By Onyekachi Eze
A clearer picture of what transpired at a Catholic Church in Ngwoma in Owerri North LGA of Imo State last weekend has appeared with the church issuing a statement how the Archbishop of the Owerri Archdiocese, Anthony Obinna was allegedly abused by some identified persons.
There have been counter claims concerning the incident that happened during the burial of the mother of a top flight politician of the APC and the Pro Chancellor of the Imo State University, Owerri, Alex Mbata.
There were allegations that the cleric not only missed being attacked by suspected agents of the state government but was bashed with unprintable words from the aggressive group who attempted to snatch the microphone he held during the church service.
Confirming the incident, the Director of Media and Communications for the Archdiocese, Rev Dr Dr George Nwachukwu told Trumpeta exclusively that
“What happened on Saturday was on the Archbishop who went for a burial of the mother of one Alex Mbata. And during the course of the mass, actually the mass has finished, and before the dismissal, the Archbishop rose up and then was telling the people that everyone should get his PVC and be ready to vote, come out en masse and vote, other than hiding in the crowd, you know; don’t subsume in anonymity. So when he finished, that, he began again to tell them that this is high time we do things the normal way; we don’t have to bring out anybody; your in-law; your brother and impose him or her on anybody. You have to follow the normal primaries and all the electoral processes. So when he finished that, he said again that inspite of the fact that we have Commissioner of Happiness, people are always sad; things are not going on well, workers are not paid, people are being maltreated and the roads so bad.”
Fr George continued, “Immediately his Grace finished saying that, we saw a young man who came up to challenge what the Archbishop said, and another one came up as well. At this point, there was uproar and the boys, (or well people said they are APC) I don’t know who they are came up, even to the altar insulting the Archbishop and calling him all kinds of names. They even wanted to meet him at the altar but he (Archbishop) was sitting, but some priests, Christian Fathers, Knights and some good spirited individuals came and stopped them from coming, but in all, there was a total uproar in the Church”.
Fr George also affirmed that although he wasn’t able to recognize all, they were able to identify one Jeff Nwoha who he described as their leader while others followed.
Responding to further questions about whether the Archbishop was truly beaten as alleged, the Rev. Fr. responded, “No no no no! the Archbishop wasn’t beaten, but the assaults, insults, the calumny, the dehumanization is far more than beating”.
Meanwhile, responding to the Archbishop’s reactions over the incidence, Fr Nwachukwu said that like a man of God which he is, like a true servant of God who represents Christ, he took it in the spirit with which Christ accepted His cross down to the Calvary.
In a related development, all efforts to reach the Chief Of Staff for his own side of the story proved abortive as at press time, as well as the accused, Jeff Nwoha who neither answered his several calls nor replied his text messages. We also want to commend Archbishop Anthony Obinna for saying the truth over the allegation weekend that he was attacked by government officials at a funeral service which the opponents of the government had tried in vain to use as blackmail tool.
The Archbishop personally told the Guardian Newspaper of Monday March 5, 2018, that he was “Neither beaten nor manhandled by any person”. And we have therefore no other option than to leave the matter at that point. Since the Archbishop is at the centre of the whole drama his account should be the most authentic. And we take it up from there.
Meanwhile several reactions have been trailing the incident.
According to Capt David Mbamara, Rtd, “My attention has been drawn to the manhandling of the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, His Grace Archbishop AJV Obinna by agents of the APC Government in Imo state led by Chief Ethelbert Anayo Okorocha in the presence of his wife and their son in law and Chief of staff Chief Uche Nwosu. This assault on the Revered Archbishop is an insult too many. It could be recalled that this is not the first time the APC government in Imo state is unleashing her thugs on the Archbishop and the Church of God. Before, the last general elections, the Governor afraid of exposing his intellectual emptiness employed the use of thugs to stop the gubernatorial debate organized by the Catholic Church and to manhandle the priests of the Most High God. I also recall, that the ascendancy of Chief Okorocha to power was made possible by these institutions he is working so hard to destroy. The Governor must remember how he became Governor and that power is ephemeral.
Violence is an ill wind that favours nobody, indeed it is the weak and empty that resorts to violence to cover up his inferiority complex. Okorocha and his party must know that nobody can mock God for the judgment days must come. It is very unfortunate that APC both in Imo state and the national has kept a conspiracy of silence as their Governor continue to terrorize, humiliate and vandalize the people he is supposed to Govern and their properties.
The patience and magnanimity of Ndi Imo must not be taken for foolishness or cowardice. It is sad, that the Governor of Imo state is determined to turn the state into a theater of war and not of peace through his constant resort to thugs and violence. The mayhem recently unleashed on traders of Ekeukwu Owerri,Akokwa, his Deputy and now the Catholic Archbishop is a pointer as to what to expect from the outgoing Governor of Imo state in his failed ambition to install is puppet as his successor.
As nobody has monopoly of violence, let me use this opportunity to call on the Federal government and the All Progressive Congress APC to call Governor Okorocha to order. Imo people has been patient enough and can no longer stand by and allow their revered institutions and resources to be continuously raped and rubbished by a man who became Governor on a platter of gold. This rubbish must stop.
In a statement issued after the incident by a former APC Chieftain, Hon Uche Onyeagocha, states “I understand Governor Okorocha’s desperation to run for third term hiding at the back of his son in-law, but there must be a limit to the madness.
Priests are entitled to their sermon/homily from the altar to the church. Imo State has not and cannot be allowed to degenerate to dictating sermons of men of God. Governor Okorocha and any persons who cannot tolerate critical sermons/homily from men of God should please keep away from churches. Priests must be allowed their space to deliver their sermons/homily as inspired by God. May I remind Gov Okorocha and Uche Nwosu that he Okorocha rode into power on the back of Gov Ohakims rough handling of a Catholic Priest”
