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  • As University Students Return To Class… BY AGBA JALINGO

    As University Students Return To Class… BY AGBA JALINGO

     

    There is one alarm button I won’t stop to press mainly because of the consequences of it’s imminent explosion. The piling numbers of thousands of graduating students without any skill or ability to solve any problem is something that we must not stop to talk about. While several of our country’s most disciplined pioneers and high performers scored so high only with high school education, many are churned out of tertiary schools today and rather than arriving with problem solving skills, they are becoming the problems that society is grappling to solve.

    Carpenters, plumbers, vulcanizers, painters, tailors and others who trained informally are toiling within the excruciating economy to offer their services daily and keep up their families, yet a greater majority of graduates are just finishing their NYSC or MSc program, and returning home to begin a second childhood or returning to the same artisans they call illiterate, to learn a trade and then return home again.

    Most of those returning from our ivory towers today can only recite their textbooks and authorities in their field of study. They cannot solve any practical problem including the ones related to their course of study. Ask even some of the most brilliant graduates that simple question, “Now you have graduated or you have a Master’s degree, what can you do, what value are you bringing or what problem do you think you can solve for our organization? A great lot will begin to stutter and face down or they start reeling out their CV as if that’s what you asked for.

    That elevator pitch promptness to summarize your own abilities and strength is stunted. And this situation is worsened by their superiority complex and ingrained sense of entitlement conferred on them by the certificate. They feel they are entitled to a job merely because they have graduated not because they have any problem solving skill. They prefer that a person who can solve a problem, but did not graduate be kicked out in preference for them who graduated even if they cannot solve any problem.

    A combination of several factors has created this bizarre picture, many of which the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU and the government are tussling over. After eight months hiatus, the classes have reopened without the resolution of the issues that resulted to their closure. That means another closure is only a matter of time. And this circuitous rigmarole will continue unabated to the detriment of students and the future of our country.

    The students themselves must now re-invent the meaning and content of student activism and unionism and demonstrate the organizational depth to reclaim their campuses in words and deeds. NANS and it’s affiliates must return to history and study what motivated their predecessors like Segun Okeowo, Lanre Arogundade, Olusegun Mayeigun, Omoyele Sowore, Malachy Ugwumadu, Olasupo Ojo, Bamidele Aturu etc.

    The students must coalesce and invent an ingenious method of compelling the government and the teachers and every stakeholder in the education sector to declare an emergency, sit down in the real sense of sitting down and negotiate a return of their campuses to learning centers instead of killing fields, scam theatres and hook up arenas, that they have become.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

  • BHCPF: PHCs Receives Laptops, Consumables As CRSG Commits To Quality Health Service Delivery

    BHCPF: PHCs Receives Laptops, Consumables As CRSG Commits To Quality Health Service Delivery

    By Simon Ushie

    In a bid to accelerate universal health coverage and strengthen Information Communication and Technological services in both remote and metropolitan facilities, the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency and its primary health care counterpart have supplied computer sets, medical consumables and other essential materials to over 100 primary healthcare facilities in the state.

    The items were donated as part of deliverables from both health insurance and primary Healthcare financing gateways which are the two gateways adopted by Federal government through the basic health care scheme to improve healthcare access, especially to low and zero income earners.

    At the presentation ceremony, the Director General, Cross River State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Godwin Iyala described the presentation of the items as part of the cardinal intervention of the state Health Insurance Scheme towards scaling up healthcare services at health facilities in Cross River State.

    Iyala also added that a major increase in financial resources for health is needed to scale up health interventions and strengthen health delivery systems to ensure that these interventions are accessible, particularly for the poor, adding that Health insurance scheme holds the promise of ensuring a guaranteed pool of funds for health, improving the efficiency of management of health resources and protecting people against catastrophic health expenditure.

    While appreciating the CRSHIA for the items, the Director General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong stated that as part of ways to resolve some of the issues faced by ward focal persons, the agency organized an integrated meeting to afford them the opportunity to listen to their challenges at their various facilities and try to breach such gaps.

    “Usually as an agency, we always try as much as possible to have quarterly meetings with our ward focal persons. It is always an opportunity to review Primary Healthcare (PHC) services and other new things coming up. For this particular meeting, we decided to have an integrated meeting with the State Health Insurance Agency because of the Basic Healthcare Implementation that has also commenced. We also have the measles campaign coming up. We try to engage the ward focal persons before such implementation to help achieve 100% coverage we are thriving for.”

    “Since the commencement of Basic Healthcare, part of the services the health insurance will be providing is to strengthen ICT components because registration of clients and other ICT-related components is key in our PHCs. Most of the facilities today were given laptops which is to help strengthen ICT services in the facility. The meeting also affords us the opportunity to listen to their challenges at their various facilities and try to breach such gaps.”

    Speaking on the unnecessary charges from the health workers to pregnant women, Ekpenyong mentioned that the agency has received complaints of how health workers over-charge pregnant women, leaving them with the option of visiting Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), adding that the affected health workers will be penalized.

    “Unfortunately, we received some complaints that some health workers in their facilities have been overcharging pregnant women and other facility users. We frown at such acts because that would discourage people from accessing the facility. We are looking for ways to encourage pregnant women to patronize our facilities rather than go to Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). This kind of thing, we totally condemn it and we are going to ensure that the affected health workers are penalized.”

    She also stated that 130 facilities have been accredited by the Health Insurance Scheme, hoping that in no time the 196 facilities in the state will be accredited.

    “Right now the Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) has accredited over 130 facilities that have received capitation from health insurance gateway, but we are hoping that 196 facilities will be accredited so that all facilities can enjoy capitation as well as funding from the primary health care gateway. So far, 70 (seventy) laptops have been given to facilities and today 50 have been given to other facilities.”

    “As the HIS concludes on the installation of the software and other things that are needed to be done, more facilities will get the laptops.” She added.
    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health , Dr David Ushie also outlined some of the expectations of the state government while also responding to some of the challenges faced by the ward focal persons in their various facilities as it concerns registration and other issues.
    The event was also attended by directors and other staff of both agencies.

    Since the commencement of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund Program in the state, over 10,000 enrollees have made themselves available for registration with a bulk of the figure already enjoying zero charged services across the 196 accredited facilities.

  • Unical Security Arrest Trader For Impersonation During Aptitude Test

    Unical Security Arrest Trader For Impersonation During Aptitude Test

     

    By George Odok Jr, NAN

    The security department of the University of Calabar has arrested a suspect, Emmanuel Uwakwe, a trader in Ariaria market, Aba, for impersonation during the institution’s ongoing aptitude test.

    Chief Security Officer of UNICAL, retired Capt. Austin Bisong, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Calabar, that the suspect was caught in the act.

    Austin told NAN that the suspect was caught after writing the Computer Based Test for six candidates who were seeking admission into the institution.

    “The suspect, Uwakwe, was arrested by our security operatives after they detected that he had stayed longer than expected on the computer.

    “When he was arrested, he was already trying to log in the personal identity number for the seventh candidate.

    “He was using five minutes for each paper during the examination.

    “At this point, all the six candidates he wrote for can never have their results, and they have risked their admission status with the university,” he said.

    He told NAN that investigation was ongoing to unravel if there was any connivance with any staff of the institution or security personnel.

    He said that the suspect would be handed over to external security agency for further investigation and necessary action.

    While showing remorse for his act, Uwakwe pleaded with the university management for forgiveness.

    “They promised to give me N50,000 to write for seven candidates; out of that amount, I have collected N40,000 and was left with a balance of N10,000.

    “I came all the way from Abia state to write the examination for the candidates. I am good in computer operation, that was why they contacted me.

    “I have a shop in Ariaria market in Aba; I only came here to make some small money for myself. I want to plead with the school management to forgive me,” he said. (NAN)

  • Jarigbe Agom Supports Centre For Visually Handicapped, Obudu Following The Withdrawal Of Subvention From C’River State Govt

    Jarigbe Agom Supports Centre For Visually Handicapped, Obudu Following The Withdrawal Of Subvention From C’River State Govt

    The Senator representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District, Sen Jarigbe Agom, has donated the sum of 1,000,000 ( One million Naira) in support of the Center for the visually handicapped, popularly known as the St Joseph Centre For The Visually Handicapped, Obudu.

    The gesture came as his attention was drawn to the plight of this School which recently came under severe hardship following the withdrawal of subvention to the School by Gov Ayade. To make matters worse, the school was recently burgled by criminals who made away with all the mattresses in the student’s hostel leaving them to sleep on bare floors.

    The deplorable situation became so bad that the head of the school, Rev Sister Janet-Maria Okorie, said they were considering shutting down the institution.

    St. Joseph Center for the visually handicapped was established by the Sisters of St. Mary Medical Mission of the Roman Catholic Church since the 1970s and has catered to generations of handicapped students over decades.

    Many have gone from the school to lead very successful academic careers with some of them presently lecturing in higher institutions including the University of Calabar, Cross River State.

    Some of them have also gained employment in various areas of human endeavour making them useful to themselves, their families and society instead of hawking their disabilities on the streets.

    The school celebrated its 50 years of existence in May this year, teaches braille and crafts in addition to normal academic subjects and remains a leading light in the Obudu community and it’s environs.

    The head of Centre, Rev Sr Jane Maria, expressed profound appreciation to Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe for his uncommon leadership and concern for the plight of the less privileged in society.

    She used the opportunity to call on spirited individuals both in public Service and private businesses to emulate Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as to lift the less privileged from their disabilities so that they can lead useful lives as they are also God’s creatures and need to be catered for.

  • Just In: Court Strikes Out Criminal Case Against Cross River PDP Reps Candidate, Four Others

    Just In: Court Strikes Out Criminal Case Against Cross River PDP Reps Candidate, Four Others

    By Jonathan Ugbal, CrossRiverWatch

    Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie of the Calabar division of the Federal High Court has struck out a criminal case filed by the Federal Government against the House of Representatives candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwarra federal constituency in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Akpanke, and four others.

    Justice Dugbo in her ruling said the prosecution needed to get its house together and not waste the time of the Court.

    Charges bordering on murder, terrorism, attempted murder, and unlawful possession of firearms was preferred against Mr. Akpanke, his co-aspirants, KJ Jedy Agba, Elaunire Ushie, a House of Assembly Aspirant, Augustine Agba, and one Joseph Akin following the death of a Police officer, Inspector Emmanuel Mbang Ubi who was shot at the botched May 23, 2022, House of Representatives primaries in Obudu.

    The case with Suit Number FHC/CA/14C/2022 was filed on September 6, 2022, and was listed for arraignment and plea on Wednesday.

    But, after it was called up, and appearances entered by the prosecution and defense counsels, Justice Dugbo asked the prosecutor, Edosa Esq whether his witnesses were in Court which he replied no. The Court also asked about the defendants who the prosecutor said were not in his custody.

    Justice Dugbo also complained that the charge sheet in the Court’s file was not clear enough to which the prosecutor replied that the charges have been amended. Justice Dugbo also asked whether the amended charges were in the Court’s file as she could

    Justice Dugbo subsequently struck out the case.

    This means that the Federal Government can file fresh charges. It is unclear whether that may be the case with one of the defendants still in Police custody.

    The Case

    Mr. Ubi, alongside his colleagues, was drafted to secure the venue of the House of Representatives Primary of the PDP in Obudu on May 23, 2022, which was canceled after he was shot dead at close range while a colleague was also injured. The primaries were rescheduled and later canceled with Mr. Akpanke winning both.

    The quintet above were then invited, interrogated, and charged to Court. They were initially billed to take their pleas on October 12, 2022. But, Justice Dugbo’s absence led to the parties taking a different date off-record.

    Mr. Akin, Akpanke, Agba Jedy, and Ushie were listed as the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth defendants respectively. While Mr. Akin was charged with killing Mr. Ubi, Messrs KJ, Akpanke, Agba, and Ushie were accused of conspiracy to commit a felony and unlawful possession of firearms.

  • Court Sets November 24th For Judgment On Suit Seeking Disqualification Of Cross River APC Guber And Deputy Guber Candidates

    Court Sets November 24th For Judgment On Suit Seeking Disqualification Of Cross River APC Guber And Deputy Guber Candidates

    By Jonathan Ugbal, CrossRiverWatch

    Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie of the Calabar Division of the Federal High Court has reserved November 24, 2022, to deliver judgment on a suit by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and its Cross River guber candidate, Senator Sandy Onoh seeking the disqualification of the guber and deputy guber candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from the 2023 general elections.

    The date was agreed upon by all parties after they adopted their processes during the hearing on Tuesday. The APC, her guber and deputy guber candidates – Senator Bassey Otu and Honorable Peter Odey as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, are listed as first, second, third, and fourth defendants respectively in the pre-election matter with suit number FHC/CA/CS/142/2022.

    The Argument

    The Plaintiffs, via their lead counsel, Mba E. Ukweni SAN while adumbrating after adopting their processes, said two key points formed the gamut of their originating summons. The first was that one needed to be a member of a political party to be fielded as a candidate and the second was that the third defendant has taken the oath of allegiance to the United Kingdom which questions his loyalty to Nigeria.

    He urged the Court not to allow the shifting position of the first defendant who denied the third defendant in their affidavit filed in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/976/2021 whose judgment is now a live appeal matter and is now claiming that he is a member of their party. Furthermore, he urged the Court to grant their prayers, especially on the fact that the first defendant will be deemed to have fallen short of the requirements to participate in the 2023 general elections as what affects the third defendant, impacts his ticket with the second defendant.

    The counsel to the first defendant, Essien H. Andrew SAN prayed the court to grant their preliminary objection which was raised on points of law on the fact that party membership was an internal affair and that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi since the Electoral Act 2022 did not contemplate the action they filed and as they have not said the fourth defendant failed in carrying out its responsibility.

    On the merit of the originating summons, he argued that the plaintiff was alleging forgery and pointed out that when a crime is alleged in civil procedures, the burden to prove is on the plaintiff which he said the plaintiff has tried to shift to the defendants. He prayed the Court to dismiss the suit.

    Benson Igbanor Esq. who led the argument of the second and third defendants, said they filed a motion of notice to strike out the suit and on the merits of the case, argued that the plaintiff did not controvert the issue of citizenship by birth which is the Constitutional requirement. He said the Oath of allegiance did not detract from the issue of citizenship by birth which confers the third defendant, the right to contest.

    He argued that the process commenced wrongly as the Supreme Court had last Friday held that when hostile pre-election matters with elements of the crime were brought forwards, the best way to commence such a suit was by Writ of Summons. The Court also granted his prayer to file an additional list of authorities to guide the Court.

    The Counsel to the fourth defendant, Matthew Ogwuocha Esq in his submissions averred that Section 28 subsection 1 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as altered had addressed the issue of citizenship by birth which he said the plaintiff have not controverted.

    On membership, he submitted that the fourth defendant does not go beyond the administrative scrutiny of the political parties and that the first defendant complied with relevant positions of the Electoral Act which means the fourth defendant has no option other than to accept the second and third defendants as the nominated candidates. He urged the Court to dismiss the suit.

    In their response on points of law, counsel to the plaintiff submitted that the practice direction of the Court guides the commencement of a suit and prayed the Court to discountenance the Supreme Court judge whose authority was not cited.

    On Locus, Ukweni SAN submitted that there are provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended that make the fourth defendant a clearing house and when weighed with the third schedule of the Constitution, grants the plaintiff’s locus.

    On the issue of waiver to swearing an oath of allegiance by the third defendant, he submitted that it was an exception and specific to the third defendant, hence the onus lies on him to prove that he never swore an oath of allegiance but was granted a waiver.

    Furthermore, he argued that the plaintiff never raised an issue of forgery or perjury, but they relied on the documents submitted and deposed to by the first and third defendants which they also accepted to rely on

  • Court To Hear PDP’s Suit Seeking To Disqualify Cross River APC Guber And Deputy Guber Candidates Tomorrow

    Court To Hear PDP’s Suit Seeking To Disqualify Cross River APC Guber And Deputy Guber Candidates Tomorrow

    By Jonathan Ugbal, CrossRiverWatch

     

    Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie who presides over Court 2 in the Calabar Division of the Federal High Court on Monday adjourned to tomorrow, the hearing of a suit that seeks to disqualify the gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State from participating in the 2023 general elections.

    The case, with suit number FHC/CA/CS/142/2022 has the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Senator Sandy Onor as plaintiffs while the APC, Senator Bassey Otu, Honorable Peter Odey and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as first, second, third and fourth defendants respectively.

    The matter which was listed for hearing was stood down after it was called because counsels to the defendants were appearing before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in Court 1 for a judgment on a suit seeking to replace the current APC guber candidate.

    When it was called again, lead counsel to the plaintiffs, Mba E. Ukweni, SAN said they were ready to proceed. The lead counsel to the first defendant, Essien H. Andrew, SAN said they had filed a preliminary objection which Justice Dugbo said will be taken when the need arises.

    But, counsel to the second and third defendants, Benson Igbanor informed the Court that they had just received the processes of regularization from the plaintiff and they were still within the three days required for them to reply to the plaintiff’s regularization process and on points of law.

    He argued that so long as the Court’s registry was still open and there was nothing such as a half day, they still had time to file their processes.

    While trying to explain further, he was cut off by Justice Dugbo who adjourned the matter to tomorrow for a hearing while ordering the next case to be called.

    The parties are expected to adopt their processes tomorrow and adumbrate some teething issues while judgment will be fixed for another day.

    The suit which was commenced by originating summons raised six questions for determination including whether the APC is eligible to participate in the 2023 guber elections in Cross River without presenting qualified Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates; whether Senator Otu and Honorable Odey are qualified to contest the guber elections; and whether INEC can publish Honorable Odey’s name as deputy guber candidate of the APC which has in her affidavit in a live appeal matter said he is not their member.

    Also, the plaintiffs are seeking for determination, of whether Mr. Odey is not disqualified to contest as Deputy Guber candidate of the APC, having acquired citizenship in the United Kingdom and lied on oath that he did not do so; whether INEC can legally publish the second and third defendants as candidates if the first two questions are resolved in favor of the plaintiff and whether if any other question is resolved in the plaintiff’s favor will mean that the second defendant is also disqualified from contesting in the 2023 general elections

  • Bassey Otu Wins Owan Enoh As Court Declares Him As Authentic Guber Candidate Of The APC

    Bassey Otu Wins Owan Enoh As Court Declares Him As Authentic Guber Candidate Of The APC

    Culled From Parchment

    The legal tussle to determine who is the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Party in Cross River State has been completely put to rest.

    In a judgement delivered few moments ago, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the federal high court ruled that Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu was the authentic candidate of the party having met the basic constitutional requirements to contest the position.

    She also ruled that counsel to the 1st defendant has convinced the court that Sen. Otu was fully cleared by his party and scored the highest number of votes at the primary election held in June 2022.

    According to Justice Ojukwu who “ no where in the affidavits submitted by the plaintiff showed that the 3rd defendant was disqualified “

    She ruled that a candidate contesting for a the position of a governor must be a Nigerian, meet the stipulated age requirement and have basic qualification according to the constitution. She said the matter to determine the gubernatorial candidate of a political party is and still remains the right of a political party.

    The judgement effectively lay to rest the contention of who is the authentic candidate of the Cross River State APC.

    Mr. Owan Enoh in a suit number FHC/CA/CS/95/2022 had dragged, the APC, INEC and Sen. Prince Otu to court, demanding among other things, to be declared winner of the May 26 party primaries, citing the fact that 3rd defendant was not duely cleared by the party

  • Jarigbe Agom Releases Funds For Payment Of Bursary To Students Of Cross River Northern Senatorial District In Higher Institutions

    Jarigbe Agom Releases Funds For Payment Of Bursary To Students Of Cross River Northern Senatorial District In Higher Institutions

    BURSARY! BURSARY! BURSARY!

    The Senator Representing Cross River North, SENATOR JARIGBE AGOM JARIGBE, has released funds for the payment of BURSARY to Students from Cross River North, studying in various Tertiary Institutions.

    On that note, The National Presidents( World Wide) of NAOS, NAYLOGS and their counterparts in OBUDU, BEKWARRA and OBANLIKU should get in contact with Mr. Gospell Agom on 09021501669, for briefing.

    We welcome all Students back to School, as we are poised to giving you our support.

    Signed: TEAM JARI MEDIA

  • Linda Ayade Congratulates Rev Fr Philip Obasi On His 10th Priestly Anniversary

    Linda Ayade Congratulates Rev Fr Philip Obasi On His 10th Priestly Anniversary

    By Margaret Asikong

    Wife of Cross River State Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Linda Ayade has congratulated Rev. Fr. Philip Onyedikachi Obasi of Catholic Church of Ascension Parish, Nyaghasang on the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of his Priestly Ordination.

    Speaking recently during the Thanksgiving Mass in honour of Rev. Fr. Philip Obasi and Fund Raising for the completion of the new church building, which was held at Government Primary School Nyaghasang, the Governor’s wife expressed thanks to all, especially the dignitaries present, including members of her entourage for honouring Rev. Fr. Philip by coming to felicitate with him on his 10th Priestly anniversary.

    According to her, it has been 10 years of unswerving sacrifice and dogged devotion to truth and piety, adding that, serving as a priest in the body of Christ is indeed a privilege that entails mediating between the people and the Lord. She therefore prayed God to bless the continuous labour of Rev. Fr. Philip, as well, as reward his good works, while thanking him for his patience, impartial leadership which has impacted the lives of Gods people for the past 10 years.

    Dr. Ayade used the occasion to thank all those who contributed in cash and kind towards the new church building project and pledged her financial support to ensure that the building is completed by God’s grace. She appealed to government officials to ensure that the road leading to the church of Ascension which is in a very bad condition is being worked on as there is need for a good road to convey the building materials to the church premises.

    In his homily from Exodus 17:5-13 and 2 Timothy 3:14, 4:2, Rev. Fr. Cletus of Ikot Ansa Parish, enjoined all to be persistent in prayers in order to live victorious Christian lives, adding that, there are some battles that cannot be won on the field except on the knees, hence the need for them to be consistent in prayers, for with God nothing shall be impossible.

    Rev. Fr. Cletus further admonished all to be rooted in the word of God, living in obedience to his word, as this will bring blessings to their lives amongst other things and prayed God to bless Rev. Fr. Philip, enlarge his coast, as well as grant him more grace to carry on with the work of God in his priestly office.
    In their separate remarks, the Commissioner for Lands, Prof. John Inyang and that of Local Government Affairs, Dr. (Mrs.) Stella Odey-Ekpo amongst other dignitaries, also learnt their voices to congratulate the celebrant, Rev. Fr. Philip Obasi, commending him for his good works, while praying God’s blessing upon him, adding that he has been a blessing to many within and outside the Catholic Church. They used the occasion to pledge their support to the completion of the new church building by donating towards the building project.

    In his remark, the Chairman, Boki Local Government Council, Pastor John Ewa, who was the Chairman of the occasion, expressed appreciation to Rev. Fr. Philip Obasi for the honour done him in inviting him to his thanksgiving mass, as well as giving him the privilege of being the Chairman of the day. He described the celebrant as a special vessel and an anointed servant of God.

    According to him, their relationship started 2 years ago in Calabar in a prayer meeting and it has grown till date and admonished all to give their best to the Lord for all his blessings and mercies over their lives, while calling on them to support the ongoing project of completing the new church building of the church of Ascension, Nyaghasang for God will never forget their labour of love.

    On his part, the Chief Celebrant, Rev. Fr. Philip Obasi CSSR, expressed gratitude to the Almighty God for his love, mercies and grace upon his life for the past 10 years and for the gift of the Sacred Priesthood. He stated that the hand of God has been upon him since his ordination in Lagos as a Catholic Priest from September 30th, 2012 till date, Inspite of all his pitfalls as a human being, adding that, everything about him has been very special.

    He thanked the wife of the State Governor, dignitaries, friends, well-wishers and parishioners for finding time to come and celebrate God’s faithfulness upon his life as a priest for the past 10 years and prayed God to bless all present as well as replenish all those who contributed in cash and kind to the success of the thanksgiving celebration/fund raising.

    Rev. Fr. Philip disclosed that as part of the thanksgiving mass, a 5-day mega crusade was being organized by the church and thanked God for his visitation upon them. He maintained that the essence of the celebration is to give all the glory to God. According to him, all the proceeds from the anniversary thanksgiving mass will be given back to the church for the building project.

    Highlights at the event included; thanksgiving mass in honour of Rev. Fr. Philip Obasi, good will messages, cutting of anniversary cake, group photographs, fund raising, amongst others.