Lagos, 08 February, 2022 / 9:00 pm (ACI Africa).
A Priest in Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos who banned singing in a Nigerian language allegedly citing dominance of other tribes in “his Church” has been suspended from pastoral duties indefinitely, pending investigation into “matters relating to his ministry in the Parish.”
Fr. James Anelu, the Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity Ewu-owa, Ikorodu Parish of Lagos Archdiocese is said to have banned Igbo songs and choruses in the Catholic Parish, arguing that the excesses of Ndigbo must be contained.
With a population of about 40 million throughout Nigeria, the Igbo people are considered “one of the biggest and most influential tribes” in the West African nation.
In a letter that was circulated on Tuesday, February 8, the Local Ordinary of Lagos Archdiocese terms the remarks of Fr. Anelu as “completely unacceptable.”
“It has been brought to our notice that Rev. Fr. James Anelu, the Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Ewu-owa, Ikorodu, made some completely unacceptable comments about Igbo songs being sung in the Church and unsavory remarks that do not represent the Catholic Church’s position on common brotherhood of peoples of all tribes and religions,” Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins says in his letter.
