Anglican Diocese commiserates with Lagos Catholic Archdiocese over explosion
The Anglican Diocese of Awka has sent hearty commiserations to the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos over the devastating explosions which claimed many lives and destroyed property in Abule-Ado area of Lagos state last weekend.
Bishop Alexander Ibezim expressed the feelings of the diocese in his message on the occasion of 2020 Mothering Sunday celebration in the diocese on Sunday.
Ibezim also sent his empathy to the management of Bethlehem Girls College which lost its durecit of education , students and property in the disaster.
“The news of the explosion took me aback as I am pained such could still happen to our people in this century.
“I commiserate with Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos , Archbishop Alfred Martins for the disaster at Bethlehem Girls College, Abule Ado , Amuwo Odofin Lagos which lost the Education Director, Administrator of the school and some students who died in the unfortunate fire incident.
“I commiserate with other Churches of Christ affected by the inferno after the blast, the government and people of Lagos State as well as with families and relations of those who lost their lives, and property in the fire incident. May God console you all in Jesus name,” he said.
Ibezim condemned the attempt to colour Boko Haram insurgency in parts of the North along religious lines and called on the military to combat the insurgents to forestall possible Christian-Muslim crisis.
According to him, I am worried at the allusion by the Nigerian Army that some Boko Haram insurgents are Christians rather than combine forces and obliterate the existence of Boko Haram which is a clear cut Islamic jihadists’ agenda.
“The insecurity situation is overwhelming and rather than drag Christianity to an Islamic war agenda, the Military should face the insurgents bent on whipping out Christians in Northern Nigeria in particular and Nigeria at large.
“It is painful that several communities have been ruined, property worth hundreds of millions damaged and hundreds of lives maimed and killed,” he said.
The Anglican Bishop frowned at the growing cases of sex/cash for marks in the nations tertiary education system and called on lecturers and management of these institutions to tackle it head on.
He said such acts were inimical to sound moral and upright society which should be bequeathed to future generations.
“Why should Academics be associated with sex for marks or sex for cash?, it is a dangerous phenomena and hydra headed monster everyone who calls himself an academic must fight to stop.
“ I condemn anyone in the tertiary institution encouraging such because; it is blight on the society, it undermines our collective efforts to bequeath a morally upright society to posterity.
“I charge Vice Chancellors and the university governing councils across the country to be decisive on this challenge and rid the academic institutions of all undesirable elements,” he said.
Ibezim called on the federal government and Academic Staff Union of Universities to find a middle courses in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS) imbroglio in the interest of the country’s education.
He said, I am unhappy our Universities were shut down because of ASUU warning strike over IPPIS and I want the FG and ASUU to shift grounds and resolve this issue in the interest of the students.
“Whatever, let there be resolution to the crisis for academic activities to resume in the Universities.
“I should think that the Federal Government needed to consider the peculiarities of tertiary Institutions Academic Staff both at Colleges, Polytechnics and Universities during implementation of IPPIS
“There should be no reason to deduct voluntary deductions like National Housing Fund from the salary of staff ,but failed to deduct statutory deductions like staff cooperative society contributions.
