The Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri has called on the Imo State government and security agencies to unmask the sponsors of the culprits behind the protest against El-Rufai and Obi during the Odenigbo lecture last Saturday .
The church made the call in a statement yesterday, signed by the Archdiocesan chancellor/secretary, Rev. Fr. Patrick C. Mbarah, titled: “Putting the facts straight.”
The church said that because Imo State is known as a peace-loving state for hospitality to guests and visitors, the government and security agencies should unmask the sponsors of the protest without delay.
Mbarah said, “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.”
Further, they debunked claims that former Governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was invited to deliver the 2025 Odenigbo lecture, saying he neither addressed the gathering nor held a press conference.
According to the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, social media has been abuzz with misrepresentations of facts and outright falsehoods about the presence of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, during the 2025 Archdiocesan Day/Odenigbo Lecture last Saturday.
Mbarah said the Odenigbo lecture which is rendered strictly in Igbo language, 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 spiritual welfare.
He said that El-Rufai was not the guest lecturer as the lecture is delivered strictly in the Igbo language, even as the speaker is of Igbo extraction.
Furthermore, he said Rev. Sr. Prof. Evangeline Oparaocha of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) was the guest lecturer for the 2025 Odenigbo lecture and not El-Rufai.
According to the priest, Mr Peter Obi though a regular guest of the lecture was however not in attendance during the 2025 lecture.
He said, “While Peter Obi has been a regular guest at the Archdiocesan Day/Odenigbo lecture, he was not able to grace this year’s event. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai did not deliver any talk or hold a press conference within the premises of Villa Assumpta. It would be most misleading for any group or news medium to publish or broadcast such a falsehood.”
Mbarah said, “The Odenigbo lecture, which is rendered entirely in Igbo language, is the high point of the Archdiocesan Day celebration. Only one guest lecturer of an Igbo extraction, chosen the previous year, gives the lecture.
“This year’s lecture was delivered on Saturday 6th September by Rev. Sr. Prof. Evangeline Oparaocha, of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO).
“The last edition was no exception to the rule. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was not invited by the Archdiocese to deliver any lecture or speech at the event. 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.
“Midway into the event of last Saturday lecture, a group of hired placard-carrying thugs, comprising youngsters and women, stormed the Maria Assumpta Cathedral back gate, chanting all manner of unprintable things against Mr. Peter Obi and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai”, the church said.
The church expressed sadness that some people recruited youths and women to try to disrupt the lecture instead of something meaningful to improve their lives.
Mbarah said, “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. Attempting to desecrate the hallowed premises of Villa Assumpta is a big mistake by the sponsors of the misguided protesters. We hereby call on such individuals to desist from such acts of hooliganism that violate the fundamental human rights and freedoms.”
Furthermore, they called on such people to stop such acts which they described as hooliganism that violates the fundamental human rights and freedoms noting that
Imo State is a peace-loving state known for its hospitality to guests and visitors.
Pockets of pictures had been shared across sections of social media last Saturday that some people protested against Peter Obi and Nasir El-Rufai for attending the Odenigbo lecture in Owerri on Saturday.
