By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Senators-elect for Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh,has condemned incessant killings of Christians in the Northern part of the country.
Umeh stated this at the 1st session of the 13th Synod of the Church of Nigeria, Diocese of Awka, held at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Agulu, in the Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Describing the situation as worrisome, Umeh said such issues would constitute the burning issues the 10th Senate would devote time to deliberate when inaugurated in June.
Assuring the people of Anambra Central Senatorial District of quality representation at the National Assembly, Umeh thanked them for voting for him overwhelmingly in the February 25 general elections.
He tasked all and sundry to assist the church in any capacity possible to achieve its purpose of evangelism and bringing people to Christ.
In his charge, the Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim urged Nigerians to keep hope alive, stating that a new Nigeria where justice, fairness, equity, peace and progress reign was still possible.
The Archbishop described Nigeria as a nation blessed by God with many human and material resources which ought to be utilized for the good of the people, but unfortunately, the resources meant for the benefit of all had been hijacked by few in authority.
Rating the President Muhammadu Buhari regime very low, Bishop
Ibezim said,”These eight years have been very challenging. The administration was marked with incessant killings, kidnapping, unresolved agitations, looting and inflation, increased rate of unemployment and hardships,lope-sided appointments and fuel scarcity.”
The bishop said the 2023 presidential elections could not satisfy the expectations of the people as regards
the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC)in delivering free and fair elections.
Speaking about Anambra State, the Archbishop urged the state government led by Prof Chukwuma Soludo to speed up the execution of its agenda for the state and ensure that it would create an environment of peace, justice, equity and security that would attract foreign investments for the benefit of all.
He said the Soludo administration was on the journey of making the state a pleasant and habitable place, while acknowledging the massive construction and reconstruction of roads alongside other key infrastructural projects going on in the state.
Speaking on the theme of the synod, Running the Christian Race: Implications For Family in Perilous Times, Archbishop Ibezim called on Christian families to build homes to fufill God’s expectation of the family.
Speaking on behalf of the Province of the Niger, Right Reverend Ephraim Ikeakor of Amichi Diocese, described Bishop Ibexim’s charge as a rallying point that would foster family values in Christian families.
While adopting the charge as a working document in the Diocese, the Diocesan Chancellor, Justice O.J Okeke described the Archbishop’s charge as a master piece that every couple and christian should embrace to build solid homes and a prosperous nation.
Present at the event were the Deputy Governor of the Anambra state, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, the Dean, Church of Nigeria, Most Reverend Buba Lamido, over 50 Archbishops and Bishops and President, Mothers’ Union, Province of the Niger, Mrs Martha Ibezim
