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50th Episcopal Anniversary/90th Birthday: Obaseki, Onaiyekan Shower Encomiums On Ekpu

Published

4 years ago

November 10, 2021

The governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and former Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Wednesday, showered encomiums on Archbishop emeritus, Most Rev (Dr) Patrick Ekpu, describing him as one of those who laid foundation for modern Catholic Church in Nigeria.

Obaseki who spoke at a service to mark the 50th Episcopal anniversary and 90th birthday of Ekpu at St Paul Catholic Church, Benin City ,described the Archbishop emeritus as one who served in various local communities as a young priest who understands the customs of the people and bringing them to God.

He said, “We will continue to tap from his wisdom to guide us as we pass through difficult times. He was a great patriot, a pious priest, visionary bishop, a rare archbishop, a living legend, a modest teacher, an audacious founder.”

Delivering a homily, Onaiyekan said the era Archbishop emeritus laid foundation for modern Catholic Church in Nigeria coincided with the Nigerianisation policy of the country in the early seventies.

He added that it was a time the Catholic was also undergoing reformation which gave room for Nigerians to take over the leadership of the church.

He named Archbishops Joseph Ukpo, late Ephraim Obot late Alexius Makuoze among others who laid foundation for modern Catholic Church in Nigeria.

He said: “The year 1971 was a tremendous year for the church in Nigeria when seven young Nigerian priests were appointed bishops.

“Our young bishop took the helms of leadership of their dioceses at a delicate period in the history of the church.

“It was just a few years after the end of the second Vatican council, a period of uncertainty and instability, as the church groped her way to implement the truly revolutionary changes that the council had decreed very significant. Among such changes was the need to adapt the church to the realities of our times and the realities of our native laws and customs in every aspect of church life.

“It was also the era of local music and instrument. It was the era of review of the administrative structure.

“The bishop had to ensure that all these were done without departing from the essence of our catholic faith and tradition.

“We can now safely say that our young bishops proved themselves better qualified to do this than any foreign born.

“The young bishops were plunged into a challenging socio-political period. Many wise men in the world’s way but of little faith did not expect them to successfully cope with the demand of their high office, but God’s ways are not our ways.

“Looking back now, 50 years down the line, we can see that the Holy Spirit did not make a mistake.

“They have led the churche entrusted to their care successfully until their meritorious retirement at the full age of 75. Not every former office holder deserves the title emeritus.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Archbishop of Benin Diocese and president, Conference of Catholic Bishops, His Grace, Dr Augustine Akubeze said Ekpu invested in human development and the growth of the people of God.

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Welcome Home, Israel Confirms Return Of 20 Hostages From Gaza

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1 day ago

October 13, 2025

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Israel said that the last 20 living hostages released by Hamas on Monday had arrived in the country.

“Welcome home,” the foreign ministry wrote in a series of posts on X, hailing the return of Matan Angrest, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Elkana Bohbot, Rom Braslavski, Nimrod Cohen, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Evyatar David, Guy Gilboa Dalal, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Segev Kalfon, Bar Kuperstein, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, Yosef Haim Ohana, Alon Ohel, Avinatan Or and Matan Zangauker.

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20 Members Of Gang Blacklisted By US Escape Guatemala Prison

Published

2 days ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

Twenty members of a gang designated a “foreign terrorist organisation” by the United States have escaped from detention in Guatemala, a prison chief said Sunday.

The members of the Barrio 18 gang “evaded security controls” at the Fraijanes II facility, prison director Ludin Godinez said at a news conference.

He received “an intelligence report” on Friday warning about the “possible escape” from the prison, which is southeast of the capital, Guatemala City.

Godinez said they were investigating possible acts of corruption.

Washington last month blacklisted Barrio 18, an El Salvador-based gang which has a reputation for violence and extortion, as part of its crackdown on drug trafficking.

The US embassy in Guatemala condemned the prison escape as “utterly unacceptable.”

“The United States designated members of this heinous group as the terrorists they are and will hold accountable anyone who has provided, provides, or decides to provide material support to these fugitives or other gang members,” the embassy said on X.

It called on the Guatemalan government to “act immediately and vigorously to recapture these terrorists.”

According to Interior Minister Francisco Jimenez, there are about 12,000 gang members and collaborators in Guatemala, while another 3,000 are in prison.

The country’s homicide rate has increased from 16.1 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024 to 17.65 this year, more than double the world average, according to the Centre for National Economic Research.

According to the Salvadoran government, the gangs Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha, better known as MS-13, are responsible for the deaths of about 200,000 people over three decades.

The two gangs once controlled an estimated 80 percent of El Salvador, which had one of the highest homicide rates in the world.

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South Africa Bus Crash Kills 40 Including Malawi, Zimbabwe Nationals

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2 days ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

At least 40 people, including nationals of Malawi and Zimbabwe, were killed when a passenger bus rolled down an embankment in South Africa, a provincial transport minister said Monday.

The bus travelling to Zimbabwe crashed around 90 kilometres (55 miles) from the border on Sunday after the driver apparently lost control, Limpopo province transport minister Violet Mathye said.

“They are still working on the scene, but 40 bodies have already been confirmed to date,” Mathye told the Newzroom Afrika channel. The dead included a 10-month-old girl, she said.

Thirty-eight people were in hospital and rescuers were searching for other victims, she told eNCA media.

The bus was travelling from the southern city of Gqeberha, around 1,500 kilometres away, and its passengers included Malawians and Zimbabweans who were working in South Africa. The crash may have been caused by driver fatigue or a mechanical fault, the minister said.

South Africa has a sophisticated and busy road network with a high rate of road deaths, blamed mostly on speeding, reckless driving and unroadworthy vehicles.

AFP