Response to Chinedu Obigwe (APGA WARRIOR) on the ownership of BISHOP CROWTHER MEMORIAL Primary school, Onitsha

My attention has been drawn to a write up from one Chinedu Obigwe (Akaekpuchionwa) National Co-ordinator of APGA Media Warriors Forum. Without doubt you are doing the work of your pay master, Chief Willie Obiano – The Roman Catholic Governor of Anambra state. In your write you claim that Bishop Crowther Memorial Primary School, Onitsha belongs to the Government of Anambra State while the land was donated by Ekwerekwu family. Also, in your view the school was named after Bishop Crowther as Anambra State University is named after the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Your propositions are nothing but mere lies that cannot fly when the truth comes out.

First of all, let me inform you that the Bishop on the Niger, The Rt. Rev Owen Nwokolo is a respected cleric that cannot be intimated by blackmail, and lies. He is a fearless man of God who stands on the truth. On Bishop Crowther Memorial Primary school matter, the Bishop on the Niger, The Rt Rev Owen Nwokolo is not the one dancing Macabre dance rather it is your Roman Catholic Government, Williee Obiano who is dancing both Surugede and Macabre. Well, inform him that “nwata nagba surugede amaghi na surugede bu egwu di muo”  (a child who dances surugede does not know that it is a dance of the spirit world).  It is high time the world know the truth because only the truth can set us free in Anambra state.

On the matters of ownership, I want to educate you as a historian with evidences and documents at our disposal. First, by 1926, the CMS already has possession of a mission property in the Government (European) Reservation (GRA) in Onitsha Waterside where Bishop Crowther Primary School was built on this land in 1956. This School was then referred to as Primary School Nkisi Road (Government Reservation). (Document available)

More so, on the  11th day of May 1957, evidence shows that the CMS requested that the following Schools they built be transferred to the Local Authority (L.A), namely:

Nkisi Road

Inland Town

Nupe Square Fegge

Lafiagi Square Fegge

Agaie Square Fegge

Otu Obosi Square Fegge

The Provincial Education Officer signed the letter on the 11th day of May 1957 while the CMS Officer endorsed the same letter on the 13th Day of May 1957. (Document available as our disposal).

NOTE THE UNDERLINED,PLEASE.

Furthermore, on 25th Day of July 1957, the Provincial Education Officer referred to the letter signed by the CMS for these Schools mentioned above to be made Local Authority Schools.  (Document Available)

On 20th August 1957, Niger Diocese (CMS) complained of the one sidedness of the agreement on the issue of the CMS Schools transferred to the Local Authority. (Document Available)

On 19th Day of November 1957, the Provincial Education Officer wrote on the need to add more buildings on the above named schools.  The CMS noted the letter for action.  (Document Available)

On the 26th Day of November1957, the Provincial Education Officer reminded the CMS that an agreement has not been completed on some of the CMS Schools transferred to Local Authority on 31st Day of December. The Local Authority pays the Teachers while the CMS manages the Schools. (Document Available)

In 1970, under the Public Education law, the Local Authority (L.A.) Schools managed by the CMS were transferred to the State.

In 2011 the Anambra State Government made a Law to return Schools previously owned by the Church. According to the Government, “The Purpose of the Law is to amend the Principal Law to include Primary Schools as well as to make it clear that schools being returned to the voluntary agencies are the schools previously owned by the said voluntary agencies but which were transferred to the State under the Public Education Law of 1970. The Law also provides for grant of subvention to the voluntary agencies to assist them to run the schools returned to them so as to maintain a high standard of education in the State”.

By the Authority of the Anambra State “Public Education (Transfer of Schools) (Special Provision) (Amendment) Law 2011.” Out of the six CMS (L.A) Schools stated above, only three have been returned to us, namely:

Inland Town (Now Obi Okosi Primary School, Onitsha) No. 163

Otu Obosi Square Fegge (Now Niger City Primary School, Fegge, Onitsha) No. 174

Nupe Square (Now Nupe Primary School, Fegge, Onitsha) no. 175

However, out of the six CMS schools stated above, three are still being held by the Government contrary to Government return of Schools to the Church, namely:

Niksi Road (Government Reservation) Now Crowther Memorial Primary School, Onitsha)

Lafiagi Square Fegge (Now Lafiagi Primary School, Fegge, Onitsha)

Agaie Square Fegge (Now Agaie Primary School, Fegee, Onitsha).

On 21st February 2012, the Anambra State Government inaugurated the Hon. Justice G. U. Ononiba Committee to handle the agitations arising from the Return of Schools Previously owned by the Church. The Committee submitted its report to the State Government on the 28th Day of December 2012.

In their report on Bishop Crowther Memorial Primary School, the Committee stated as follows, “Evidence of the inquiry showed that Bishop Crowther Memorial Primary School is an Anglican School built in 1956. It should be given to Anglican Church.” (Page 43)

From the above submissions, the Anambra State Government is violating the Law on the Return of Schools Previously owned by voluntary agencies made by them in 2011. And they are also fueling crises by not implementing the submissions of the Hon. Justice G. U. Ononiba Committee on the matter.

The APGA Warrior I know that by now, you are well informed.

Also, can you ask the Anambra State Govrenment of Willie Obiano why the state Government was not represented at the Police Area Command, Onitsha when all the parties involved were summoned to present their proof of ownership? Even the Commissioner of Police Anambra State can bear witness that no one represented the state when they invited all the parties? Right now, the AIG office, Umuahia has invited all the parties involved for more than three times but the state Government did not show up. Why?

Never join a fight you don’t have the evidence. The Roman Catholic Governor of Anambra State is just playing with God. He should be advised to remove pride and ego so as to do the needful. Anambra state is not a Roman Catholic state, therefore other people who are not Roman Catholics should be allowed to live and let live.

May I ask you once again, among all the principal officers of Willie Obiano, how many are Roman Catholics? How many permanent secretaries are Roman Catholics? Why is it that if you are not a Roman Catholics you will not be given any appointment? (19 Commissioners – 15 Roman Catholics while only 4 to other faith, all Principal Officers of the present Govt. are Roman Catholics) The warrior of APGA – Is APGA a Roman Catholic Party? Well, I know that you Chinedu Obigwe the APGA Warrior is a Roman Catholic, because if not you will not be relevant in APGA. But if you are not a Roman Catholic, get ready to be used and dumped.

Is high time, Anambrarians shall rise up and say no to injustice. Religious war in Anambra state will be worst than Bokoharam in the North east. We want peace, let Obiano return back our schools afore mentioned.

God bless Anambra State

God bless the Church in Anambra

God bless His beloved servant Bishop Owen and others who stand on the truth.

CHINEDU EMMANUEL  writes from Onitsha