Catholic priest apologises to Nsukka diocese, Ibenda community

The catholic priest, who held from Ibenda, Obelle Eke, in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, tendered the apology during a reconciliatory meeting between the community and the church. The meeting was organised by the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Dr Francis Okobo on Friday, to find lasting solution to crisis that had torn the […]

The catholic priest, who held from Ibenda, Obelle Eke, in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, tendered the apology during a reconciliatory meeting between the community and the church.

The meeting was organised by the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Dr Francis Okobo on Friday, to find lasting solution to crisis that had torn the community apart.

He said that he did not know that his support for some youths of the community would cause an embarrassment to the Catholic Church, which he pledged during ordination to serve for life.

“I am sorry for my action that has brought the Catholic Church a bad reputation; I will never get involved in such in future,” he said.

He pledged to ensure that youths in the area would also show the same remorse, stressing that he had forgiven all those who offended him.

 Indigenes of the community who testified during the peace talk accused Ogbu and one Titus Omemma as those who misled the youths.

Kevin Agbo, Felix Odoh, Chidi Eze and James Agu in their separate testimonies described the actions and utterances of Ogbu as unbefitting to his ordination.

“I have no blame for the youths because they were misled by those who sponsored them,” Odoh said.

Also some priests from the community expressed dissatisfaction over Ogbu’s involvement in spite of attempts by some of them to call him to order.

Earlier in his remark, Okobo said he was in the community to ensure that Catholics in the area were not demoralised in practising their faith as well as to find ways to restore peace in the community.

The bishop, however, said that the church would punish catholic faithful who were involved in bringing the fetish pastor who created the problem in the town.

“All Catholics, who contributed money to pay the pastor have failed in their faith and as such will be punished according to the church law,” he said.

Okobo said that the involvement of the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Daniel Ogbonna, a knight of saint Mulumba and Ogbu a catholic priest was a disgrace to the church.

Trouble stated in the community in 2008 when some youths invited one pastor to examine some elders in the community, whom they accused of being responsible for the low level of development in the town.

Some elders indicted were stripped naked, flogged and paraded round the town as diabolic human beings. (NAN)