Obiano tasks religious leaders on harmonious coexistence
By Sunny A. David, Awka
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has tasked religious leaders on religious harmony and coexistence.
Governor Obiano was speaking when he gave audience to the new Executive members of the Anambra State Chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, led by its Chairman, Bishop Moses Ezedebego, at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.
According to the Governor, religious intolerance does not make any contribution to development at any level and emphasized on the universality of the church.
The Governor while citing how he makes appointments added that the State government looks at people’s capabilities and not their denomination, saying that it is a mere coincidence if it exists anywhere.
Continuing, the Governor appreciated the cordial existence between the State government and the Pentecostal fold, especially during the time of its late former Chairman, and called on the people to disabuse their minds from appointments asking the church to concentrate on its primary role of evangelizing the world and reconciling them back to Christ.
The State Chairman of the PFN, Bishop Ezedebego while thanking God for using the Governor to reposition the State, asked for inclusiveness in governance of the State.
Bishop Ezedebego who stressed the importance of the PFN as a stakeholder, urged the Governor to intervene in a land issue belonging to the body but was taken away, and pledged to continue to pray for the success of the Obiano-led administration.
While affirming the unity of the PFN, a member of the State Advisory Council of the State PFN, Bishop Emmanuel Obiorah, stressed that Church leaders play important role governance, just as Traditional rulers and Presidents General, calling on the Governor whom he described as the father of the State, to make efforts to unite all denominations and religious groups.
A prayer session was conducted for the Governor, the State and the Country, while one Minute silence was observed for the late Archbishop David Ebelechukwu who was the immediate past Chairman of the State PFN.