Chairman
of Enugu State Christian Pilgrim Board and Bishop of the Enugu Anglican
Communion, Emmanuel Chukwuma, is not happy with the way the family of the Enugu
State Governor, Sullivan Chime, has been handling issues, relating to the
present state of the governor’s health. In his view, the governor’s immediate
family should be blamed for the present call for the application of the
Doctrine of Necessity in the state.
In this interview with Daily Sun, the cleric also said since no
human was insulated from falling sick, it was wrong for the governor’s family
to shroud his health status or whereabouts to the citizens of the state,
especially the spiritual fathers.
Excerpts…
Many people have expressed concern over the continued silence in
the Enugu Lion Building over the health status of Governor Sullivan Chime. Some
are even calling on the state Assembly to apply the Doctrine of Necessity. What
is your view?
My reaction is that the whole scenario is very unfortunate.
There is quite a lot of deceit right in the entire issue. I must say that
I, Bishop Chukwuma, am one of those behind the installation of Sullivan Chime
as the Governor of Enugu State. I gave him support and I was the only bishop,
who blessed him. No other bishop blessed him when he was coming into
government. Even his Catholic bishops rejected him because of how he was
brought in by the former Governor, Dr Chimaroke (Nnamani). I was the only bishop
and I’m still praying for him. But the family of the governor has to be blamed
for all that is happening now because they are not sincere and open on the
matter. When the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was sick, his family was open
to let us know he was sick. And I personally visited Ojukwu at the hospital in
London. One of my visits was at the London Clinic while the other was at the
Wallington Hospital. And I was able to see him and pray for him. But up till
now, nobody has told me where my governor is, which hospital he is; they are
hiding it. But we are praying. All I know is that he is not dead. I even
received Christmas greeting card and gifts from the Government House sent by
him. Okay! But what is the state of his health, nobody is telling us.
I’m quite sure that he probably has some health challenges,
which are normal to every human being. But there is no reason people should
hide it. Rather, we should be told the details of the whole thing so that we
can intensify our prayers for him. Many of us have set up prayer warriors for
him because he has been a very hardworking governor. He has made the Coal City
to become one of the best states with good road networks in the entire country.
And we want him to come back and complete the work.
But they should stop deceiving us. They should let us know what
state he is in for us to be able to pray for him. And nobody should be
afraid to say the truth. I’m still looking for a way to find out where he is so
I can visit him and pray for him. So, people in government should try to be
honest. The House of Assembly should be honest too, even as I thank them for
their non-chaotic stance since the present impasse in the state. I think they
are just trying to be loyal and allowing the government to run even when the governor
is not around. But the citizens of the state should be made to know the health
status of their governor to douse tension and rumour mongering. Some people say
he is dead and others say he is alive. But I know he is not dead with the
information I have gotten. But I want to know which hospital he is in so, I can
visit him.
Now that pressure is mounting heavily on the legislators, do you
think they should yield to pressure and apply the Doctrine of Necessity should
the governor’s family continue to shroud everything about his health in
secrecy, and he fails to return?
Well, the constitution should not be put aside. That is why I
said you could deceive me, but you cannot deceive God. It is time that the
Speaker and his House of Assembly members should begin to really find out, just
like the Senate did during the time of (the late president) Yar’Adua. They have
to urgently find out the true situation of things and allow the law to take its
course where necessary.
I do not think we should continue to deceive ourselves,
otherwise that would amount to setting a very bad precedence. The government of
anywhere is not a personal or family property. You come, you go and the
government, which belongs to all of us remains. And so, there is nothing wrong
in saying the governor is sick. We’ll give him time to recover. After all, the
Governor of Cross River State is sick and he is recuperating. There is an
acting governor duly allowed to take absolute charge of the affairs of that
state’s governance. The Governor of Kogi State had an accident and they showed
where he was on crutches, just like they did not hide the air crash that
involved the Governor of Taraba State.
They keep saying that our governor went on accumulated leave.
But he has outstayed, giving room for all sorts of rumour and apprehension in
the state and now, the call for the application of the Doctrine of Necessity.
As for me, I want him to come back healthy. But his family has mismanaged the
whole issue.
Why would the family hide his health status from you, who are
one of the spiritual leaders in the state and one who has always stood by him
and his family prayerfully and otherwise?
I think it is selfishness and greed and I do not care whoever
they are. I do not fear them because I know what they were before they came
into government. It is a pity that Governor Chime has allowed this to happen
but I want to let you know that those doing that in that family, they were
nothing before now.
They should know that we the spiritual leaders have our own
powers. I told you that even Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu’s family humbly informed me
about his health challenges and I sponsored myself to London to see him and
pray for him.
Why shouldn’t I be allowed, at least, as the Chairman of the CAN
in the South-east and the Chairman of the Enugu State Pilgrims Board and the
oldest bishop, by consecration in Enugu State; why shouldn’t I be allowed to
see my governor? Even the catholic bishop does not know anything about his
present state of health. Isn’t that unfair? The family is not being fair to us.
And we see that as selfishness, wickedness and greed on their part. What are
they hiding? I’m angry! But I’m praying that the governor should come back, by
God’s grace, in good health and finish up his term.
Tags
Society
My political bishop tink of d tithe u get from Chime's family b4 u saying doz tins. Lol we know ur stand in d state(spiritual leader indeed)
ReplyDeleteOga Bishop must U̶̲̥̅̊ travel? Haba.. Must U̶̲̥̅̊ go abroad nd be wit gov chime b4 ϔ☺ΰя̩̥̊ prayers be effective? All dez positons U̶̲̥̅̊ occupy only as a̶̲̥̅̊ man of God isn't Ȋ̝̊̅̄†̥ enuf 4u? All ωє need hear frm U̶̲̥̅̊ nw I̶̲̥̅̊s̶̲̥̅̊ D̶̲̥̅̊at̶̲̥̅̊ U̶̲̥̅̊ wil keep praying 4 chime wateva d case I̶̲̥̅̊s̶̲̥̅̊ until thr's news. Proximity dsnt matter ¶ŋ prayers, distance isn't a̶̲̥̅̊ barrier. If its goin abroad D̶̲̥̅̊at̶̲̥̅̊ worries U̶̲̥̅̊, say so abeg, mak ϔ☺ΰя̩̥̊ deputy find U̶̲̥̅̊ visa. Cikena
ReplyDeleteAnglican Bishops na wah ooo, that's exactly what his counterpart in Imo was doing when former Governor Ohakim was on seat thank God Rochas has no time for any sycophants. They have a way of forcing themselves to the government why,I pity them and their congregation. God have mercy.
ReplyDeleteWhy attack Bishop ,cos he ventilated his opinion on a topical political issue?Indeed,apolitical jobbers are are at it again.Stop sounding barbaric.
ReplyDelete