Mario Puzzu’s best seller novel “The Godfather” captured the scenario that is currently playing out Anambra state when an alleged international criminal made a charity donation to the Vatican as was reported by the book .
An Arch Bishop was ascending the staircase when he was accosted by a knight of the Church questioning why accepting donations from the alleged criminal.
The Arch Bishop turned and replied “Do you think that the Church is run with Hail Mary and The Rotary?”
The Knight was apparently paplexed by that question and it’s underlining meaning which indicated in the said novel that the church is run with money irrespective of who or where it came from.
At a crusade some eighteen years ago at midnight the entire Awka Capital Territory was awoken by the sound of sophisticated brand of guns which lasted for about an hour and a retired Cornel placed a call to yours truly to find out if it was happening around my area because according to him the sound is not of pomp action rifles but more of military arms and ammunition.
A certain Pastor had collected huge sums of money from international drug Lords for a safe trip of their colleagues to and fro Europe but the Pastor’s prayers could not turn the eagle eyes of he narcotic police from the peddlers hence they were ultimately cought and slammed into jail.
Obviously disappointed by the turn of events the gunmen stormed the crusade venue and opened fire though no lives were lost but a shuttle bus allegedly full of offerings and tights from two past crusades were made away with along with the Pastor and that was all that was heard of both the Pastor and the money.
During the COVID-19 pandemic a certain Pastor had urged his congregation to pay their tights online irrespective of deadly blow of the pandemic on the entire world economy and this was greeted by condemnations from the Christian community.
Theses episodes paint vivid pictures of what the Christianity is currently facing in most states in the South East and South South since the 1999 general election.
In Anambra state the Church has assumed the toga of the Untouchables where the God is used as an Arrow against the people instead of the Priests or Pastors being used as the Arrow of God against the people.
However this was not the case when late Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife of the Salvation Army became governor of Anambra or when Late Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju of the Pentecostal denomination became governor of Anambra state in view of the population of their respective congregations .
Apparently today the Clerics now determine the fate of politicians and office holders and they also campaign openly at church services and Masses who the congregation would vote for and they even decided who is more Catholic or more Anglican than the other among contestants.
It is no longer the episcopal calling or the oath of chastity and vocation of evangelism as most of them have abdicated their roles as Shepherds in God vineyard for the partisan politics.
In a paradox of fate the political class played into their hands and they have become screening and primary election committee members of all political parties in Anambra state.
That explains why every governor in Anambra state is compelled to dance to the whims and caprices of the Church to remain relevant before the electorates.
This is a case of a chalice that was poisoned decades ago for selfish political ambition which successive political office holders are now drinking from .
History has continued to be a reference point and the current face off between Gov Charles Soludo and Rev Fr Emmanuel Obimma aka Ebube Muonso is just another episode in the travails of politics and governance in Anambra state.
Today the congregation is asked to pray for God’s protection while the Cleric go about with heavily armed Mobile Policemen for their own safety.
Top civil servants get promoted not based on computence or years of service but the religious denomination they belong to and that indeed is what the new order has come to stop .
True to the nature of this ancient practice it doesn’t welcome any atom of change from the moribund convention to the new world order and any governor that attempts that is profiled as an anti Christ.
The likes of Mazi Ejimofor Opara a knight of the Order of St Mulumba may risk his Knighthood if the act of bigotry comes into play .
Opara in a statement made some salient remarks that did not go down well with the Principalities who may have turned blind eyes to it
Vatican Council I (1869-1870) and Vatican Council II (1962-1965) did not specifically address the issue of a priest insulting a constituted authority.
Vatican Council I:
– The council reaffirmed the traditional teaching on the relationship between the Church and the state, emphasizing the importance of respect for legitimate authority (Dignitatis Humanae, 1869).
Vatican Council II:
– The council emphasized the importance of dialogue and cooperation between the Church and the state, encouraging clergy to maintain positive relationships with civil authorities (Gaudium et Spes, 1965)
While neither council specifically addressed the issue of a priest insulting a constituted authority, their teachings emphasize the importance of respect for authority, dialogue, and cooperation between the Church and the state.
It is indeed apparent that had it been either the Pope or the Arch Bishop of Countabry were to have come from Anambra state the rest of the state would have been sent into perpetual slavery and forced to drink from the Poisoned Chalice.
To Anambra politicians, it is morning yet on creation day .
