News

Crisis In Catholic Church As Bishop Sacks 5 Priests

Published

3 years ago

October 13, 2022

Catholic Bishop of Nnewi, Anambra State, Jonas Benson Okoye, has relieved five priests in the Diocese of their duties over alleged insubordination.

The five Spiritan Priests who are from St Martin of Tours, Ihiala, are said to have been having a running battle with the Bishop over their residency in the parish, which allegedly led to their ejection from the parsonage of the church by Bishop Okoye, following an administrative re-arrangement aimed at creating a new parish in the area.

The Priests also described as “Holy Ghost Priests” who claimed that their order had been in possession of the parish for over 100 years refused the order of the Bishop for them to vacate the Parish for new Priests sent to handle the church.

However, consequent upon the alleged disobedience of the Bishop’s order, the Diocese withdrew their canonical faculties, also known as “authorities to perform acts or functions in the parish.”

Addressing newsmen in Ozubulu, the Ekwusigo Local Government Headquarters on Tuesday, a former Director of Communication of Nnewi Diocese, Rev. Fr. Hyginus Aghaulo said that the Spiritan Priests claim that Archbishop Heerey gave the parish to them in 1967, does not hold water.

Justifying the Nnewi Diocese Bishop’s action, Aghaulo said that the Spiritans claimed that Archbishop Heerey gave it to them in 1967, but that was under 1917 Code, but Can. 6 of 1983 Code abrogated the 1917 Code, unless such matters are renewed in 1983 Code, but there is no evidence that such renewal has taken place.

Aghaulo also stated that the 1983 Code abolished making a moral person, now a juridic person, a pastor. Now to be appointed a pastor, the person must be a physical person and be in priesthood.

“Even if a Parish is given to a juridic person even in soliduum, the Diocesan Bishop must appoint one of them the proper pastor.

“Fourthly, under the 1917 Code, when such grant was instituted, there was an express need for apostolic indult in order to have the character of perpetuity.

“The 1983 Code gives the discretion and right of free conferral on Diocesan Bishops and those equivalent to them in law, in line with canons 368 and 381, in the spiritual task of appointing pastors.

“Thus, the Diocesan Bishop can freely appoint and freely fire. He can freely create and freely suppress Parishes without recourse to existing customs, grants and centennial or immemorial bequests and grants.”

Aghaulo, maintained that religious institutes by virtue of their juridic personality were not distinctively and naturally destined for Parish administration, but for the living of evangelical counsel in their communities and convents unlike Diocesan or secular Priests whose destiny and nativity is to administer Parishes.

“That the religious are made pastors is a grant, privilege and at the discretion of the Bishop, because of dearth of secular clergy and for missionary cooperation and therefore, should not be a matter for claims.

“Even where they are given a Parish, a written agreement must stipulate the particular personnel and confirmation of the proper pastor by the Diocese’s Bishop. Religious institutes do not appoint pastors but only present them to the Bishop and such presentation is subject to the ratification and confirmation of the Diocesan Bishop.

“Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye, is a successor of Archbishop Heerey and so, has power to interpret or alter the perpetuity clause in such a convention because salvation of souls is the supreme law.

“That portion of the people of God in the parochial jurisdiction of St. Martin Ihiala, is a bona fide part of Nnewi Diocese under the pastoral care of Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye and so, he possesses immediate, full and proper power of order and jurisdiction over it (Can. 129) without prejudice to any extant laws or conventions.”

Aghaulo noted that the development had been reported to the Superior General, whose duty it is to supervise the “Holy Ghost Priests”.

News

JUST IN: NLC Gives FG Four Weeks To Resolve ASUU Crisis

Published

33 minutes ago

October 20, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Labour Congress has resolved to issue a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government should it fail to conclude negotiations with all tertiary institutions-based unions.

The NLC also condemned the no-work-no-pay policy introduced by the government as a form of sanction to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities for daring to embark on a nationwide strike.

The president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero made this known in an ongoing interactive session with labour correspondents in Abuja.

The interactive session followed the meeting between the NLC and leaders of tertiary institutions’ based unions at the NLC headquarters in Abuja.

“We have decided to give the federal government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU but the problem in this sector goes beyond ASUU.

“That is why we are extending this to four weeks. If after four weeks this negotiation is not concluded, the organs of the NEC will meet and take a nationwide action that all workers in the country, all unions in the country will be involved so that we get to the root of all this.

“ The era of signing agreements, negotiations and threatening the unions involved, that era has come to an end.

“The policy, the so-called policy of no work, no pay, will henceforth be no pay, no work. You can’t benefit from an action you instigated. We have discovered that most, 90% of strike actions in this country are caused by failure to obey agreements,” Ajaero said.

The Nigerian higher education system has been faced with chronic instability, the latest leading to the closure of universities nationwide due to the ongoing strike by ASUU.

Recall that ASUU National President Professor Chris Piwuna announced the strike at a press briefing at the University of Abuja on Sunday, following the expiry of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the government on September 28. The union cited unresolved issues relating to staff welfare, infrastructure, salary arrears, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement.

Negotiations in recent weeks failed to avert industrial action. Education Minister Tunji Alausa said two weeks ago that talks had reached a final phase, noting the government had released N50bn for earned academic allowances and allocated N150bn in the 2025 budget for a needs assessment to be disbursed in three instalments. However, ASUU rejected these measures as insufficient.

The union is demanding full implementation of the 2009 agreement, release of three-and-a-half months of withheld salaries, sustainable funding for universities, protection against victimisation, payment of outstanding promotion and salary arrears, and release of withheld deductions for cooperatives and union contributions.

The NLC emphasised its full solidarity with ASUU and other tertiary education unions, calling for robust participation from all union leaders.

It also highlighted the principle of a converse stance, “No Pay, No Work”, urging the government to honour collective agreements and respect the rights of workers.

The emergency meeting is expected to chart the next steps for industrial action and explore strategies to safeguard the welfare of university staff, as well as the quality and continuity of public tertiary education in Nigeria.

News

JUST IN: NLC Begins Meeting With ASUU, Other Unions Over Strike

Published

55 minutes ago

October 20, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Labour Congress has commenced a meeting with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics among others over the ongoing strike in universities and other concerns raised by workers in tertiary institutions nationwide.

The meeting is currently holding at the NLC national headquarters in Abuja.

Recall that the NLC in a letter invited all union leaders across various tertiary institutions of learning nationwide to a meeting to find lasting solutions to issues stemmed from failed negotiations with the Federal Government.

Nigerian higher education system has been faced with chronic instability, the latest leading to closure of universities nationwide due to the ongoing strike by ASUU.

The NLC emphasised its full solidarity with ASUU and other tertiary education unions, calling for robust participation from all union leaders. It also highlighted the principle of a converse stance, “No Pay, No Work”, urging the government to honour collective agreements and respect the rights of workers.

News

Witchcraft: FIDA Sensitises Stakeholders On Accusations In Bauchi

Published

3 hours ago

October 20, 2025

Editor

The Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bauchi State Chapter, has engaged members of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Council in a one-day sensitization programme on alleged witchcraft accusations.

The event was conducted in collaboration with the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AFAW), a Non-Governmental Organisation.

Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of FIDA Bauchi, Barr. Hauwa Ahmed Abubakar, said the initiative aimed to curb harmful beliefs and practices that often result in trauma, violence, and disunity among families.

She said the practice continues to endanger the lives of innocent people.

“Today’s engagement focuses on enlightening community members about the dangers of stigmatization and harmful traditional beliefs.

“We brought together traditional leaders, women, youth, and other stakeholders to discuss how to end these practices and promote peace and mutual respect,” she said.

Abubakar explained that the campaign seeks to protect vulnerable individuals, especially women, and prevent abuses linked to witchcraft accusations across communities in Bauchi State.

“There is nothing like witchcraft in our laws, neither in the constitution nor in the state’s statutes.

“But because people are unaware of their rights, they resort to jungle justice. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse; anyone who harms or kills another person over witchcraft claims will be prosecuted,” she explained.

The Programme Manager of AFAW, Mr. Dooyum Dominic Ingye, condemned the persistent persecution of women and children over witchcraft allegations, describing it as a “deep-rooted human rights violation” in Nigeria.

He said the sensitization campaign was organized to raise awareness about the dangers of witchcraft-related stigma and to promote respect for human rights within communities.

One of the victims, Mrs. Hannatu Yakubu, shared her painful experience, recalling how her mother was taken away by some youths in 2020 after being accused of witchcraft.

“In 2020, we heard a loud noise around our area, and my mother was taken away by some youths. Since then, life has not been the same, but I am grateful that help eventually came,” she said.

Another community member, Mr. Haruna Musa Gital, a community leader, narrated how a young man suffered emotional distress after his wife was falsely accused of witchcraft by his own brother.