Be magnanimous in victory, Bishop Okorafor urges Emeka Ihedioha

The Anglican Bishop of Diocese of Egbu, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Okorafor  has advised Emeka Ihedioha, who won  the 9th March 2019 governorship in Imo State and those who won the state House of Assembly election to be magnanimous in victory and extend a hand of fellowship to all in the interest of the unity, progress and development of the state.

Bishop Okorafor, gave the advice during an Eucharistic service of confirmation, admission and induction for Awaka Parish at Christ Anglican Church, Awaka. He cautioned the governor-elect to see himself not as the governor of Mbaise or for Owerri zone alone but to see the state as one entity, arguing that the essence of senatorial zones was for equity and administrative convenience.

Bishop Okorafor also advised Imolites not to expect miracles from the governor-elect, stressing that Imo State has passed through terrible hardship following the eight years of bad governance in the state.

The bishop also advised aggrieved parties in the just concluded election to sheathe their sword and swallow their bitterness, bearing their lose in the spirit of sportsmanship. He said Imolites must now place the interest of the State above every other interest.

The Bishop who congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election on the 23rd February 2019 Presidential elections, decried the lack of the political will to now decisively stem the incessant bloodletting in the country, maintaining that his disregard for the sanctity of life of the people, especially the recent killings in Kaduna State was worrisome.

The Bishop while noting with regret that the President has rather continued to make promises without matching the talk with appropriate actions, stressed that available statistics has it that the number of killings between 2015/2019 were far higher than those in the periods 2011/2015.

He said the President should begin to see himself as President of Nigeria and not of any ethnicity as the scourge of killings would not score the administration any positive mark.

The Bishop commended the congregation for the unity in the Church especially amongst the Church workers and urged for its sustenance. He was however, disappointed that the congregation came late to Church despite the fact the service was not only an Episcopal visit but the first of such visit for 2019. He said they had missed some aspects of the worship, and pleaded with them to jettison whatever that was responsible for their lateness.

Bishop’s Chaplain, Rev. Progress Okoroafor, in his sermon earlier assured Christian faithful that the love of Christ for them was inestimable and urged them to behold the manner of love God has bestowed on them, through Jesus Christ, that they are called the sons of the most high God.

Rev Okoroafor further assured that whatever be their challenges they should be rest assured that with the love of Jesus Christ they were overcomers stressing that Christ’s love is renewed and made fresh every morning.

He emphasized that it has not been revealed what God has prepared for them as sons of God adding that as children of destiny they would be where the Lord has rightfully purposed for them, as he pointed out that the hand of the Lord was working out His purpose in their lives. He however regretted that a good number of Christians do not seem to realized that they are as sons of God, maintaining that except for the love of Christ they do not merit it.