The spiritual significance of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), held at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Ogui, Enugu, on Sunday, 22nd of August, 2021, where the Papal Nuncio, Antonio Guido Filipazzi, Francis Cardinal Arinze; the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke; the host Bishop, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga; among others, were on ground to pray to God to continue to bless Enugu State under His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, is so phenomenal, very weighty, spectacular and with bountiful spiritual significance, visible, even to the blind.
During the Bishops’ conference, and at the begining of prayers, it is instructive to underscore the significance of prayers offered for the State under the leadership of His Excellency, by the highest authorities in God’s vineyard such as the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, who was represented by Most Rev. Buba Ali Lamido; the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubueze; the representative of the Pope in Nigeria, Most Rev. Antonio Guido Filipazzi, the Bishop of Umuahia Diocese and Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, were all but a few secrets on why Enugu State, already in the hands of God will continue to bask in such euphoria without hitches.
However, after the Catholic Bishops’ Conference meeting, the subsequent visit of Cardinal Onaiyekan and other Catholic Bishops to Enugu State Government House, where they visited and prayed at the newly constructed Christian Chapel of Worship therein, which stands towering, as first of its kind in the history of Enugu state, after many years of existence without such divine presence around the corridors of power in the state, is yet, another master stroke by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Expectedly, the leadership of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and Methodist Church of Nigeria, will also visit the Enugu State Government House Chapel to offer prayers. And if you ask me why the choice of Enugu, of all the states in the country, I will simply answer that it is because “Enugu State”, under Governor Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi, is in the hands of God!”
This is where I bring you the former State capital of old Eastern Nigeria, now known as Enugu; a province that is agreeably thrusted in the hands of divinity by the most God-fearing public servant across the entire federation, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the executive Governor of Enugu State.
Following his assumption of office as Governor in 2015, and his subsequent proclamation that “Enugu State is in God’s hands, the fortunes of the old Eastern region took a turn and began to move in consonance and according to the quims and caprices of the Lord almighty, our God.
Today, ‘the rest’, they say ‘is history’ as we can count without an end, the numerous and massive developmental pace of His Excellency within six years-plus in office, across the nooks and cranny of the 17 local government areas that make up the state in joy and Celebration.
However, notable among these multifarious attainments of the Governor are security of lives and property of citizens, road constructions across the rural areas, large deposit of modern infrastructure in the hinterlands such as hospitals, school blocks, electrification, and many more.
In one of my recently published opinion article, in the Sun newspapers Online of July, 22nd, with the title, “The Current Gale of Insecurity and Why they have mapped Enugu for destruction” I had stated without ambiguity that the Egyptians we saw that period, we shall see no more. And today, those words of history stand with us eye-ball-to-eye-ball and face-to-face today.
Below are three paragraphs, culed from the defunct publication of July for your perusal.
“The idea behind this current gale of insecurity and killings of security personnel in the state is decipherable to many of us – one is, His Excellency, being one of the most potent materials suitable for whatever political venture he chooses come 2023, is blessed with dazzling profile of excellence, unwavering track record of integrity and a striking aura of general acceptance, capable of dwarfing every possible contender whenever the real game kicks off.
“It is an obvious fact that the central nature of Enugu state in the Southeastern Nigeria, its serene atmosphere, the orderliness in the political hemisphere and her new status as one of the fastest growing states, especially in the area of massive infrastructure, exemplified by the Governor’s mass housing programs, his rural development drive and general human empowerment can only be viewed as threats by these evil doers.
“But Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi cannot be brought down by any human machination, currently hiding under the guise of killings of security personnel and destruction of their formations. Such blackmail is already dead on arrival. His Excellency has long surpassed such level of pettiness and condescension. And as such, they cannot bring him on his knees. Not any longer. Never.”
Suffice it to say that since His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi assumed office as Executive Governor of Enugu State, that Enugu has experienced more peace, more unity, innumerable growth and serenity of purpose, more than ever. And the more we bask in this euphoria of peculiar love and grace of God, the more it pours for us. All because the state is restfully in the hands of God.
And it was, in furtherance of this all-time submission that the Governor had just recently constructed the State’s first Christian Chapel of Worship at the Government House, Enugu – the first of its kind since the creation of the state, where it has now, become easier for our leaders to easily consult God almighty for his directives while running the the day-to-day-activities of governance. This, to me, is a no mean feat as the Calibre of God’s Generals who thronged the Chapel a few days ago, to pray and ask God to continue to bless the State under His Excellency with divine wisdom, and number of leaders who do same at their call at Government house, is a testament that indeed, Enugu State is under the banner of God.
Overtime, the issue of God almighty directing the tide and tossing it over the affairs of men has continually dominated public discourse. While some schools of thoughts often totally believe that man becomes whatever his efforts earn him, others thrust their hard earned efforts in the hands of the supreme being for his icing and oiling. But whatever the position, one thing is Crystal clear – and it is -the fact that the place of God in the totality of man’s existence cannot be toiled with.
While the atheists may defer with me on this ground, it is instructive to recall some immortal words of God as recorded in the holy book of Psalms 20 vs 7 which reads: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”
And there again, in Isaiah 31:1, the holy prophet of God, Isaiah roared: “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!
On this note, I pray and salute the wizardry of His Excellency, the executive Governor of Enugu State for his prototypical leadership style and especially according the ditactes of the almighty. And to this end, I want to re-echo it once again that “Enugu State, which he (the Governor), as leader and number one citizen of the state, has thrusted in the hands of God is indeed, in the Hands Of God.
Rt. Hon. Barr. Jonathan Chukwuma, a former deputy speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly is currently, SPA to the Governor on Inter Party affairs
By Jonathan Chukwuma