.Governor condemns attack on Catholic church in Ozubulu
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has said that those who carried out the attack on worshippers at Ozubulu Catholic Church in Anambra State directly attacked God although the gunmen had succeeded in killing and wounding some people in the church.
Governor Okorocha 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, Owerri, with some Bishops on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.
The governor said that the victims had gone to worship God and “the attack on them was an attack on God,” stressing that it was unthinkable that people could declare war against God.
He also advised the church leaders to condemn the divisive and separatist campaigns in Nigeria.
According to him, “most of those involved in these unfortunate campaigns do so out of ignorance,” adding, “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 Ahiara Catholic Diocese crisis, the governor said, “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 to save the Christians in that part of the world.
“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.”
Papal Nucio, His Grace Most Rev. Udaigwe, in his speech, 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 prayers.
