Posted by By Philip Nwosu on
There were indications Sunday that the murder of Rev. Godwin Okwesili at the St Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos, was a case of mistaken identity, This much was revealed in the church's Sunday bulletin that confirmed that the assailants had asked after an unidentified priest before they disclosed their true identity.
There were indications Sunday that the murder of Rev. Godwin Okwesili at the St Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos, was a case of mistaken identity,
This much was revealed in the church's Sunday bulletin that confirmed that the assailants had asked after an unidentified priest before they disclosed their true identity.
Indeed, it was gathered that when the robbers arrived the reception of the pastors' residence, they asked to see one Rev. Lucas, whom Daily Sun learnt, they had passed on their way to the priory.
Love messages, the type he never received during his life time have continued to pour in for the slain Catholic Deacon, Reverend Godwin Okwesili on Sunday, as the Dominican Friars released a burial plan for one of their own.
At the St. Dominic Catholic Church Yaba, the last place of work for the late Reverend, sympathisers had continued throng the area in large numbers, signing the condolence register, which was opened on Wednesday after the attack on Tuesday August 2, 2005.
Some of the messages read: "Godwin, we will miss you. We are pain in our heart over this, Rest in Peace."
Reverend Okwesili was killed by persons suspected to be armed robbers who had stormed the church, gaining access to the pastors' resident where they killed the Deacon.
Investigation by Daily Sun revealed that another reverend was the target of the bandits, but he narrowly missed their gun, as they failed to identify him.
Reverend Okwesili Daily Sun gathered was the Spiritual Director of the Charismatic Movement of the St. Dominic Church and was described by some members of the Church as very outspoken and prayerful.
Indeed, it was gathered that the robbers when they arrived the reception of the pastors resident, asked to see Reverend Lucas, whom Daily Sun learnt they had passed on their way to the priory.
The church in its Sunday bulletin, confirmed that the assailants had asked after an unidentified priest before they disclosed their true identity.
The write-up in the bulletin which was titled Our Story, Death of Reverend Godwin Okwesili, O.P and signed by Father MaryVin Ubili, reads; "On Tuesday, 2nd August 2005, at about 4.45pm, three young men came to the Reception Desk of the Priory (Clergy House) in St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos. One of them had a neatly rapped "parcel," while two had nothing visible with them.
"There were other people at the reception, both young and old, waiting to be attended to. None of the three men asked after any particular Dominican father or brother. The parcel-holder told the receptionist that one of the priest prayed for their brother who travelled to the United States of America and had sent them to come and thank the priest with the parcelled gift."
The church said that the robbers while attempting to open the parcel asked the receptionist to sign that he received the gift, but the receptionist declined.
While narrating how Reverend Okwesili got into the picture, the church said that, "The stampede and commotion during the operation; apparently made Reverend Godwin Okwesili to come out unsuspectingly to find out why there was so much unusual noise in the house.
"He was shot dead instantly in front of his room's door. The lead-robber blamed the shooter: Why did you shoot? Why did you shoot? The shooting ended their mission, as they all left immediately."