Posted by By PHILIP NWOSU on
It was tears and solemn quietness yesterday as the Dominican community and the entire St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos, bade goodbye to Reverend Godwin Okwesili who was killed by suspected armed robbers a fortnight ago.
It was tears and solemn quietness yesterday as the Dominican community and the entire St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos, bade goodbye to Reverend Godwin Okwesili who was killed by suspected armed robbers a fortnight ago.
The Catholic church said the killing and the incessant raid on churches showed the desperation of Nigerian youths, fueled by their hopelessness on the leadership of the country.
In a condolence message to church and the Dominican community the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, said armed robbery thrives following the gross mismanagement of public funds, lack of security and honesty in the land.
Okogie, who was represented by Director of Lay Apostolate at the Lagos Archdiocese, Reverend Father Mike Umoh, lamented the collapse of all public infrastructure in Nigeria, adding that hunger and poverty now pervades the land.
'How many more shall die, how many more shall we count? We, however, found consolation in the words of the Creator, we must avoid weeping like the pagan who has no hope in the resurrection," Okogie added.
While asking the family and the Dominican community to take heart over the loss of their own, Okogie said the Almighty God has a purpose for all things, 'He sees all things, knows all things. If He had allowed it to happen, He must have designed it for the greater good, even if it remains unclear to us.
'What shall we say, the words of Jesus Christ, readily come to mind, ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they have done."
He said, rather than condemn the killers of Reverend Okwesili, the people and indeed, the congregation should pray for them that they should return to God.
Earlier in his homily, the officiating Priest and the Prior, Reverend Father Gilbert Thesing, urged the congregation to show love rather hate, even as he noted that Reverend Okwesili was snatched by the wicked hand of death.
Father Thesing delivered the homily after readings which were taken from the book of Job 19: 1-23-27 and letter of St. Paul to the Romans chapter 8 14-23. The gospel was taken from Matthew chapter 11: 25-30.
The body of Reverend Okwesili was later taken in a motorcade led by friends, colleagues, family, relations from Udi in Enugu State and member of the St. Dominic Church, to Ibadan for continuation of the ceremonies.