Enugu Gov Extols Osinbajo at Catholic Bishops Conference

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has described Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as an esteemed and urbane statesman, who is widely acknowledged for his manifest practice of the Christian Faith.

Ugwuanyi made the statement, while extending the warm felicitation of the Vice President to the Catholic Bishops as his representative at the Opening Mass of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), held at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Ogui, Enugu, on Sunday.

It will be noted that, Ugwuanyi, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP), governor, who ably represented the Vice President from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), delivered Osinbajo’s message.

He said: “Our Vice President, an esteemed and urbane Statesman, is widely acknowledged for his manifest practice of the Christian Faith and has requested that I convey his best wishes for a very memorable Second Plenary Meeting of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.”

At the event, Ugwuanyi, also extended the reverential greetings of the government and good people of Enugu State to the Papal Nuncio, Antonio Guido Filipazzi, all the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops, called for a minute silence in honour of the wife of late Dr. Michael I. Okpara, the former Premier of Eastern Region, Mrs. Adamma Okpara, who died in the early hours of Sunday.

He noted that his administration, at inception, committed Enugu State to the Hands of God, and had “continued to seek His Hands in all that we do,” as he appreciated the Bishops for choosing Enugu State for the spiritually auspicious event, while thanking “the Catholic Church and the entire members of the Body of Christ in the State and beyond for their unceasing prayers, wise counsel, support and solidarity all these years.”

He also assured them that his administration will continue to serve the people of the state with the fear of God, expressing optimism that the religious event will herald blessings for the government and people of Enugu State.

At the event, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, represented by Most Rev. Buba Ali Lamido, in his goodwill message, asked “the Catholic Church to count on us as we fight the good fight” for the salvation of mankind, stressing that God will hear the message of the Church as a result of the Plenary Meeting.

The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubueze, at the beginning of the Mass had offered prayer for Ugwuanyi that God will continue to give him the strength to govern the people of Enugu State.

The representative of the Pope in Nigeria, Most Rev. Filipazzi, in his remarks, applauded Governor Ugwuanyi for always cooperating with the Church in its work of evangelism.