By Nna Anulumadu
The Catholic faithful, Protestants and traditional worshippers in Aguleri were thrown into a jubilatory mood when the news of creation of the Aguleri Diocese broke in the community.
Reliable sources told Trinitas that Aguleri residents, both Catholics and non-Catholics, were seen dancing on the streets, making merriment and shooting canon guns to show their level of joy over the good development.
The parish priest of St Joseph Parish, Aguleri (the new cathedral), Rev. Fr Celestine Chigbo, who spoke to the press, expressed great joy over the newly created diocese, describing it as great news and a milestone, and adding that the Aguleri people and neighbouring communities had been yearning for it. According to him, joy rent the air in the community when the news came on Sunday.
He described Bishop Denis Isizoh as a man who has garnered a lot of experience, having worked with the Roman Curia for years. He added that his wealth of experience will greatly help in developing the new diocese. While congratulating Bishop Isizoh, he prayed to God to give him foresight and good people to begin the new diocese and move it to an enviable height. The new diocese, he asserted, will bring about great changes spiritually, economically, physically and otherwise.
“It will bring serious conversion to pagans and to others who are still backsliding in their faith,” he said, urging the members of the new diocese to brace up for greater challenges coming ahead.
The immediately past council chairman of the parish, Sir Alex Aloefuna, who spoke to Trinitas, expressed great joy over the new diocese, saying that they had been expecting such an elevation. He extolled the archbishop of Onitsha, the Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke, for facilitating the process and for being a good prelate.
He also felicitated Bishop Isizoh, describing him as a good shepherd who has been on grassroots evangelism in most of the communities that make up the new diocese.
Also, the current vice chairman of the parish council, Augustine Emeka, in his contribution expressed delight over new diocese, stating that it will bring about more conversion, increase in faith and nearness to the gospel of Christ. He enjoined fellow members of the new diocese to rally round Bishop Isizoh and give him maximum support for the greater good of the new diocese.
