Rev Fr Otegbola Denies Hating Igbo-Speaking Parishioners

By Emmanuel Udom

The parish priest of St Mary Catholic Church in Alaja, Ifo in Ogun State, Rev Fr Anthony Otegbola, has denied allegations of hating and cursing Igbo-speaking members of the church.

Business Post gathered that some parishioners are not happy with the way the church is run and are allegedly plotting his removal.

Sensing that the peace of the church may be disrupted by the underground tribal disagreement, the cleric clarified he does not engage in cursing members who are not from his Yoruba tribe.

At the mass last Sunday, the man of God said he was compelled to summon all chairmen and heads of all the societies in the church to deliberate on how best to handle the matter.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that the talented man at the center of the storm should be asked to step down as chairman of the society he was heading.

Rev Otegbola, while speaking on the issue, said that there is nothing wrong in having and using talents to serve God and humanity. It is acceptable everywhere.

“As far as the Catholic church is concerned, members are encouraged to use their talents to serve the church, not to play up tribal sentiments in order to break the Catholic church,” he said.

He said investigations have shown that those who are bent on playing up tribal sentiments to ensure his removal from the church are less than 20 per cent of the Igbo-speaking parishioners.

On the allegations that he normally stands at the altar to rain curses on members, especially Ndigbos, the cleric said he only prayed against the enemies of the church.

The priest said when he arrived at St Mary Catholic Church in Alaja from Agbara, the EzeNdigbo 1 of Ogun State, Mr Willie Okonkwo, sponsored his ordination and has over the years benefited immensely from Igbo-speaking Nigerians at home and abroad over the years.

“Therefore, I cannot bend the rules in the Catholic church to satisfy some members, who may be playing tribal sentiments to bring about discomforts in the parish,” he said.