The last time I checked, there was a
perceived rift between the Imo State Government led by Governor Rochas Okorocha
and the Catholic communion in the state’s capital under the leadership of
Archbishop Anthony Obinna.
The difference seemed to have emanated
penultimate month from a certain burial ceremony that held in the state,
precisely Owerri North LGA. In the said event, Archbishop Obinna was reportedly
spotted in the church lamenting over all the perceived ill activities being
carried out by the Gov. Okorocha-led government otherwise known as the ‘Rescue
Mission’ Administration.
In a swift reaction to the lamentations, the
governor’s allies therein allegedly assaulted the clergy. It’s noteworthy that
the Archbishop had afterwards publicly refuted the rumour that his person
received an assault from the aides of the state’s number one citizen. Notwithstanding,
the spokesman of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese in the person of Rev. Fr.
George Nwachukwu, on his own accord, insisted that his principal was actually
assaulted.
I could not reconcile the two distinct public
speeches separately given by the religious leader and his subject. The two
different press statements were obvious indication that someone somewhere was
trying to play prangs on the people. Please, don’t get my assertion twisted,
because the truth of the matter remains that something is definitely missing
somewhere.
However, some concerned Imolites have
opined that the archbishop’s press release was not unconnected with the
clergy’s intent to forestall likely societal upheaval or chaos. In other words,
he might have foresaw that an uproar would ensue if he aligned with the report
that he was assaulted, or even insulted, by the protégés of the Imo Governor.
At this point, I wish to candidly ask;
who is really misinforming who? How could the archbishop clarify the people
that he was never assaulted and his ally would on the other hand disqualify his
boss’ notice? I’m still trying to fathom what exactly went wrong.
Be it as it may, I want to sincerely
analyze what transpired in the church during the aforementioned burial
ceremony. It was gathered that the archbishop, having aired his view, handed
the microphone over to a certain politician believed to be of the extraction of
the opposition political platform, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). And the
political juggernaut therein began to pour out series of criticisms targeted to
the APC-led government right before the congregation as well as the lying
corpse.
When I got the news, I didn’t hesitate to
ascertain if a requiem Mass was in the long run converted to a political
gathering. How could a place designated for last respect to be paid to a
deceased person be eventually used for political jamboree? Honestly, if I were
the person in the casket, I would have without much ado become a living being
just for the purpose of descending on whosoever that derailed in the process,
because such a gesture was a slap on the soul
of the deceased.
I won’t hesitate to declare that the
governor’s supporters equally derailed on that fateful day. How could an individual
in his/her right senses think of insulting an ordained man of God let alone
making it public? Such attitude of theirs was an eyesore, to assert the least.
Even if the archbishop wasn’t assaulted as claimed, the fact remains that there
was an attempt to abuse his priesthood.
No
matter the provocation, a conspicuous attempt to humiliate an anointed
individual is enough reason to scold whosoever that thought of such an act talk
less of displaying it. Anyone who fails to condemn such manner of retaliation
in its entirety is actually concealing evil, hence deserves to be scolded too.
The best thing they could have done at that point was to leave the scene if
they were really hurt. After all, two wrongs do not make a right.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that
this piece was not informed by some persons’ quest to aggravate the perceived
existing rift between the church and the state’s government; rather, was
necessitated by the need to mediate between the ‘warring’ parties with a view
to bringing an everlasting end to the ongoing uncalled melodrama.
I’ve chosen to remain mute all these
while because I don’t like to speak or react when many are still talking. No
matter how long it took my pensive pen to react, the fact is that I cannot
claim ignorance of such serious issue trending in a state in which I’m a
stakeholder. It suffices to say that I’m bound to do the needful whenever such
a matter comes into play; and the needful is to play the role of a mediator
come rain come shine.
Hence, at this juncture, I’m earnestly
appealing to all concerned to endeavour to sheath their sword. What Imo need
right now is to face a subject matter that would usher in nothing but absolute
oneness. The people of the state are already divided owing to political
interests, thus we shouldn’t harbour anything that could bring further division
among us. The Eastern heartland is at the moment seriously in search of harmony
and peaceful coexistence among her people.
Everyone or any human creature is
arguably an affiliate of the church. This is the reason anything that affects
the church, in one way or the other, equally affects the human race. So, we
wouldn’t want the church to be aggrieved with the government because we cannot
cope with her ‘venom’ which she may vomit when pushed to the wall.
All in all, not minding who had wronged
who at the burial ceremony, or so far, I enjoin the governor to swallow his
pride towards ensuring that an unalloyed apology is tendered on behalf of his
allies or the government in general. This is the best way a formidable harmony
can be actualized among every party involved. Think about it!
Comrade Fred Doc Nwaozor
Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri
___________________________
Twitter: @mediambassador
