POPE’S REPRESENTATIVE (PAPAL NUNCIO) TO TOGO & BENIN REP. VISITS GOVERNOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA

POPE’S REPRESENTATIVE (PAPAL NUNCIO) TO TOGO & BENIN REP. VISITS GOVERNOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA

- AS THE GOVERNOR DESCRIBES THE ATTACK ON WORSHIPPERS AT CATHOLIC CHURCH OZUBULU AS A DIRECT ATTACK ON GOD

- SAYS THE CHURCH MUST PREACH AGAINST SEPARATIST AND DIVISIVE CAMPAIGNS

- URGES THE POPE TO TAKE A DECISIVE ACTION ON AHIARA CRISIS

Governor Rochas Okorocha has said that those who carried out the attack on worshippers at Ozubulu Catholic Church in Anambra State had directly attacked God although the gunmen had succeeded in killing and wounding some people in the attack.
Governor Okorocha who spoke when the Pope’s representative (Papal Nuncio) to Togo and Benin Republic His Grace, Most Rev. Brain Udaigwe visited him at the Government House with some Bishops on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 stated that the worshippers in the Catholic Church in question had gone to worship God and the attack on them was an attack on God noting that it was unthinkable that people Could declare war against God.

He also stated that the Church leaders should speak from the pulpit against divisive and separatist campaigns because most of those involved in these unfortunate Campaigns do so out of ignorance, adding that if they are given the right information and made to know the adverse effects of what they are doing most of them would not get involved.

On the issue of Ahiara Catholic Diocese Crisis the governor remarked “The issue of Ahiara is of great concern to Imo people. There is no better person to communicate to the Pope than you. I have been to Ahiara on several occasions preaching the gospel of peace. The matter in Ahiara has gotten to the point of ego and egoism and this is the time for the Pope to take the rightful decision and restore peace in the area. I know what is wrong but this is not the time to discus who is wrong or what is wrong in order to save the Christians in that part of the world”.

He continued “I have argued and maintained that the respectability of the Catholic Church lies on the Pope. The Pope remains the only pivot upon which the Catholic Church rotates, His word therefore is sacrosanct and unchallengeable because that is the rock upon which our faith is cast. We have advised that the people heed to the word of the Pope and never go contrary to the directive of the Pope. I appeal that this issue be resolved as quickly as possible in a manner that will suggest no victor, no vanquish because it has drawn the attention of the world to the State”.

His words “We have heard about the Ozubulu killing in the Catholic Church. It is a matter that has taken a different criminal dimension and never experienced in our recent time. The governor of Anambra State has told me that there is a clue to who committed the crime and I have suggested that the culprit should be immediately brought to book without further delay and make to pay for what he has done. The bastardly act is not only sacrilegious but a direct attack to God. Killing people in the house of God, we condemn it and we ask that the perpetrator should be brought to book and the law should take its full course on the persons who must have done this”.

He said “We condemn it. This is the time that the Church of God should pray for the entire nation. Nigeria is going through a very difficult times, very challenging moment. It is a proven fact that there cannot be a success in Africa without Nigeria and the failure of Nigeria is the failure of Africa. If Nigeria rises, the entire African nation will rise, so we must do everything we can to see that Nigeria is politically and economically stable”.

Papal Nucio, His Grace Most Rev. Udaigwe in his speech earlier, thanked the governor for the love shown to him as a person, right from his ordination as a Bishop in Rome which the governor attended with his cabinet, adding that this demonstration of love is rare and cannot be forgotten and that he will continue to remember him and the state in his daily prayers.

He added “What you have done for the people of Imo State is unprecedented. There is work everywhere, some completed and some uncompleted which I pray fervently to be completed. Since I was a child, the story has always been that the government was not doing anything but the complain I hear now was that the governor is doing many things. We congratulate you for what you are doing. We wish and pray that as today is better than yesterday that tomorrow shall be better than today and Imo must be better”.

Sam Onwuemeodo
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Credit to Rochas Pikin