“WE MUST STRUGGLE TO PROMOTE PEACE AND UNITY”- Bishop Godfrey Onah   

                                                                                               

BISHOP ONAH SPEAKING

Speaking on Sunday 25^th June, 2017 at St. Theresa Cathedral Parish Nsukka, the Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka Most Rev. Godfrey Onah dethroned and condemned the spirit of division among brothers, sisters, neighbours, families, communities, states and nations especially among Igbo folk.

Addressing the people of God, he said “we should embrace the love of God and the love of one another as Christ has commanded us; if we don’t accept ourselves as one, there is no guarantee we will become better as a nation”. He warned Nsukka sons and daughters especially Ogige traders to embrace love, peace and unity as Ogige market is the major source of income for Nsukka indigenes.

It should be recalled that recently, Ogige traders in their numbers stormed the secretariat complex of St. Theresa’s Cathedral Parish Nsukka in a peaceful protest seeking the immediate intervention of the Father Bishop over an alleged increment in security and electricity tariff in the market.

The local ordinary reminded the people of God that “some people have no job; they feed on crisis and trouble”. According to him however, all medical doctors present in this church know that if nobody is sick, they shall have no job. The story is the same for all lawyers because they know that if there is no trouble, they shall have no job. But no medical doctor will cause sickness in other to get job, no lawyer goes to engineer trouble in other to get a job. But there are those whose jobs are to cause and ignite trouble and to sow the seed of enmity. “We must isolate such people; they are enemies of progress” he continued.

The spiritual Father made it clear that we should avoid dancing to the tone of becoming what others say of us; rather we should strive to establish ourselves with the little we have. We must not become what others say we are. Now you can imagine were the majority claim that they are being marginalized. That is the politics of Enugu State where the majority always think themselves marginalized. Why? They are not united, they have no leader, they have no vision and they have no idea. The only source of income in Nsukka! We should remember that there are those who cannot feed their families any day Ogige market is shut down.

Stressing on the importance of peace and unity as factors responsible for the development of any community, town, state or country; Bishop Onah, thus said as it concerns Ogige Market “what we want is progress and peace, if there is a misunderstanding let it be settled quietly”.

On another note, the professor Bishop sounded it very clearly and distinctly to the listening congregation to be aware as it is not everything we hear that happens in the Northern part of the country is true. It is important we know some people most a time cook up one story or another and attach pictures to it in order to incite fear in us.

He continued that there is a difference between IPOB and AREWA youths. What AREWA youths said was that they were sent to say what they said. On the other hand what IPOB is saying is not the mind of OHANEZE NDI IGBO. “Every individual has a right to express his own feelings; anyone who says that Biafra is important to him /her should continue to say it until he is able to convince others about it, it should not be by force”.  Quoting late Gen. Ojukwu he said “I fought and proudly led the first war but there is no need for another war” said the Chief Shepherd.

Bishop Onah admonished all those who are clamoring for war to redress their steps as there will be no hiding place for any man in this country rather we should embrace and promote peace, love and unity in our homes, working places and in our country Nigeria blessed with rich human and natural resources.

“There are many problems in this country and all of us are victims of a few greedy Nigerians who have taken this country for ransom. We are fighting one another and they are enjoying their money”.

Our problem in this country is not basically Biafra, Arewa, Fulani etc as many think rather our problems are those many Nigerians without conscience who mostly are not in Nigeria but derive joy in causing trouble. What they are after is instigating war that the innocent citizens are killed and maimed in their own land. He described those people as “vultures feeding on the carcasses of their dead brothers and sisters”. When these happen, the blame will be apportioned to others; they know what they are doing.

The father Bishop advised young people especially boys to come out of their shells and shackles of life and find something meaningful and do and not to sit at a place talking about Biafra.

The local ordinary maintained that we shall continue speaking out against injustice meted out on any group be it Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba as injustice is wrong.

He finally called on all especially Nsukka people to take proper care of Nsukka, take care of Igbo land and take care of this our country Nigeria. And the only chance we have to put things in order is by holding firm the message of the gospel and if we really believe in the gospel, we should not be afraid as the gospel tells us because truth will eventually prevail.