From Chuks Collins, Àwka
The Anglican Archbishop of the Niger Province, His Grace Alexander Ibezim has cried out bitterly over the seeming persistent insecurity in contemporary Nigeria society. He therefore urged all citizens irrespective of social status, class or gender to take ownership of his environment always.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with The Guardian in his Awka office, Ibezim came to tears over the recent abduction of his predecessor, Most Rev Dr Godwin Okpala alongside his driver while on a missionary assignment to an Anambra village.
Okpala on whose retirement Ibezim was enthroned to oversee the influential Niger Province of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, eventually regained his freedom about seven days ago. He was said to be recuperating.
In his reaction on the kidnap and eventual release of the retired cleric, the frontline Anambra 2025 Governorship aspirant of the Labour Party, Chief George Moghalu(Ohamadike)expressed happiness in welcoming Dr Okpala home and into the fold.
According to him, “the news of his abduction was a devastating blow to all the people of Anambra State an it happened.
Regretting that security situation in the state has deteriorated so much under Gov Charles Soludo’s administration despites repeated personally calling for new approach and decisive action, situation has collapsed.
Reacting on the experience as it affects the Church, Archbishop Ibezim who is also the Bishop of Awka Diocese stated that the event wasn’t funny at all. “The entire church felt very bad that such senior cleric – the Archbishop of the Province of the Niger and Bishop of Nnewi could be so abducted without a word or trace shows the level of insecurity presently in our society. Not only in Anambra State but Nigeria generally.
When pressed for further information on how and who that negotiated or play significant roles in the cleric’s release, Ibezim refused. He stated that, “much of what transpired since the sad incident are not what I will broadcast to the whole world here.
“But the summary is that after the whole harrowing experience he came out safe after nearly one month in captivity. We thank God for his life.
The archbishop disclosed that the Church did not really celebrate 2024 Christmas or the New Year like in the past, said that rather it was a period of intense prayers, committing to and communing with God.
That he led his family to the Archbishop’s family and they all spent the period together, praying. Till his abductors released him.
Perhaps speaking based on the interaction he had with Dr Okpala, Rev Ibezim urged the Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu to listen to the various prevalent agitations in many parts of the country.
According to him, ” it’s indeed sad that virtually every part of the country is experiencing disturbing wave of insecurity that needs to be addressed. They are serious and potent issues and cases that cannot be swept under that carpet if we expect peace.”
He expressed worry that “our political leaders are moving around with a retinue of heavily armed security escorts and bulletproof vehicles while the citizens are left open to the mercy of all manner of vices, criminal elements and very angry agitators.
“It’s a national issue that needs to be addressed and the earlier its done, the better for all of us. I don’t think that going around with private or personal armies is the solution. Because when you do that, what about your family members – your parents, sisters, brothers, wives, children, uncles,etc.
Moghalu literally with tears broke news of another kidnap incident yesterday of two Reverend Sisters- Vicentia Maria Nwankwo, the Principal of Archbishop Charles Heerey Memorial Model School Ufuma, and Grace Mariette Okoli, a teacher at Immaculata Girls Model Secondary School, Nnewi while on their way back from a vocational association meeting at Ogboji, Orumba North LGA.
Moghalu described the these recurring kidnaps as unacceptable, insisting that only a change of leadership and style would solve the malaise. He therefore urged citizens to use the opportunity of coming governorship election to save their lives and those of their loved ones.
Archbishop Ibezim however thanked God immensely for surviving last year. He described last year, 2024 as very challenging and dicey to all. He said that, “it was full of temptations, high insecurity, much bloodshed, widespread restiveness, armed attacks and loss of lives and property. It was indeed a year of so much woes, pains and lamening Herod had to kill all children froun to Egypt. So Africa has always been a place of abode. Civilization started in Africa.
“He saw 2024 as being so bad and disturbing that you cannot imagine any family that did not lose a dear one. We cannot continue this way. We decided that through prayers God would restore all that we lost of restoration. We won’t die prematurely, because our grand parents lived long up to eighty and ninety years. But today the young ones enter into all manner of occultism. We therefore pray that God would restore the fortunes of families, businessmen. Because some businessmen don’t actually know whether they are moving forward or backward.
“We also pray that the Almighty God restores godly leadership in all areas in the country in the likes of the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe; in the Eastern Region we had the likes of Akanu Ibiam, M. I Okpara etc. Where are their likes today? In the West, there was people like the late Pa Obafemi Awolowo. You go to the North you have some of these very good men.
“That time Nigeria depended on agriculture, and no one was talking about oil. So am forced to ask wether this oil that was discovered in Nigeria a blessing or has it taken us back the primitive age. That time, it was groundnut and other staple foodstuffs in the North, cocoa and rubber in the West. While in the East you had palm oil and other derivatives. One popular country came here years ago to collect a sample of palm nut, but today they are world’s largest producer and exporter of palm oil while we are almost importing same.
“Taking a hard knock on contemporary Nigerian leadership who depended so much on borrowings, the Church leader pointed out that “any country that continues to borrow is laying a burden not only on the present generation but also on the future generation.
Commenting on the fast approaching November governorship election in Anambra, Ibezim called for leaders with the fear of God; godly leaders. That is those that have the fear of God, leaders that are close to the grassroots to enable them hear the yearnings of the followers.
