He stated that the country is at the
moment passing through very difficult times and therefore urged
religious leaders across the nation and indeed all Nigerians to pray to
God for the peace of the country not minding where one comes from and
which religion one belongs.
The governor spoke weekend at the 10th
Episcopal Anniversary of the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Imo State,
Most Rev. Augustine Ukwuoma, at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Orlu,
adding that some people have lost their sense of value for lives with
the rate at which bloodletting is going on in this country, noting too
that the situation calls for God’s intervention.
According to him, “Initially, I thought
that what was going on in some parts of the country was a religious war;
but the Plateau and Zamfara killings have shown that what we have in
our hands is beyond religious killings.
“In these killings, Muslims were killing
Muslims and Christians killing Christians. They kill innocent citizens
both young and old. And for us Christians, this is the time to pray for
peace and love for one another.”
The governor however told the Bishop
“the reason I joined the world to celebrate you at your 10th Episcopal
Anniversary is that you are a very good Bishop. You are the kind of
Bishop that uses his office to attract people to God rather than chase
them away from God. And that has endeared you to God”.
The governor also commended the Orlu
Catholic Diocese for starting a university project, stating that he had
challenged the Bishop about two years ago that the Diocese should start a
university and expressed the joy that the diocese has begun the
university project.
He further stated:
“I also remember that
the Imo State Government promised to donate a token of N100 million for
the university project of which N50 million had been given. And let me
use this opportunity to ask that the balance of N50 million would be
paid immediately to complete the N100 million.”
The Bishop had earlier in his speech
thanked God for being solidly behind him in his priesthood and also
thanked the governor and the government he heads for showing special
interest in the things of God.
Among the highlights of the event was an award to the governor by the diocese for his outstanding service to God and humanity.
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