The Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji has said that no clamour for restructuring, Republic of Oduduwa or Biafra can succeed without love and unity of purpose.
Bishop Ugorji, who made this observation in a Eucharistic mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Parish, Isieke, Umuahia, Abia State during his pastoral visit which also witnessed the meeting of Umuahia Diocesan Council of Catholic Men Organisation (CMO), said without the above stated ingredients, human relationship was bound to collapse.
He observed that in Nigeria, there were many discordant tunes, some singing for disintegration, division/separation, some clamouring for unity, while others are calling for restructuring, pointing out that even if Oduduwa Republic or Biafra was actualised, without love and unity of purpose, it would be a flop.
The Catholic Clergy noted that what is important today in Nigeria is love and unity, adding, “We should open our hearts to receive one another, seeing those things that will make us work together and not those things that will divide us. The mission of the Church is communion, community, having one heart and one mind.”
The Diocesan President of CMO, Bernard Nwogu, in his remarks said the aim of CMO was to evangelise and sensitise the public so that the Catholic doctrine would be practised as stipulated.
Nwogu charged the CMO members to serve as the heads of their families; love their wives and children according to the doctrines of the Church and dictates of Christ.
Earlier in a welcome address jointly signed by the Chairman Parish Council, Patrick Ezionye; Secretary Parish Council Innocent Nwachukwu and Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Tobias Ukeh, they expressed the wish of the CMO to Christianise new yam festival.
The address presented to Bishop Ugorji read: “My Lord, initiated by the parish CMO, and approved by the parish priest, we celebrated New Yam festival with mass on the evening of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary this year. It is our wish that this effort will spark a dialogue with the Traditional Rulers to Christianizing the Iri ji ceremonies in Ibeku land”.
In his short speech during the CMO diocesan meeting, the CMO Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Cosmos Okafor who has been transferred commended the CMO for the support they had given to him for the past five years he served as their chaplain and charged them to keep it up.
UDOKA AGWU, UMUAHIA
