In a grand display of hospitality, the Igbo Eze South Local Government Council Mayor, Hon. Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze welcomed the Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Enugu, Most Reverend Sosthenus Ikechukwu Ezeh at the Council’s Headquarters, Ibagwa-Aka.
The Arch Bishop who hails from Ovoko, in Igbo-Eze South, recently succeeded Bishop Emmanuel O. Chukwuma to clinch the top Pastoral position.
The visit, which took place at the council secretariat coincided with other pre scheduled government programs and as such was graced by many Stakeholders, Party leaders, Royal Fathers, Town Union Presidents, friends of the government within and outside the council, party and christians faithfuls.
In his welcome speech, the Council Mayor expressed gratitude to the Arch Bishop for honoring the council with his presence despite his tight schedule.
In his words, “Your Grace, I extend my profound gratitude for carving out time from your busy schedule to visit our local government. We are deeply honored and delighted to have you with us.
“The atmosphere is indeed spiritually charged, and we are eager to tap into the fresh blessings that your presence brings.
“On behalf of the people of our local government, I warmly welcome you to Igbo Eze South Local Government Council.
“Your visit comes at a time when your prayers and blessings are most needed to propel our local government and council forward.” He remarked.
Addressing the Mamouth crowd, the Arch Bishop expressed happiness for the unexpected crowd and reception given to him and his team and thanked the Council Boss for organizing such an amazing reception in his honour.
The Holy Father also expressed gratitude to the performing Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for his disruptive developmental trajectories in the state, saying that the governor has proved his doubters wrong and prayed that he achieves his campaign promise of growing Enugu State GDP from 4.4B to 30B Dollars, noting that the governor has brought business into governance.
The chairman, in his closing remarks, expressed his deepest gratitude to the Archbishop for blessing the council and the state at large. He assured the Archbishop that the government of His Excellency, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah remains committed to upholding the principle of inclusiveness by fostering harmonious relationships among all religions and religious leaders across the state, and his government is taking a leaf from the state government’s unique initiative. “We are profoundly thankful for this remarkable day. We appreciate your presence, accompanied by your team of ministers, to bless us. Through your prayers, we are confident that we have embarked on a new journey as the people of Igbo Eze South, having prayed for Enugu state and, notably, His Excellency, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. Your prayers have ushered in a new era of progress and exceptional growth. And I can assure you that the government of His Excellency, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah promotes inclusiveness in religious matters. Our message to you is that you are always welcome to visit Igbo Eze South territory at any time, without formal invitation,” he stated.
The eventful day drew to a close with the chairman taking the Archbishop on a tour of the council secretariat, which is currently undergoing reconstruction. The Holy Father’s visit, serve as a testament to the council’s dedication to building bridges across all religions.
