It was drama as a Catholic priest refused to conduct the funeral mass of late Senator Fidelis Okoro, who once represented Enugu North.
The congregation which converged at his residence on Friday in Iheagu Nru Nsukka on Friday, Sept 4th 2020 to pay their last respect all watched in amazement as the drama unfolded.
It all started when the Parish Priest of his town, Reverend Father Evaristus Isife, who was present at the burial ceremony, directed the catechist to say the funeral mass.
Officiating the mass, which is uncommon of catechists in the mass order of the Roman Catholic Church, especially when a Reverend Father is present, came as a surprise to the congregation.
The catechist struggled almost through his nose to follow the order of the mass as that has never been his office, either by omission or commission.
It was at the end of the mass, after watching the catechist in all his struggles that the Parish Priest picked up the microphone.
Everyone looked up to hear the homily from the Priest only for him to tell the congregation that “The state of the late Senator is enough homily for everyone”.
The Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, who has been patiently waiting for the drama to end could not hold his peace any longer.
Infuriated by what the Parish Priest did, he stood up and took the position of a man of God, telling the congregation that it was not in the powers of the living to judge the dead.
He drew his opinion from the biblical story of the two thieves who died at both sides of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, insinuating that despite the judgements people held against the late Senator Okoro, God might still give him a last and valid chance.
Speaking in the same vein, the former Governor of the old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo urged the entire congregation to help pray for a peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased instead of condemning him for his shortcomings on earth.
He said it was only Jesus Christ that could judge the late Senator and not human beings.
Senator Jim Nwobodo recalled that the best Commissioner who worked under him when he was Governor was Senator Okoro, whom he always referred to as his ‘son’.
Dignitaries who attended the burial ceremony and under whose watch the whole drama played out include Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker Enugu House of Assembly, Honourable Edward Ubosi, Simon Atigwe and Dr Pat Asadu of the House of Reps, among others.
The late Senator was alleged to have been inhospitable to his people, following several of his anti-human policies which he held on to in his active days in politics.
Source: Vanguard