Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State
By Chidi Nkwopara
OWERRI — The Violence Against Persons Prohibition, VAPP, Bill, currently before Imo State House of Assembly can be used by LGBTQ to sue a priest, thereby endangering “our cultural, traditional and religious values.”
The Auxiliary Bishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Moses Chikwe, raised the alarm in a homily at Annunciation Catholic Parish, New Owerri.
“The proposed VAPP Bill, if passed into law, will turn the society upside down. The Bill will endanger our cultural, traditional and religious values”, Chikwe said.
“The Bill, if passed into law, proposes that a priest can be sued, for refusing to wed homosexuals, because such a refusal, is a discrimination, according to the Bill.”
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Explaining his position in the Imo VAPP Bill further, Bishop Chikwe said when the Bill becomes a law, it will promote abortion, ordination of women as priests and more unpalatable things would come into the Igbo societal lexicon.
His words: “Instead of passing Bills that will ensure quality of life for the citizenry, like road constructions with specified quality standards, Imo lawmakers are busy working on Bills that will affect the people negatively.”
While urging Christians to challenge all evils in society, Bishop Chikwe also argued that “although we are citizens of heaven, we should contribute our quota towards making the society a better place to live in.”
He was particularly irked that people are suffering untold hardship daily because the society is dysfunctional, pointing out that as Christians challenge their leaders, they must also imbibe the spirit of challenging themselves.
