Obi overshadows Gov. Uzodinma at Owerri Cathedral

From Ori Martins, Owerri

The congregation at the Assumpta Cathedral Church, Owerri, last Thursday, was exceptionally more than the usual gathering of the faithful for the normal ritual Mass orders. It was the official assumption of duty of the new Archbishop of the archdiocese of Owerri, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji; and the grand send off of his immediate predecessor, Archbishop Anthony Obinna.

Thee colourful event attracted the who’s who in the South East and beyond, including politicians, captains of industry, academia, civil servants and the general public.

Almost dramatically and sensationally, the course of day changed in matter that turned the church more as a political rally than a worship centre. The priest who functioned as the master ceremony of the day introduced Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma as one of the special dignitaries attending the event.

At the mention of Uzodimma, an expected round of applause went round the pews of the church. And then it appeared as if the Second Coming was at hand as the priest introduced Mr. Peter Obi – there was thunderous applause; shouts of joy and jumps of jubilation that lasted for more than 10 minutes.

It took the intervention of the coordinating priest to plead for silence. The presiding priest reminded the congregation that it was still in the church and so demanded for ‘magnia silentia’ (absolute silence) even as he jocularly chided the members that he knew they wanted to be OBIdient!

At that moment, the Imo State governor looked visibly unhappy but he was aware he could do absolutely nothing about it. It was a situation where a visitor overshadowed the event owner. Really and politically speaking, it was a pathetic day for the Imo State chief executive officer.

Uzodimma was further given a doze he never expected when the altar boys at the Assumpta Cathedral bared the protocol team of the Imo State Government House from mounting the governor’s podium bearing the official seal of the government. As it turned out, Uzodimma’s aides did not take kindly to it.

While they did nothing about the groundswell of applause given to Obi, they roundly protested the inability of Uzodimma from presenting his address on his official podium with the seal of the Imo State Government.

In particular, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Networking, Lady Chantel Chinyere Adanna, bounced out of the church fuming and threatening fire and brimstone. She accused the Catholic Church of disrespect to constituted authority, lampooning all that disallowed her boss from using his official seal while addressing the congregation at the Assumpta Cathedral.

In a release after the event, Chantel noted thus; “Failure of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri to allow Governor Uzodimma make use of the lectern with the official seal when he delivered his address during the inauguration of the new archbishop of the Archdiocese, His Grace, Most Rev Lucious Ugorji means disregard and abuse to a Catholic governor, disrespect to a constituted authority…

Every election year, the Catholic clergy will always root for their fellow Catholic to be voted as the governor especially in Imo State. But immediately they get, they are always the first to fight, disrespect, denigrate and abuse the Catholic governor.”

Responding to the claims of abuse and disrespect, a Catholic priest who works at the Assumpta Cathedral but who does not want his identity made public noted that the church does not discriminate.

“I have yet to read it as a first hand information where Governor Uzodimma’s aide made the claims you enunciated here. But the fact remains that the Catholic Church does not look at faces.

“The church has law and order which she follows very strictly irrespective of religion, social status or gender. We follow what has been established and put up as laws.

“To start with, Uzodimma is not the first governor to visit Assumpta Cathedral. Before him, we have heard all manner of government functionaries visiting the cathedral ranging from presidents or heads of state, civilian as well as military governors, ministers and even ambassadors.

“Let us even limit it to 1999 till date. All of governors – Achike Udenwa, Ikedi Ohakim, Rochas Okorocha and Emeka Ihedioha – at one time or the other visited this place and at no time did they use the official seal of the government to present their addresses.

“Therefore, I do not understand what the quarrel is all about”, he enthused.

All over the capital city of Owerri, the eruption everywhere since last Thursday has been how Obi overshadowed Uzodimma at the Assumpta Cathedral. Perhaps, that is what has irked the officials of Imo State Government to going public to register their anger and frustration against the authorities of the Catholic Church for not allowing Uzodimma to use his official seal to present his address.