By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has made a passionate appeal to the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, to make good his promise of effecting the decision of his predecessor to return to the Church some Primary Schools which were taken over by the government at the end of the civil war.
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria made this appeal on 2 February 2023 in his capacity as the former Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia for 32 years and currently the Metropolitan of Owerri Province, during the Installation Mass of his successor, Most Rev. Michael Kalu Ukpong as the third bishop of Umuahia Diocese at Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia.
Archbishop Ugorji acknowledged the cordial relationship between the Church and the Government of Abia State, describing it as “a relationship based on mutual respect and ongoing dialogue, with Church trying to partner with government in providing our youths with high quality comprehensive education of mind, heart and spirit, firmly anchored on good morals, self-discipline and Christian values.”
The prelate thanked the former Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji, who started the handover process before he left office in 2015 and actually handed over some secondary schools belonging to the Church while announcing “unequivocally the return to the Church some Primary Schools, which were forcefully taken over from the Church by the government. “Although the return of the Primary Schools was not effected before he left office, I however thank him for that gesture.”
“I warmly greet his successor in office as Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. I am pleased to recall that in 2019 he reconfirmed the return of the said Primary Schools as part of his election promises and went ahead to issue Certificates of Return of the Schools to the Church.
“It is my belief that His Excellency, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is a man of his words; his word is his bond. I therefore have every confidence that as a man of honour and integrity, he would make good his electoral promise before he leaves office as the Governor of Abia in May.
“However, I fully understand that the delay so far in fulfilling his promise has been as a result of forgetfulness in the face of many official issues competing for his attention,” he concluded.
In his response to the appeal of the Archbishop, the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Rt. Honorable Udeh Oko Chukwu, representing the Governor, expressed surprise that the handover process had not yet been concluded, He assured that he would convey the message to the Governor and that he is certain that his principal will act promptly.
