Owerri Catholic Archdiocese Clarifies Issues
- Says Former Kaduna State Gov, Like Others Not Officially Invited
The Owerri Catholic Archdiocese has clarified issues about the trending report about the presence of Mallam El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State at the 2025 Odenigbo Lecture held at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral recently.
The Church, in a release issued by the Archdiocesan Chancellor/Secretary, Rev Fr Patrick .C. Mbata, said, “The attention of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri has been drawn to the misrepresentation of facts and/or outright falsehood making the rounds in the social media, about the presence of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, during this year’s Archdiocesan Day/Odenigbo Lecture.
The last edition was no exception to the rule. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was not invited by the Archdiocese to deliver any lecture or speech at the event. Much as the lecturers are from the Igbo stock, the audience however, is not limited to Ndigbo. All persons, from all races, creed and political leaning, are welcome to the event.
Midway into the event of last Saturday’s lecture, a group of hired placard-carrying thugs, young men and women stormed the Maria Assumpta Cathedral back gate, chanting all manner of unprintable things against Mr. Peter Obi and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. While Peter Obi has been a regular guest at the Archdiocesan Day/Odenigbo Lecture, he however, was not able to grace this year’s event. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai did not deliver any talk nor press conference within the premises of Villa Assumpta. It would be most misleading for any group or news medium to publish or broadcast such a falsehood.”
In the release captioned, “PUTTING THE FACTS STRAIGHT”, Fr Mbarah further stated that, “the Odenigbo Lecture is an intellectual legacy of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri for the promotion of Igbo language and Culture, for the inculturation of the Gospel and for the upliftment of our spiritual welfare. The Odenigbo Lecture which is rendered entirely in Igbo Language, is the high point of the Archdiocesan Day Celebration. Only one Guest Lecturer of an Igbo extraction chosen the previous year gives the lecture. This year’s lecture was delivered on Saturday 6th September, by Rev. Sr. Prof. Evangeline Oparnocha, of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO)”.
The Church expressed dismay that some misguided persons engaged the youths and women in their numbers to come and disrupt the Archdiocesan activity, instead of engaging them in something meaningful to better their lives. Attempting to desecrate the hallowed premises of Villa Assumpta is a big mistake by the sponsors of the misguided protesters. We hereby call on such individuals to desist from such acts of hooliganism that violate the fundamental human rights and freedoms”.
