* Bishop Onaga urges peace, unity, sustained development across Igboland
By Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU— The Igbo nation, yesterday, offered prayers of thanksgiving to God for survival, resilience and preservation 56 years after the Nigerian civil war, as leaders and faithful gathered at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu, for the inaugural Igbo Day of Adoration and Thanksgiving.
The solemn spiritual gathering, which attracted Igbo leaders, clerics and faithful from within and outside the South-East, marked the beginning of an annual observance scheduled to hold every last Saturday of January.
Presiding over the Holy Mass, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Valentine Onaga, called for sustained prayers for peace, unity and development across Igboland.
Bishop Onaga, who was represented by Rev. Fr. Michael Amaobi Ogbu, said the survival of the Igbo people despite the devastation of the civil war remained a testimony of God’s faithfulness.
Drawing from the biblical account of the 10 lepers, he stressed the importance of gratitude, noting that thanksgiving attracts continued divine blessings.
He said: “The Igbo nation is blessed with a strong identity rooted in faith, resilience and communal values. This gathering is both an act of gratitude and a solemn appeal for God’s continued blessings upon Ndigbo.”
Speaking on the origin of the initiative, the Deputy National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prince Okechukwu Nwadinaobi, said the idea was inspired by Igbo religious leaders.
According to him: “The initiative was inspired by the collective wisdom of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops who saw the need to set aside a day to thank God for His goodness to the Igbo people.”
Also speaking, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Ezechi Chukwu, described the event as a deeply symbolic spiritual exercise for Ndi Igbo.
He said: “The Igbo Adoration and Thanksgiving Day is a moment of praise to God for His kindness, protection and guidance over the years. The gathering is deeply symbolic in the spiritual life of Ndigbo.”
Participants, including Igbo leaders and members of the diaspora, commended the initiative, saying it would strengthen unity and communal bonds among Igbo people across communities, states and denominations.
They described the annual observance as not only a remembrance of the past but also “a declaration of faith in a future anchored on gratitude, unity and trust in God.”
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