Jubilation In Amichi Anglican Diocese As Bishop Ikeakor Elevates 3 Priests To Canon, Offers 5M To 4 Priests To Support Housing
By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu Awka
Worshippers at St James Anglican Church Azigbo, Nnewi South local government area , Anambra State during the 3rd session of the 6th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Amichi, Anglican Communion were overwhelmed with joy when the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Amichi, the Rt Rev’d Ephraim Okechukwu Ikeakor presented Cheques worth Five Million Naira to four priests for clergy housing scheme support.
www.odogwublog.com online reports that it’s a yearly ritual for the Bishop to support priests who are embarking on houses of their own in their villages to enable them erect a retirement home no matter how modest.
Bishop Ikeakor views it as a shameful thing that a priest after retirement will not be able to return home in peace to his home because of lack of house and therefore instituted the priest support fund for housing scheme as a way to motivate priests to save and build their own houses.
As well the shouts of joy rented the air when Bishop Ikeakor preferred three Priests Canons.
They are Rev’d Promise Alor, Rev’d Richard Ibeto and Rev’d Chinedu Chukwujekwu.
Bishop Ikeakor also elevated four Canons to Venerables.
They are Canon Nnamdi Unozor, Canon Marcel Ezegwu, Canon Kenechukwu Anyakoha and Canon Chukwunonso Okafor.
On the Synod theme, Fight the Good Fight of Faith: An Imperative for all Christians, Now or Never, Bishop Ikeakor said that nobody fights a battle that he is never recruited to be part of.
He said that if anyone will fight this fight he must be a true and genuine child of God through repentance, referencing the Bible passage on ” there is a good fight of faith”.
The beneficiaries of the housing scheme were Ven. Ugonna Nwagu received two million naira, while Revd Canon Samson Ezeagu, Revd Canon Christian Obiesie and Revd Okechukwu Okeke received one million naira each.
Bishop Ikeakor in his Presidential address highlighted several worrisome situations of the country from health to education to security to infrastructure and the rest of them, insisting that from all the indices, that Nigeria is a failed state.
On the issue of debt, he said that Nigeria allocates 40% of her budget to debt servicing and not repayment, hence he urged citizens to be proactive by getting their voters cards to change the government.
He likened anybody in Nigeria who is up to 18 years, but does not have a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as a terrorist.
Archbishops, Bishops within and outside Anambra state including the Archbishop Province of the Niger and Diocese of Awka, Most Reverend Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim PhD.
Senator Representing Anambra South in the Senate, Senator Emmanuel Nwachukwu, and other dignitaries from across different strata of the society attended the Synod presidential address presentation by Bishop Ikeakor.
