Politics
LABOUR Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, on Friday attended the celebration of the 140th anniversary of Catholicism in eastern Nigeria held in Onitsha. The event drew thousands of faithful who gathered to mark the historic milestone in the life of the Church.
Speaking to journalists after the mass presided over by the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Michael Crotty, and attended by Francis Cardinal Arinze alongside the bishops and clergy of the ecclesiastical province – Obi described the anniversary as a moment to “look back with gratitude and look forward with hope.”
The celebration took place at the Field of the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, where worshippers honoured the legacy of the early missionaries and reflected on the enduring impact of the Catholic Church in Nigeria over the past 140 years.
Obi praised the early missionaries, including Rev. Fr. Joseph Lutz, Bishop Joseph Ignatius Shanahan, and Archbishop Charles Heerey, for laying the spiritual and educational foundations of the Church. He noted that their sacrifices remain the seed of a faith that has continued to flourish across generations.
He also commended successive leaders of the Onitsha Archdiocese – Cardinal Francis Arinze, Archbishops Stephen Ezeanya and Albert Obiefuna, and the current Archbishop Valerian Okeke – for sustaining the Church’s significant contributions to education, healthcare, and social development.
Highlighting the Catholic Church as the largest provider of social services in Nigeria after the government, Obi said its schools and hospitals have shaped countless lives. A proud product of Catholic education himself, he added that the values of discipline, integrity, and service continue to guide him. He congratulated the Archbishop, clergy, and faithful of the Archdiocese and prayed for God’s continued blessings on their work.
In the same vein, Sen. Tony Nwoye who alongside Prof. Patrick Obi accompanied Mr. Peter Obi commended the contributions of the church to nation building and urged them to keep it up. – Independent
A.I
Dec. 7, 2025
Tags: Albert Obiefuna Archbishop Michael Crotty Bishop Joseph Ignatius Shanahan Cardinal Francis Arinze Mr. Peter Obi Papal Nuncio Rev. Fr. Joseph Lutz Sen. Tony Nwoye
