WAS REV FR EWORO RIGHT TO LAICIZE PRIESTHOOD FOR GUBER RACE? Of all the gubernatorial aspirants, Fr Eworo is one man I personally know very well. During his years as the parish priest of St Joseph parish Okuku Yala, Eworo was able to changed lives of people in and outside his parish positively, Yala, Ogoja, Bekwara Obudu youths and anybody that has crossed Erowo path will atest to this. During these years St Joseph parish produced more seminarians, many got into the army, navy, airforce and some into the universities and got employed all through Eworos influence. He closed the gap bétween youths and dreams, hes a bridge builder, a mantel shelf to humanity. Several other priests have graced the parish after Erowo left but I barely remember their names, but the name Erowo will always live in mine and the St Joseph parishioners hearts for ever. I remember one day I was walking along the roadside, Fr Eworo drove closed, steped out of his car and came toward me. He was laughing at me then he said fyn boi, see ur fyn clothes, but y u come sag ur trourser na? He told me sagging is for prisoners, it started in America prison, prisoners had no belt to hold their trousers firm and it was falling off their waist. That am a free man with belt to hold my trourser, I shouldnt be emulating prisoners. I still remember these words fondly, how do we change the world positively? We change the world by changing humans positively. He understood our youthful exuberance, Fr Eworo changed that part of me and am good off it today, I also have passed those words down to others and thats how the chain of changes goes. PRIESTHOOD AND POLITICS As a catholic priest, the canon law, Canon 285.3 states that clerics are forbidden to hold public office whenever it means sharing in the exercise of civil power, sharing in the exercise of civil power” refer to those political positions which involve legislative, executive, and judicial power. A priest is expected to either leave politics, or leave the priesthood because that would be canonically impossible. Being a politician, and being a priest, are fundamentally incompatible. As a diocesan priest, you take vows of chastity and obedience. But most priests have in the past diobeyed this canon law. Continue, Fr Eworo gubernatorial aspiration is not entirely a new phenomenon, during the 1989 Constituent Assembly, at least two Nigerian priests, one from Makurdi diocese and another from Onitsha archdiocese were members. One of these Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu, went on to a political career, becoming the elected governor of Benue State. There have been instances of Catholic priest active participation in partisan politics. In the United States, a Jesuit Priest, Rev. Fr. Robert F. Drinan was elected to the American congress, representing Massachusetts from 1971-1981 in the House of Representatives. He resigned from running for another term, following pressures from the Vatican. Prior to this, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Richard was elected in 1823 as the first priest in American history to congress. In Haiti, the Salesian priest, Jean-Betrand Aristide was elected as President in 1990. In Africa, the late Archbishop Isidore DSouza in the late 1980s, headed the National Conference in Benin Republic, and also Monsignor Monsengwo in 1991-1992 did likewise in Zaire. In theology, Stewardship is of the belief that humans are responsible for the world, and should take care of it. Some people believe you only serve God being a priest or only in the church, a medical doctor serve God through medications to humans, a lawyer, police and other judicials serve God by implementing the law of the land and the list goes on. Ephesians 6:7 Serve eagerly as if you were serving your heavenly master and not merely serving human. Fr Eworo a philanthropist, young, a small and short man with a high level of pedigree, is inspired to come and wipe away the political stereotypes that have stood between our state and the realization of her true potentials. Am of the believe that should Eworo becomes our next governor, we the ordinary cross riverians will have easy access to the state house and the governor precisely, considering his high standard of human relationship. When Eworo was hosted in his native Ogoja LGA, he told his supporters to get him at least 2million signatures to affirm cross riverians really want him to contest, we know a smart person by what he laughs at, other aspirants would have warmly politicised such gesture from his people but here is a smart Eworo asking for at least 2million signatures. But then, with a twisted fate I tend to ask these questions; Is the gubernatorial seat worth an ordination sacrement? Ist worth laicization of priesthood? What if he doesnt win eventually? Will he seek Rome for re-installment back to priesthood? My conscious self will love to see Fr Francis Agantem Eworo at the state house on the 29th May 2015, but my subconscious mind keep pondering over the aforementioned questions. Ofana Augustine Ekpo One of those several people Fr Eworo inspired unknowingly.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:08:28 +0000
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