Knighthood: Anambra govt assures partnership with the church
The Anambra Government, under the leadership of Gov. Prof. Charles Soludo, on Saturday in Awka renewed the willingness to continue the government-Church partnership as the former administrations did.
Dr Onyeka Ibezim, Anambra Deputy Governor, made the disclosure at the Cathedral Church of St Faith, during the 9th investiture into the order of the Knighthood of St Paul, St Christopher and Ladies of Bethany.
Ibezim said that the Soludo administration intends to partner with the church, not only in the area of education and health but wishes to diversified into other areas that would promote economic development.
He said that he was knighted years ago and as such is aware that the goal of the knighthood is to partner the church in crucial areas of human development to ensure a better society.
Ibezim urged the church to partner with the government in areas of social re-orientation of the public on the right morals, attitudes and compliance with the laws of the state so as to enthrone patriotic citizens.
“We in turn would support any developmental projects of the church, knowing that it is a unit of social change in the state. We need to have a state where our youths are groomed to fear God and optimistic in life,” Ibezim said.
Earlier, the Archbishop and Bishop of Isiala Ngawa Diocese, Most Revd Isaac Nwaobia, charged the faithful to be the “salt and light” of the world.
Nwaobia, in his homily titled “You are the Salt and Light of the world”, as was recorded in the bible – book of Matthew 5 verses 11 – 14, said that the essence of the investiture is a way of a call to work in the vine yard of God; to join the church to go into evangelism and help to promote the lives of the poor within their locations.
Nwaobia said that the newly inducted members of St Paul, St Christopher and Ladies of the Bethany should see themselves as workers in the vineyard of God in areas of their various calling.
“It is expected that these special people in the service of God should try to preach Jesus Christ in their locality that through their behaviour souls would be won for Christ,” he said.
The host Archbishop Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Revd Alexander Ibezim, charged the newly-inducted members of the knighthood to use the sword of Light given to them to ward off evil and never promote any activities against the development of the gospel and the society at large.
Mrs Adaobi Okafor, one of the newly honoured ladies of Bethany, said that the investiture is a call to more service to God and pray for the grace to able to discharge her duties as a mother, wife and as a solider of Christ.
Mr Osita Okonkwo, knight of St Christopher, urged Christians to ensure that they engage actively in the affairs of the church so as to get direction on area of need to focus in the development of the society.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first investiture into the knighthood of St Paul, St Christopher and Ladies of Bethany was in 1996 with a total of 98 persons.
NAN reports that the 2022 investiture recorded 56 persons, bringing the total number of persons so far honoured to 624 persons, dead members included.
NAN reports that the high light of the event was the investiture pledge of the order of Paul, Christopher and Bethany taken by the new members and they pledged to defend the Catholic faith and show by living examples of their belief in their faith.
Also, they pledged to aid and encourage all the youth of the church and other organizations to play their full part in the church, among others.
Mrs Chioma Nwachukwu, a visitor that witnessed the investiture, said the ceremony was very colorful and prayed that the newly-inducted members of the various knighthood group would see it as a call to service.
Nwachukwu said that the main goal of the exercise is to get more hands to join the church in promoting the gospel and to build a healthy society.
“I pray they see it in the manner of service,” she added. (NAN)
