“A big mistake”: Nigeria Catholic Archdiocese Condemns Disruption of Archdiocesan Event

Owerri, 11 September, 2025 / 10:21 PM

Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri has denounced the disruption of its 2025 Archdiocesan Day and Odenigbo Lecture on September 6, calling the protesters’ attempt to desecrate its facility “a big mistake.”

In a Tuesday, September 9 statement, the Chancellor of the Owerri Metropolitan See, Fr. Patrick Chinedu Mbarah, said it was saddening that a group of young men and women stormed the venue of the annual celebration “midway into the event” protesting against a former governor of Kaduna State in the West African nation.

“A group of hired placard-carrying thugs, comprising youngsters and women, stormed the Maria Assumpta Cathedral back gate, chanting all manner of unprintable things,” said Fr. Mbarah.

He added, “Attempting to desecrate the hallowed premises of Villa Assumpta is a big mistake by the sponsors of the misguided protesters.”

“It is sad that some misguided persons engaged some youths and women to come and disrupt the Archdiocesan activity, instead of engaging them in something meaningful to better their lives,” he lamented, calling on the perpetrators “to desist from such acts of hooliganism that violate the fundamental human rights and freedoms.”

He called for urgent action against those behind the September 6 incident, saying, “Imo State is a peace-loving state known for her hospitality to guests and visitors. We therefore call on the state government and the security agencies to unravel the sponsors of these culprits and bring them to book without delay.”

In his September 9 statement, Fr. Mbarah clarifies claims about the involvement of the former Kaduna State Governor terming them as both “false and misleading.”

He noted that the former governor “did not deliver any talk or issue a press conference within the premises of Villa Assumpta,” as had been circulated on social, adding that “it would be most misleading for any group or news medium to publish or broadcast such a falsehood.”

“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,” he explained.

Fr. Mbara further explained that the annual lecture is the “high point” of the Owerri Archdiocesan Day Celebration and is delivered “entirely in Igbo language” emphasizing that there is only one guest lecturer of an Igbo extraction chosen the previous year invited to deliver the lecture.

“Only one guest lecturer of an Igbo extraction chosen the previous year gives the lecture” he said, noting that the 2025 lecture was delivered by Rev. Sr. Prof. Evangeline Oparaocha of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO).

The last edition was no exception to the rule, the Nigerian Catholic Priest says in the September 9 statement, emphasizing that “much as the lecturers are from the Igbo stock, the audience, however, is not limited to Ndigbo. All persons, from all races, creeds, and political leanings, are welcome to the event.”