC. With their
number increasing, and
becoming a threat to the PDP
government at the centre,
Jonathan urged Obi to join
PDP together with all the
APGA lawmakers in the
National Assembly. At the
onset, the only APGA senator,
Chris Anyanwu from Imo
State defected. Obi could not
make up his mind as at then
to join because he wanted
Anambra State to deliver the
APGA governorship
candidate.
There might be some
other personal reasons, but in
the bid to fully support
Jonathan's 2015 presidential
ambition and having delivered
APGA candidate to become
governor in Anambra State,
four out of the five APGA
members in the House of Reps
also joined PDP. Obi was
quoted as saying that he would
decamp the day Jonathan
would declare ambition to run
for the 2015 presidential
election.
However,
with the dire need to join
hands with “other progressive
minds to start tilling the land”
before hand, and coupled with
pressure from PDP
stakeholders from Anambra
and Abuja, Obi decided to join
PDP at an elaborate function
in his GRA Onitsha residence
on Tuesday, October 7, 2014.
Obi has satisfied
his conscience:
If ex-governor Peter Obi were
APGA will Excel Without Peter Obi – Hon. (Dr.) Umeano
A
former member of the
H o u s e
o f
Representatives
representing Oyi/Ayamelum
Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon.
(Dr.) Okey Umeano has said
that without former Governor
Peter Obi, APGA would still do
well in Anamrba State and
other states in 2015 elections.
Umeano, former
National Administrative
Officer of UPGA which later
metamorphosed to APGA, and
the Director General of Peter
Obi Campaign Organization in
the 2003 governorship
election in Anambra, spoke to
The Christian Outlook
reporter in Onitsha concerning
Chief Obi's defection to PDP,
and said that even though Obi
left APGA, the party had come
to stay, and would still do well
in 2015 in Anambra and other
states.
“APGA has come to
stay in Anambra State. If Obi is
leaving, he is leaving on his
own. I bet you, during the 2015
general election, APGA will
sweep polls in Agulu, Obi's
community. That the exgovernor left APGA does not
mean an end to the party.
“The leader of APGA
today is Chief Willie Obiano.
He cannot allow the light put in
his hands to quench. He is
doing even more to propagate
APGA in other states.
“In 2015 election,
APGA will capture Imo and
Delta in addition to Anambra.
APGA is not ordinary political
party, it is a struggle. APGA
spirit is what made Anambra
what it is today. The same
APGA spirit brought Governor
Willie Obiano into power.
“We are looking at
brighter future for APGA.
Obiano is the leader of APGA
today. Yesterday, it was Peter
Obi. Obi has done his bit; and,
We Are Happy Obi Left APGA- Umeh
T
he National Chairman
of the All Progressives
Grand Alliance, Chief
Victor Umeh, has said that the
party lost nothing with the
defection of the immediate
past Governor of Anambra
State, Chief Peter Obi, to the
Peoples Democratic Party.
Sir Victor Umeh
opened up to journalists at a
rally in Asaba on Wednesday,
October 8; where Dr. Anthony
Azuya, a House of
Representatives candidate led
defectors from the APC and the
Labour Party to join APGA.
Umeh said many people had
joined the party since the
defection of Peter Obi.
“You can see that as
Obi left our party on Tuesday,
October 7, about 7,000 people
have joined the party today
(Wednesday). It is like a
church; as some people are
leaving; many more people are
coming in.
“If there is any
problem with our party,
people would not be
trooping to APGA. We are
happy that Obi left,” he
said.
The APGA national
chairman, however, said
APGA was unwavering in its
support for the candidacy of
President Goodluck
Jonathan in next year's
presidential election;
Why I Went into Politics – Obi
T
he former Governor of
Anambra State, Chief
Peter Obi said that he
decided to join politics in order to
contribute to the creation of public
wealth for the enrichment of the
people and the return of sanity to
the society already harassed by all
manner of barbarism.
Obi was speaking at an
interactive session with World
Bank Youths' Forum at the World
Bank Office in Abuja.
Speaking on what
contributed to his success as
Governor of Anambra, Obi said he
decided at great personal
discomfort to shut down the cost
o f
g o v e r n a n c e .
“Governance costs so much in
Nigeria, if our leaders are able to
reduce the money spent in
unnecessary things such as
keeping many guests houses,
keeping many aides that are not
necessary, keeping long convoys,
staying in highest hotels in town,
chartering planes when not
absolutely necessary, servicing
politicians that do not add value to
the society, engaging in Epicurean
life, among other indulgences,
they would have enough money to
do necessary things”, Obi said.
Obi, who said that any
if he thinks that he will find
succor in PDP, so be it. Nobody
should hold him to anything.
We wish him well. I don't see
anything wrong in people
moving, looking for greener
pasture; but we are saying that
APGA will excel without exgovernor Peter Obi,” He
emphasized.
country that did not take care of
her youths did not have a future,
advised the members of the World
Bank Youth Forum to remain
focused about their future and the
future of the country. Explaining
further, Obi said the easiest and
most effective way to build a
future for the country is through
investment in education.
“In countries like
Singapore, which we celebrate as
moving from 3rd to First World,
they invested much in education
and always recruited those with
first class into their public
services. Because of the place of
education in advancement of
civilization, we, realizing the rot
in our education system, decided
to return schools to the missionary
and gave them money to
rehabilitate those schools. Due to
what I call toll gates on the way, I
insisted that assistances to schools
by development partners should
go straight to the schools. We did
so many other things, including
provision of buses, computers,
Internets, generators, Sick bays,
laboratory equipment, among
others to all the public and
Church-owned schools. The result
is clearly manifesting as Anambra
took first in WAEC and NECO
examinations”, Obi submitted.
Obi also called on the
youths to cultivate the spirit of
savings, bearing in mind that
there must always be the rainy
day. He said that on completion of
his tenure he saved $156 Million
Dollars for Anambra State and
another 26 Billion Naira in local
investment. He said that if the
trend continued, it would be for
the benefit of the State. He
commended President Goodluck
Jonathan for the Sovereign
Wealth Funds and called on
Nigerians to view it from the
perspective of its benefit to our
children who might not benefit
from the country's depleting oil
d e p o s i t s .
The World Bank Youth
Forum is made up of young
professionals between the ages of
18 and 35. They said they decided
to invite Chief Obi to talk to them
by consensus based on what they
called his spectacular
performance in the State.
About 50 youths were
in attendance. The World Bank
Country Director, Francois Marie
Nelly also attended. She
encouraged the youths to remain
steadfast and challenged the
authorities to imbibe positive
manners that would bring forth
progress and development.
insisting however that,
“apart from the presidential
election, APGA will field
candidates in all the
elections in 2015.”
He warned Governor
Emmanuel Uduaghan and the
Delta State Independent
Electoral Commission to allow
the people's vote count in the
October 25 local government
election in the Delta State.
Azuya who is the
candidate of APGA for
Oshimili/ Aniocha Federal
Constituency in 2015 House of
Reps election, said the APGA
project in Delta State was to
change lives, inspire and
motivate youths to make them
employable .
not a stable APGA man, the
pressure on him with lot of
political persecution meted
on him would have made him
join PDP as governor. He,
however remained steadfast
and ultimately handed over to
APGA governor. When he was
addressing an assemblage of
his supporters on the day of
his defection, he said that he
had satisfied his conscience
having built APGA on a solid
foundation and having
transferred batten to APGA
government. Other APGA
stakeholders in the state and
the present leader of the party
have the obligation to ensure
that APGA does not die. Since
political party is not a cult
group Obi has the
fundamental right to join any
party that would give him
brighter future; and that was
what he did.
Obi was searching for
greener pastures:
Having completed his
assignment at the State level,
the ex-governor was
interested in seeking greener
pasture in Abuja. Chief Peter
Obi was eyed as the person to
replace Stella Oduah as
Aviation Minister, but he lost
the opportunity to Osita
Chidoka. The simple reason
was that Obi was not in the
PDP family, and the PDP fold
would not permit President
Jonathan, Obi's friend, to give
the slot to Obi, who was not a
party man; thus, Obi, like any
other politician who would
like to remain relevant, was
forced to join PDP because he
would not like to miss such
opportunity in the future.
Obi was despised by
APGA stakeholders:
One reason given by Mr.
Valentine Obienyem, Media
Adviser to Peter Obi, which he
necessitated Obi's defection
was that Obi was no more
needed in APGA. Obienyem
commented on his facebook
wall saying that APGA
stakeholders in Anambra
State despised the exgovernor. He said that even as
PDP stakeholders in
Anambra and Abuja had
continued to visit Obi and
called him on phone
regularly, APGA stakeholders
in Anambra, including the
new governor and the
National Chairman of the
party failed to accord the
former governor the needed
recognition, and never invited
him to any APGA function
since he left Government
House. He said that Obi's
former pals in APGA had
despised him, and since that
was the case, he would not
remain in APGA until his head
was cut off before he would
realize that he was no more
needed in the party.
Obienyem wrote on
his Facebook wall, “Did Obi
leave APGA? He did not; but
he was no more wanted in the
party. Since he left office, how
many APGA functions were
he invited to? Just last week, I
was passing with him through
Owerri and we saw many
vehicles going for an APGA
function – rally – with APGA
inscriptions. It took him
phone calls to ascertain that
APGA was doing a mega rally
in Owerri.
“Since he left office,
how many APGA hierarchies
had called him on the phone
or visited him? Do you have to
be killed first before you
realize that you are not
wanted? Did you see the array
of PDP members that visited
him and the kind words
appreciative of his character
and personal rectitude? Let
those who have been
defecating on Obi's head look
for another person on whose
head to defecate.”
Conclusion:
Obi's defection to PDP,
though a very big surprise to
many people, it must be seen
as one of the dynamics in
politics. If Obi would lift
APGA to its present status
before leaving, other APGA
stakeholders, if they be
serious, can do same and keep
APGA afloat.
In the other hand,
the outcome of 2015 general
election in Anambra will
define Obi's mission in PDP.
Even as APGA members were
expressing worry at his exit,
until he is be able to deliver
results for PDP in Anambra
State in the forthcoming
elections, he will remain a
suspect in the PDP family.
54th Anniversary: DGG Tasks
Nigerians on Good Citizenship
A
pro-democracy nonprofit making
organization,
Democrats for Good
Governance-DGG, has
challenged Nigerians to live up
to their civic responsibilities by
being good citizens of the
country.
President of the
group, Mr. Emmanuel Uche
who gave the charge during an
Independence Day chat with
newsmen, made a case for
increased citizens' demand for
transparency in political and
governance processes.
Uche, a good
governance and pro democracy
expert argued that the citizens
had a lot of roles to play in the
journey towards a greater
Nigeria.
He, however, challenged the
country's leadership on good
governance and selfless
service, describing them as key
to the Nigeria of our dream.
“The surest way to
building confidence in the
people is by showing credible
leadership and good
governance. The government
of this country must take
deliberate steps to restore the
people's confidence in
government. The people must
in turn, live up to their civic
and social responsibilities, by
being good citizens. If in our
private lives and endeavours,
we decide to do the right thing,
change will become contagious
and morality a culture.”
He spoke of the need
for increased constructive
engagement among
stakeholders in the political
space, a feat he said DGG is out
to achieve.
Continuing, Uche
charged the present
administration to take the war
against corruption in the
country more seriously, even
as he urged the citizens to
expose acts of corruption in the
society.
He frowned at the
failure of religious and
traditional institutions in the
country in living up to
expectation as supposed
custodians of morality and
challenged them to rediscover
themselves in the interest of
posterity.
On human capital
development, the DGG boss
described the high level of
unemployment in the country
as a time bomb, calling on all
sectors of the economy to form
a synergy towards addressing
it.
He commended the
President Goodluck Jonathanled Federal Government for its
giant strides in infrastructure,
but scored it low in the war
against corruption, urging the
President to redouble his
efforts in the anti-graft war in
Nigeria.
Democrats for Good
Governance, a pro-democracy,
Non-Governmental
Organisation, is working
towards achieving a Nigeria
where Democracy is nonnegotiable and good
governance, a culture.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Synod on Family: Midterm Report
Presented, 2015 Synod Announced
A
s discussion at the
Extraordinary Synod of
Bishops on the Family
got underway Monday 13
October, it was announced that
the second phase of this process
– next year's Ordinary Synod –
will be held October 4-25, 2015,
and will have theme: The
vocation and mission of the
family in the church and the
modern world.
Following the
announcement the General
Rapporteur, Cardinal Peter
Erdõ, presented the mid-term
report outlining the main
questions highlighted over the
past week of General
Congregations which will now
be examined in by the bishops,
fraternal delegates, auditors
and experts in the 'minor
circles' or small working
groups.
Cardinal Erdõ began
by highlighting that the Synod
Fathers spoke of how Jesus
looked at men and women with
love, accompanying them
patiently and with mercy. He
spoke of how Jesus Christ, "the
Truth, became incarnate in
human fragility not to
condemn it, but to heal it”.
Jesus – he said - taught
marriage was indissoluble, but
showed understanding of those
who didn't live up to this ideal.
In the mid-term
report the Synod Fathers speak
of how it's the task of the
Church to recognize those
seeds of the Word that have
spread beyond its visible and
sacramental boundaries. They
appeal to the "law of
graduality," as a reflection of
the way God reached out to
humanity and led His people
forward step by step.
The need was noted
for further reflection on
whether sacramental fullness
doesn't exclude the possibility
of recognizing positive
elements even in imperfect
forms. For example, whether
there are positive elements in
irregular marriages.
The
Synod Fathers make the point
that when a civil marriage is
stable, shows deep affection
and care for children, then the
Church should work to
Synod Seeks To Model God's
Marriage Of Justice And Mercy
H
accompany it toward
Sacramentality.
Card. Erdõ spoke of
the need for a missionary
conversion, that the Church
cannot stop at an
announcement that is merely
theoretical, but must go
beyond. Christian marriage has
to be a vocational decision
taken with the proper
preparation in an itinerary of
faith. This is because the Gospel
of the family is the response to
the deepest expectations of a
person.
In the report the
Synod Fathers stated that the
Church is particularly called to
recognize the suffering of
abandoned spouses and how
children are the real victims of
family breakups.
Many synod members
expressed the need for
reformed, simplified
procedures for annulments.
Card. Erdõ spoke of how this
annulment reform will require
diocesan bishops to take on new
responsibilities and perhaps
delegate a specially trained
priest.
Regarding divorced
and divorced and civilly
remarried Catholics, the report
speaks of the need for
"courageous pastoral choices”
and “new pastoral paths”. The
report calls for case-by-case
discernment according to law of
graduality, particularly
regarding access to the
Sacraments. Card. Erdõ said
dialogue on this topic will
continue in local Churches over
the coming year and responses
will be brought to next year's
Synod.
The report noted
that the question of
cohabitation might indicate
commitment-phobia, but also
a choice that is taken "while
waiting for a secure existence”
such as a steady job and
income.
The question of
homosexuality was then
addressed, with a call to
serious reflection. The Synod
Fathers noted that
homosexual persons have gifts
and talents to offer the
Christian community and that
pastoral outreach to them is an
important educative
challenge.
In the report, the
Synod Fathers also reaffirmed
that same-sex unions cannot
be considered equal to
matrimony. And it is
unacceptable that pressure be
brought to bear on pastors or
that international bodies make
financial aid dependent on the
introduction of regulations
inspired by gender ideology.
Finally, stating that
openness to new life is
essential part of married love,
the Synod Fathers affirmed the
message of Paul VI's Humanae
Vitae regarding the need to
respect dignity of person in
moral evaluation of methods
of birth control.
Concluding his presentation of
the mid-term report, Card.
Erdõ said that in imitating
Jesus' merciful gaze, the
Church must accompany her
most fragile sons and
daughters marked by wounded
and lost love.
ow can the Church
remain true to its core
beliefs while showing
mercy, compassion and
forgiveness to individuals who
fail, in so many ways, to live up
its high ideals? That's the
question at the heart of the
Synod of Bishops on the Family
which is moving towards the
conclusion of its first week's
work. To explore these issues at
the daily press briefing on
Thursday, the head of the
Vatican press office Fr
Federico Lombardi and his
assistants were joined by the
head of the Canadian Bishops'
Conference, Archbishop PaulAndré Durocher and Italian
Cardinal Francesco
Coccopalmerio, as Philippa
Hitchen reports....
'Which of you, having
a son or an ox that has fallen
into a well on the Sabbath day,
will not immediately pull him
A
amicably.”
The archbishop, who
is president of Nigeria's
conference of bishops, also
commented on the violent
situation in his own country.
The terrorist group
has made highly publicized
attacks in Nigeria, including the
April abductions of hundreds of
schoolgirls.
Archbishop Kaigama said the
members of Boko Haram are
not “normal Nigerians.”
“We Nigerians love
life, we protect life, we value
and treasure motherhood,
fatherhood, children are our
blessing, so nobody wishes to
take life,” he said.
“The normal Nigerian
loves life, loves motherhood,
loves family and promotes that
very well.”
Family is an important value in
Nigeria, the archbishop
explained.
Nigerians “just want a
normal family in line with the
biblical concept of family, man
and woman together in stable
union. They bring up children,
if God gives them children, in a
communion,” he said.
“This is what we want
to see in the family, where
values are planted and spiritual
and moral issues raised and
children grow up like Jesus: in
fear of God, in strength and
wisdom.”
Nigeria, along with
the rest of Africa, has much to
contribute to the Universal
Church in synod discussions
taking place about family issues,
Archbishop Kaigama said.
There are more than
40 participants from Africa in
the Synod this year, out of 250.
out?' Those words of Jesus to
the Pharisees were used by
Cardinal Coccopalmerio on
Thursday to throw light on the
dilemma facing Synod Fathers
as they struggle to distinguish
between Church doctrine and
its practical application to
people in their care.
As a canon law
professor and current
president of the Pontifical
Council for Legislative Texts,
the Cardinal has spent most of
his life studying the way the
laws of the Church impact
ordinary peoples' lives. He's
also a member of the new
Commission, established by
Pope Francis in September, to
reform the marriage
annulment process – one of
the issues that has been under
the spotlight in the Synod
Hall…..
Like many other
Church leaders, the cardinal is
strongly in favour of
Pope at Audience: Prayers and
Renewed Openness Needed
to Overcome Divisions
V
atican City, October 08,
2014 (Zenit.org) Prayer
and renewed openness
are needed to overcome division
and threats to unity, the Pope
said during his weekly general
audience catechesis.
Addressing thousands
of pilgrims and tourists in St.
Peter's Square, the Pope asked
those present whether they were
indifferent to disunity, or did
they firmly believe they can and
must walk in the direction of
reconciliation and full
communion?
The Pope reminded
them that the Church is tempted
by the Evil One who tries to
divide her and has a history of
“grave and painful separations”.
“What is certain,” the
Pope said, “is that, in one way or
another, behind theses
lacerations are always pride and
egoism, which are the cause of
all disagreement and which
render us intolerant, incapable
of listening and of accepting that
there is a vision or a position
different from ours.”
Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama Praises Africa's
archbishop said this shows
Representation at the Synod on Family “aThegreat
development.”
rchbishop Ignatius
Kaigama of Jos, Nigeria,
has high hopes for the
outcome of the current bishops'
synod, noting the contributions
of the African Church despite
extreme violence and other
local struggles.
“There is great hope,
the mood is good and I think
there is a lot to be achieved,”
Archbishop Kaigama told
EWTN News at the Vatican Oct.
7.
He said the bishops
attending the synod have
shown “frankness in sharing”
and “humility in listening,” as
Pope Francis requested at the
start of the gathering.
The Extraordinary
Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops is taking place in
Vatican City from Oct. 5-19 to
prepare for the Ordinary Synod
in 2015. Its focus is on the
pastoral challenges facing the
family in the context of the new
evangelization.
Archbishop Kaigama
said the climate at the synod
features “a lot of friendship,
fraternity and communion.” He
called it “wonderful to have
bishops from all over world
seated with the Pope listening
attentively and sharing very
“Africa has so much to
offer the world and also to offer
the Church. We believe that we
shall be listened to. We have our
peculiar pastoral issues that we
would want to present,” he said.
“We hope that in this
period of synodality, solidarity
and fraternity we shall be
listened to and we shall all go
away – Europe, Asia, Africa,
America – all go away smiling
and happy.”
To overcome such
divisions, the Pope said
“without a doubt, prayer must
not be lacking, in continuity and
in communion with that of
Jesus.”
In addition, the Lord
“asks us for renewed openness,”
the Pope said. “He asks us not to
close ourselves to dialogue and
to encounter, but to take up
everything that is valid and
positive that is offered to us also
from one who thinks differently
from us or holds different
positions.”
The Lord, the Pope
added, “asks us not to fix our
look on what divides us, but
rather on that which unites us,
seeking to know and to love
Jesus better and to share the
richness of His love.
“This entails
concretely adherence to truth,
together with the capacity to
forgive one another, to feel
ourselves part of the same
family, to consider ourselves a
gift to one another and to do
many good things together,
many works of charity,” Francis
said.
In closing, the Pope
urged the faithful to go forward
in unity. “History has separated
us, but we are on the way
towards reconciliation and
communion!,” he said. “ And
when the goal might seem too
distant, almost unreachable,
and we feel prey to
discouragement, let us be
encouraged by the idea that God
cannot close His ear to the voice
of His Son Jesus and to hear His
and our prayer, that all
Christians be truly one.”
simplifying the annulment
process which is often a costly,
complicated and drawn out
affair. All the bishops at the
Synod, are clear there will be
no change to the Church's
teaching on the indissolubility
of a Catholic marriage, but is
much heated discussion on
how to respond to men and
women who are separated,
divorced and remarried and
are asking to be readmitted to
the Eucharist.
Reflecting some of
the many practical suggestions
made by bishops, Fr Lombardi
spoke of support networks,
prayer services and public
blessings which can help
people move on from a failed
marriage to a new sense of the
Spirit working in their lives.
Yet alongside these spiritual
solutions, as Fr Tom Rosica
explained, the bishops are
wrestling with what it really
means to be an incarnational
and sacramental Church in
which Jesus can touch and
heal peoples' hearts and lives.
"We must allow
Jesus to do his work in the
Eucharist because the
Eucharist was left for us,
sinners. We must not portray a
Church which tries to put
limits on God's love...."
The sense of urgency
about resolving these issues is
palpable during the Synod
sessions. Bishops dealing with
people in mixed CatholicOrthodox marriages say there
is much confusion over why
the Eastern Churches can
admit remarried spouses to
the altar while Rome cannot.
As Archbishop Durocher
concluded, there's a growing
consensus that, amid so many
economic and social
challenges facing families
today, the Church must be
more open to meeting the
particular needs of men,
women and children in their
care…
"What's going on in
the Synod is we're seeing a
more inductive way of
reflecting, starting with the
real situations of people… and
finding that the lived
experience of people is also a
theological source, a place of
theological reflection"
Not a battle between people
and principles, he said, but
rather the bishops are learning
how to bring the requirements
of justice and mercy closer
together in a marriage made in
heaven.
"A marriage of
justice and mercy - God is
perfectly just and perfectly
merciful, it's just hard for us to
do the same, but we must strive
to do that.”
Archbishop Kaigama: Church Upholds Dignity of All People
V
atican City, October
08, 2014 (Zenit.org)
Doctrine is not up for dispute
at the synod, affirms Nigeria's
Archbishop Ignatius
Kaigama, as only the pastoral
approach is up for discussion.
Speaking at the
third press conference on the
Synod on the family, hosted
by the director of the Vatican
press office, Jesuit Father
Federico Lombardi, and
Argentinean Archbishop
Victor Fernandez, Archbishop
Kaigama spoke on some of the
biggest challenges and
misinterpretations facing the
Church in Africa.
Responding to how
the Church upholds the dignity
of homosexuals in Africa,
Archbishop Kaigama said the
Church's position against
criminalisation has been
misrepresented in the media.
“We would defend
any person with a homosexual
orientation who is being
harassed, imprisoned or
punished," he said.
"So when the media
takes our story they should
balance it ... we try to share our
point of view (but) we don't
punish [those with a
homosexual orientation]," the
prelate said. "The government
may want to punish them but
we don't, in fact we will work to
tell the government to stop
punishing those who have
different orientations.”
Regarding other
practical problems facing
African Church leaders, he
elaborated on some countryspecific problems, such as how
to respond to pressures from
international organizations
linking financial aid to
population control. He
stressed that what is being
o f f e r e d
t o
t h e
Africans—condoms and
artificial contraception—is not
what they want.
“We want food,
education, good roads, good
health and so on … good
health,” he said, adding “but we
are given certain things and we
are expected to accept just
because we are poor.”
“Yet,” he continued,
“one can be poor in spirituality,
ideas, education, and many
other ways. So we are not poor
in that sense. We may be poor
materially, but not poor in
every sense.”
“We will say what we
think is wrong,” the head of the
Nigerian bishops' conference
argued, saying the time where
Africans just accepted and
didn't question is gone.
“Now we decide, we
evaluate, we ask questions.
This is what we do now in
Africa.”
NEWS
Sir Silas Ike Dedicates New House
A
Catholic Knight, Silas
Ike, KSJI, has dedicated
his newly completed
residential building at the New
Generation Estate, NkwelleEzunaka, Anambra State.
The ceremony which
took place on Saturday,
October 11, started with a Holy
Mass presided over by Rev. Fr.
O. Remigius.
In a homily during
the Eucharistic celebration, Fr.
Remy described Lady and Sir
Silas Ike as a wonderful couple,
good Christians and children of
God who were living out their
Christian faith in a way that
others needed to emulate in
terms of generosity and
alleviating the sufferings of
other people around them.
He advised his
congregation to emulate the
good Christian examples of Sir
and Lady Ike. He said that at
the end of our earthly lives, one
thing that would be paramount
for which we shall be
remembered is our life while on
earth.
Recalling the good
P.G Ogbunike Plywood Market,
Chief Ezenwa, Begs Govt to
Provide Access Road to the Market
T
Rev. Fr. Remigius, Sir Silas Ike and wife pose in the front of the newly dedicated house
lifestyle of Sir and Lady Ike, Fr.
Remygius admonished the
Christian faithful not to be
hearers of the word only, but to
be doers of the word also, so
that, like Sir Silas Ike who had
trained many Seminarians and
had assisted in the works of the
Church, they would live out
their own Christian faith
according to their callings.
In an interview, Sir
Silas Ike thanked God for his
benevolence towards him and
his family, especially for
helping him to build a
providence mansion to the
glory of God. He also thanked
the multitude who came from
far and near to rejoice with
him, and prayed God to bless
them all.
Also in an interview,
the President General of the
Plywood Market, Ogbunike,
Chief Josephat Ezenwa
thanked God for His abundant
blessings on Sir Silas Ike, who
he said, was one of their
members in the Ogbunike
market.
he President General of
Ogbunike Plywood
Market, Chief Josephat
Ezenwa, has called on the State
Government to fulfill its
promise made to the market by
providing access road to the
market. Chief Ezenwa said that
the State Government had
earlier made a promise to the
market that access road would
be provided to make the
deplorable road leading to the
market motorable.
He maintained that
if good road were provided in
the market, it would attract
customers and more
businessmen into the market.
H e h o w e v e r
commended Governor Willie
Obiano for being up and doing
in the provision of sound
security network in the State
which he said, had reduced
incidences of robbery and had
improved investment in the
Anambra.
The P.G added that
his administration in the
market had built a very big
secretariat to enhance day to
day running of the market;
adding that the leadership of
the market wanted to develop it
and make the market a place to
be envied.
Chief Josephat Ezenwa
Nkwo Nnewi Triangle Saga Is Shrouded in Secrecy
-Orji Nwafor Orizu
A
constitutional lawyer
who is a member of the
royal family of the
Orizus in Nnewi, Barr. Orji
Nwafor Orizu, had said that
the Nkwo Nnewi Triangle saga
was shrouded in secrecy. He
said that the perpetrators
conceived and perfected their
plans in secrete, leaving the
people of Nnewi town to go
about trading blames among
themselves.
He said that since
the alleged sale or revocation
of certificate of occupancy of
the Nkwo Nnewi Triangle, the
community had been fighting
among themselves, spreading
rumours and speculations;
blaming the traditional ruler
of the town, Igwe Kenneth
Orizu and his son who is the
Deputy Speaker of Anambra
State House of Assembly –
Hon. Chudi Orizu. He said
that while some people
blamed the royal family of
Orizu for having hands in
selling the Triangle, some laid
blame on the Nzuko-Ora
Nnewi, some people accused
the Sole Administrator while
some accused other
stakeholders in the town.
Warning that
speculation and gossip could
ruin a people, the legal
luminary of 40 year
experience admonished the
people of Nnewi to stop
trading blames and accusing
one another, especially as it
concerned the royal family.
Insisting also that
the royal family had no hands
in giving out the sacred Nkwo
Nnewi Triangle, Barr. Orji
Nwafor-Orizu warned that
accusing Igwe Orizu who had
ruled the town for 51 years
unblemished, would mean
lack of respect and ingratitude
on the part of the people of
Nnewi. He advised the people
of the town to come together
and go after Chief Peter Obi,
the ex-governor of the state as
well as the State Government
“who had desecrated the
Triangle.”
He made it clear that
he did not blame Nnewi
people because it was
awkward for a people to wake
up one morning just to see a
stranger building in their
land.
He however advised
the people of the town not to
weep any more concerning
the Triangle, because,
according to him, the Triangle
still belong to Nnewi town and
had not been revoked as
widely believed by the people.
According to him,
“The right of occupancy of
Nkwo Nnewi Triangle had not
been revoked; anybody
building anything there is
doing so at his or her own risk.
“The ex-governor
Peter Obi published in a
gazette that the right of
ownership of the Triangle has
been revoked using his power
as governor; but regrettably,
because he lacked knowledge
of the law, he failed to know
that the law does not support
revocation of land ownership
by publishing same in any
local newspaper or gazette;
rather, such revocation notice
must be served directly to the
person concerned through
special service, as provided
for in the Land Use Act.
“Publication in a
newspaper or gazette has
been held by courts in Nigeria
not to be the proper way of
revoking certificate of
occupancy, but through
special service.” He said,
quoting from a book of law.
He said that the
gazette signed by Chief Peter
Obi in 2013 contained
information stating that the
Triangle would be used for the
overriding public interest.
Orizu said however that since
the Triangle was used for the
construction of a shopping
mall (Shop-Rite) instead of
public amenities like school,
hospitals, et cetera, “the piece
of land is being used for Peter
Obi's private business,” not
for any public good; adding
that a shopping mall is not a
public property, therefore,
the owners of the land, Nnewi
people, had nothing to gain if
the land would be taken for
the construction of a
shopping mall.
“The people of this
town should match on to the
State Government and the
stakeholders involved in this
mess and ask them
questions.” He concluded.
Chief Peter Obi
Barr Orji Nwafor-Orizu
Igwe Kenneth Orizu
Eze Iweka of Obosi Celebrates III Obiora Festival
O
n Saturday, October
11, 2014, His Majesty,
Chukwudubem
Iweka III, Eze Obosi,
celebrated his 3rd Obiora
Festival in grand style.
The event which was
held at the town's mini
stadium field also featured a
grand reception organized by
the community in honour of
one of their sons, Chief Osita
Chidoka (Ike Obosi), the
former FRSC boss, who was
appointed recently by
President Jonathan as the
Hon. Minister of Aviation.
The dual ceremony
attracted dignitaries from all
walks of life and featured
masquerade parades, age
grade parades, cultural
dances, cultural rituals and
display of major traditional
heritage of the town.
In an address
presented by the traditional
ruler at the function, Eze
Iweka III commended
President Jonathan for
appointing one of their sons,
Chief Chidoka, as Aviation
Minister, saying that the
community has been given
sense of belonging by
government at the centre,
and promised that the town
would do everything possible
to support the Federal
Government.
He also drew the
attention of the Federal
Government on the incidence
of erosion menacing the
community at various points,
and called for urgent
intervention by the
appropriate authorities.
W h i l e a l s o
condemning the menace of
Boko Haram in parts country,
Eze Iweka called for
concerted effort to pull the
insurgents down. He called
on the Nigerian people to
rally round Jonathan in the
fight against terrorism.
He also called on the
youths of his community to
embrace education, insisting
that education was the most
potent tool for fighting
ignorance and poverty.
In an interview with
newsmen, Chief Osita
Chidoka who was honoured
by the community at the
event, thanked Eze Iweka III
and the entire community for
the honour accorded to him
and promised to be good
ambassador of the time
anytime, anywhere.
His Majesty Chukwudubem Iweka
NEWS
Hardis and Dromedas Organizes
Seminar
on Ebola
By Ngozi Asonibe
T
he Hardis and
Dromedas Limited held
h e r
o n e
d a y
sensitization on Ebola Virus
Diseases (EDV) for school
teachers in Oyi Local
Government Council of
Anambra State on Monday,
October 6, 2014 at Aguocha
Primary School, Umunya in
Oyi Local Government Area of
Anambra State.
Chief Sir Emmanuel
I f e a n y i U g b e n e ,
Superintendent Pharmacist
during his seminar
presentation, titled “Necessary
Precautionary Measures in
Communities and Schools”
gave an overview on Ebola
Virus Disease which he said,
first appeared in 1976 in two
simultaneous outbreaks in
Nzara, Sudan and in Yambuku,
Democratic Republic of Congo
and it took its name after a
village situated near Ebola
River.
He said that Ebola is
not a respiratory disease like
flu and not transmitted
through the air rather, though
it is transmitted through direct
contact with the body fluids of
a person who is sick with or has
died from EVD and from
objects contaminated with the
virus.
He said that signs
and symptoms of EVD include
fever greater than 38.6C or
101.5 F and severe headache,
muscle pain, vomiting,
amongst others which may
appear anywhere from two to
twenty-one days after
exposure to Ebola.
He warned that it
was important to always
observe hand hygiene with
soap and running water. He
advised on the use of
antiseptics and disinfectants.
Earlier in a welcome
address, Mrs Ifeyinwa Okolo,
General Manager of Hardis
and Dromedas, said that the
seminar was targeted at
women who were mostly
mothers, in order to ensure
and guarantee maximum
benefit to the wider society.
She noted that the
Mrs Ifeyinwa Okolo
Chief Sir Ifeanyi Ugbene
outbreak of Ebola Virus
Disease (EVD) had caused
much pain and discomfort not
only to the affected individuals
and their families, but also to
the entire society. She thanked
the chairman of Nigerian
Union of Teachers (NUT),
Anambra State, Mr. Ifeanyi
Ofodile and the Chairlady, Oyi
Local Government Area, Lady
Comfort Ebele Gwacham JP,
Rev Fr. Anthony Idigo, Rev.
Marcel Emeh their spiritual
fathers and others for their
combined efforts in ensuring
the success of the seminar. She
appreciated the officials of Oyi
Local Government Area and
management of Hardis and
Dromedas for working
tirelessly to make the one-day
sensitization seminar a
success. She encouraged the
use of Isol germicide or Isol
soap for general hygiene and
control of diseases.
T
hey came in their large
numbers from
different age groups
and backgrounds. The venue
was the central field/ mini
stadium of St. Lwanga's
Catholic Church, Okpoko
New Haven, Onitsha. Some
wore white apparels showing
that they were still mourning
the demise of their husbands
while some looked dejected
with wrinkled faces. There
were others who were
ushered into the venue using
walking sticks because they
were suffering from different
forms of debilitating
ailments. They all were united
by the loss of their husbands
the police.
environment for investors.
Earlier, the
Chairman of the Community
Policing Partners in
Anambra State, Mr. Chris
Udeze, said they were in the
commissioner's office to
pledge their support for his
efforts to secure the state.
It could be recalled
that the Community Policing
Partners in Anambra State
was established and
members inducted last
month by the immediate
past State Commissioner of
Police, AIG, Usman Gwari.
Mr. Karma's
assurance came just as over
513 traders drawn from the
major markets in the State
have been trained and
inducted as community
policing partners in the state.
Mr. Udeze assured
that the over 1,000 partners
from all the markets in the
state had decided to work
with the police to assist
Governor Willie Obiano in
ensuring a crime free
Their training and
induction according to the
Founder/Coordinator,
Udeze, was because of the
realization that market
community was the largest
of the business
communities in the
state hence the need
to give it appropriate
security.
PPRO Anambra State, Uche Ezeh
O
n Sunday, September
21, 2014, Patrick
Obiefune Eze and wife,
Chinwe, marked their 25 years
in marriage. The celebration for
the silver jubilee started with a
Holy Mass held at St. Mary's
Catholic Church, Awuda
Nnobi, Idemili South L.G.A.
The Mass was presided over by
Lawrence Ezealise, the Parish
Priest of St. Mary's Catholic
Church, Awuda Nnobi.
In a homily, Fr.
Ezealise admonished Christian
families to live their lives
according to the mind of Christ.
He advised husbands to love
their wives; to the wives, he
advised to honour their
husbands, and to the children,
he advised to obey their parents
in all things.
The event featured
cutting of anniversary cake,
exchange of gifts and other
entertainments.
Patrick Obiefune
Eze was a pharmacist with the
Nnamdi Azikiwe University
Teaching Hospital (NAUTH)
Nnewi. He is the Vice
Chairman of the Parish
Council of St. Mary's Catholic
Church, Awuda, Nnobi, and a
devout Christian.
Mr. Patrick Obiefune Eze and wife, Chinwe
Princess Oduah Foundation Fetes Anambra Widows
ommissioner of Police
in Anambra State, Mr.
Hassan Karma, has
assured members of the
public that all information
volunteered to the State
Police Command would be
treated with high level of
confidentiality.
Addressing a
delegation of
community policing
partners from markets
in the state who paid
him a courtesy visit in
his office, the police
boss said policemen
were not spirits,
stressing that they
needed information
from the public to nip
crime in the bud or
apprehend criminals.
He, therefore, advised
the partners to be firm
in their dealings in the
various markets as the
command was ready
to work with them to
ensure security of lives
and property in
Anambra State. He
commended them for
willingly volunteering
useful information to
Patrick Obiefune Eze and Wife,
Chinwe Mark 25 Years in Marriage
-Doles out cash to help 2,000 women
Anambra CP Assures Public of Confidentiality
On Information Volunteered to Police
C
T a k i n g t h e
partners on lectures
a t
t h e
Induction/training
workshop held at
Cana House, Awka
where membership
certificates were
given to them, Udeze
had said that though
i t
w a s
t h e
responsibility of the
Nigeria Police and
other security
agencies to protect
lives and properties,
it would be wrong to
abandon the entire
responsibility of
securing the
environment to the
regular security
agencies.
to the cold hands of death –
and now they are left to bear
the family burden all alone.
future. It's all about your
happiness and adding
values to your lives,” she
said.
In their despondent
states, the Princess Stella
Oduah Foundation decided to
intervene and put smiles on
their faces and it really worked
out because when they were
leaving the venue, they wore
quite a different appearance.
After filing out in a
procession and submitting a
form that captured their biodata, they were given
envelopes containing cash, a
gift that suddenly changed
their countenance. The
creases on their faces
disappeared; it gave way to
sunshine which manifested in
smiles and songs of praise they
later rendered. Those who
c o u l d n o t c o n t ro l t h e i r
excitement broke into
dancing, waving their hands in
the air in appreciation to God
for blessing the day and
sending Princess Stella Oduah
to intervene in their lives.
One of them who
could not control her emotions
beckoned on the reporter and
said: “My son, my name is
Appolonia Ezeabara. I'm a
widow and I've seen so many
things since my husband
passed away but that story is
for another day. It was through
the announcement made in
our church that Princess Stella
Oduah Foundation would host
widows that made me to come
here. When I collected my own
cash envelope, I asked to know
the person called Stella Oduah
so that I could at least pray for
her but I was told that she
didn't come here. Imagine
somebody spending this kind
of money to touch the lives of
about 2,000 of us here, yet she
stayed away from this
ceremony. Well, I just want
you to tell her that Jesus' wives
in Okpoko prayed for her. She
will not die young and it must
surely continue to be well with
her,” she prayed as she danced
outside the compound.
The empowerment
programme started with
documentation and
arrangement of the widows
according to their age
brackets. They were grouped
in various age ranges: 30- 40
years, 40- 50, 50- 60 and
finally 60- 70 years and above.
Taking their bio-
One of the directors
in the Foundation, Hon.
Okwudili Uzorka, also
provided further insight
into the content of the
empowerment.
Princess Stella Oduah
data from the simple forms
given to them at the venue was
such a Herculean task as the
bulk of the widows were not
literate while few who could
read and write complained of
various eye problems; these
came in the way of collecting
useful data from them, thus
making officials of the
foundation including our
reporter to become aids who
helped them in filling the
forms.
Addressing the
widows, the Administrative
Secretary of the Foundation,
Princess Nwaka Ononuju,
disclosed that the founder,
Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah,
was so passionate about
people and mankind
especially widows and the
downtrodden. She explained
that the package was not a
loan or revolving scheme but a
free grant to the widows so
that they could use the money
to better their lives.
“This is a way of
bringing smiles to your faces
to make you feel that there is a
better tomorrow. We had to
sensitize you people to be part
of this with the help of the
churches. That is why we have
Catholics, Anglicans,
Pentecostals and other
churches including
Sabatherians. We also used
the traditional rulers and
president generals of various
town unions so that even non
Christians could benefit from
this.
“The reason why we
collected your bio data is to get
your names and phone
contacts so that we can easily
reach you subsequently
because this is just part of the
empowerment programmes
we shall embark on in the
“The primary thing
is what we have seen
happening here right now.
We are happy about the
kind of uplift, joy and
freshness that have come
upon people who have
been very unfortunate to
have become widows. I'm
looking at it not from any
political angle but from the
humanitarian side where
Princess Oduah has this
feeling for the widows. And
from what we can observe
here, it cuts across all barriers
because we are not talking of
those from Ogbaru only where
Princess hails or those in a
particular church, political
party or state. The attendance
cuts across all.
“I think it goes a long
way to say a lot of things about
the kind of person in Princess.
You can observe that there is
no political statement here
and we made it clear from the
beginning that nobody should
talk politics with the activities
of the foundation. I will be
very sad if anybody reads
political meaning into this
empowerment. We are talking
about reaching out to people
who need to be assisted and
one has the mind to say let me
see whatever I can do no
matter how small it is but this
is not small because you can
realise that it is not small from
the excitement displayed by all
of them when they opened
their envelopes.”
Some of the
beneficiaries who spoke to The
Christian Outlook said they
were overwhelmed by the kind
gesture of the foundation.
Mrs. Esther Chukwu from
Nkanu, Enugu State, said she
became a widow seven years
ago. She said the foundation
had brought succour to her
family especially at the crucial
time when the children were
going back to school. She
applauded Princess Oduah for
the uplift given to her and said
the cash would help greatly in
offsetting the educational
expenses of her children.
Nkwo Nnewi Triangle: Nzuko Ora Drags
State Govt to Court
Honourable Court to, among
other things, “make a
-Claims N500, 000, ooo
T
he people of Nnewi in
Nnewi North Local
Government area of
Anambra State under the
aegis of Nzuko Ora Nnewi,
had sued the Anambra State
Government over the take
over of their ancestral land
“Nkwo Nnewi Triangle.”
Nzuko Ora Nnewi had in the
suit filed by its counsel,
Anthony Muogboh, (a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria), in the
Nnewi High Court, on
Wednesday, October 8, 2014,
claimed the sum of five
hundred million naira only
(N500,000,000) as general
and aggravated damage for
trespass.
The suit with no
HN/ 56/2014 had the
Anambra State Government
and the Attorney General of
the State as the defendants.
The Plaintiffs had
in
Chidiebere
Austin Ihefobi
Governor
Obiano
the suit sought an order of the For the
family
declaration that the
purported revocation of the
right of occupancy of the
people of Nnewi in respect of
all that piece of land known
as and situated at Nkwo
Nnewi Triangle, Nnewi
Rou nd abou t , N ne w i in
Nnewi North Local
Government Area by the
Governor of Anambra State
by Anambra notice of
revocation dated the 25th
April, 2013, and published in
the Anambra State Gazzette
no 6 vol. 23 of June 27, 2013,
is invalid, null and void and
of no Late
effect.”
Hon. Dr. Lazarus Ngonadi Ihefobi
(a.k.a. Ozoigbondu)
Graduation! Graduation!! Graduation!!!
· VENUE: Media House, Nnobi Rd
Nnewi.
· TIME: 11am prompt.
All students ranged from October 2013 to
September 2014 are expected to come to the
school premisses to register for their
graduation gown. Registration is free!
Signed: - Management
For more Enquires Call: -080-394-728-34.
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Directorate of Catholic
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2014.
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Vol 13 No 20

Transcription

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