Catholic Bishops Slams Oba of Lagos Death Threat To Igbo’s

The Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria, CCFN, an organ of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, on Monday in Abuja said Akiolu was “missing the point that Nigeria is a Republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.”He said, “We humbly call on the Oba himself to withdraw his curse and rather appeal to the people, for indeed, such a threat may amount to playing God and God, who is a merciful father, will not allow his children to die so senselessly just because they are fulfilling the dictates of their conscience.”

According to him, the fact that APC is the government at the centre is a strong factor to employ and appeal to people to vote for its candidate “rather than invoking ancestral powers for destruction.”

Bassey added, “Why is it that in Africa we usually invoke our powers for destruction and not for building-up? Why single out a particular ethnic group for this curse? Does it mean a Yoruba or Hausa person, living in Lagos. who votes for Jimi Agbaje will go scot-free, while any Igbo, who votes for Agbaje, will drown in the Lagoon?

“Does it mean that people should vote out of fear and not their consciences? Would such an election be free and fair, where people have to vote out of intimidation?

Does not the threat of the Oba Akiolu amount to voter intimidation?”