By Onyekachi Eze
A Sunday praise and worship program in an Assemblies of God Church, Ohii, in Owerri West LGA of Imo State, turned tragic when a pastor of the church, named Nnamdi Duru, collapsed at the pulpit and died latter, while what could have turned sour for the congregation at Holy Cross Parish, Aladinma, Owerri was averted when a kid set a Christmas crib in the church on fire.
It was a black Sunday for the Assemblies of God church as the pastor who came with his wife and motorcycle to the church couldn’t go home with them.
Trumpeta learnt that the healthy looking pastor showed no signs of illness as he danced all through the service until it was time for sermon.
Sources revealed that moments he mounted the pulpit to preach, a dramatic incident occurred as he slumped and gassed out. The development threw the church members into serious confusion before he was rushed to Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owerri where he was confirmed dead before corpse was deposed in mortuary.
Meanwhile, disaster was averted in Catholic Church of Owerri Archdiocese as a boy set Christmas crib inside the church ablaze.
Our correspondent reports that it was a near catastrophe on Sunday, at the Holy Cross Catholic Church Aladinma, Owerri, Imo State, when a kid under ten, mistakenly set a Christmas Crib inside one of the Church rooms, ablaze.
If not by God’s Grace through the rapid intervention of the porters and congregation at the entrance seat of the Church, there could have been recorded cases of fire casualties by now.
Aside that, the magnificent edifice of the Holy Cross Church would be undergoing thorough renovation works, over the unknown act of the lad.
Commotion erupted during the Holy mass, precisely at the period of Eucharistic celebration, when flames from the burning room where the Christmas crib was kept surrounded the back of the central isle (main entrance into the church).
At this time, the Parish Priest consecrating the Holy Eucharist was forced to stop.
People from all corners of the Church rushed down to the place, only to discover that the fire had already affected the entire room.
That was when a fire extinguisher kept within the premises was used to arrest the inferno.
The incident disrupted the Mass for about 20minutes, before the priest proceeded.
According to one of the Church wardens who informed exactly what happened, he said the young girl followed his parents who came for “Churching” (Child Dedication) to Mass.
Probably unknown to her parents, the girl sneaked out to play, only to end up inside the small room where the crib was usually kept for another Christmas season.
“Where she picked the matches she used in lighting the dried leaves is what I don’t know. Immediately she saw the place burning, she ran away out of fear, that was when I saw smoke coming out from the room”.
However, all electrical appliances were switched off as a precautionary measure.
The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Innocent Orji, who later addressed the issue warned parents and guardians on carefulness with their kids whenever they come for Mass, pointing out that if not for the observance of the congregation around the accident site, it would have been a sorry situation.
