Over 200 priests of the Anglican Communion, from the Onitsha Arch Diocese, blocked the gate of the Anambra State government house, Awka on Friday, preventing governor Willie Obiano from leaving office.
The priests were protesting alleged take over of a property in Onitsha, which they said belonged to them.
They said their Catholic counterparts seized the land from them, in connivance with the state governor, Obiano, who they noted was also a Catholic.
Meanwhile, Governor Obiano snubbed the priests’ invasion of the government house gate, refusing to come out to address them, prompting them to bring out chairs, on which they all sat at the gate, singing hymns, and refusing to leave until they were addressed by the governor.
Diocese of the Niger, Anglican Communion has been contesting the ownership of the school with their Catholic counterpart, which led to the ban of church services in public schools in Anambra state by Obiano-led administration.
The priests also refused to be addressed by the deputy governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, insisting it must be the governor himself.
The protesting priests carried placards of various inscriptions such as: ‘Gov. Obiano, stop disrupting our church services and activities’, Bishop Crowder Memorial Primary School is not government property’ among others.
The leader of the protesting priests, Ven. Josiah Chukwukadibia Ofoegbu said they were at the government house to register their grievances over marginalization and politics of denomination being played by the Anambra state government under Obiano.
They also claimed that so many Anglicans in the state were denied All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ticket for various positions in the just concluded party primaries, describing such as a threat to peaceful coexistence.
“We are embittered in what is happening in our dear state. This present administration is turning Anambra state to a denominational state. It is unfortunate that this is happening 28 years after Bishop Ajayi Crowder who built the school left Nigeria.
“Some Anglicans were denied ticket in this state because they are not Catholics. When people like Jim Nwobodo and Nnamdi Azikiwe were leaders, they never discriminated against anybody.”
The group said it was quite unfortunate that ”governor Obiano sent thugs a few weeks ago to send us out of our place of worship.
“They disgraced us in our own property. They dispersed the worshippers and even threatened to kill us. This injustice must end.
“We want to let the governor know that we will worship there on Sunday, he should prepare for war. We are ready to die on that land. Obiano should stop that discrimination.”
Attempts by aides of the state governor to address the protesting priests were rebuffed.
DAILY POST, however, gathered from a top government functionary who wished to remain anonymous, while looking for soft landing sent for the Bishop of the Niger Diocese, Bishop Owen Nwokolo who begged the protesting priests, causing them to leave.
Comments