…Inaugurates St Mary’s Parish Amakaohia Ubi.
A lot of the bizarre happenings in Nigeria’s security sector, has been linked to the excessive consumption of hard drugs by youths.
This formed the central message of the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, in a homily he delivered weekend, during the inauguration of St. Mary’s Catholic Parish, Amakohia-Ubi, Owerri West local council area of Imo State.
His words: “It is true that there is a lot of suffering and hardship in the land. It appears that we are suffering more than we suffered, during the 30-month Nigeria/Biafra war, which is sadly occasioned by sheer greed by our leaders.
“Today, our youths have taken to excessive consumption of hard drugs and execute all sorts of unimaginable things.
“They pick up guns, rob and kidnap fellow citizens. How can we explain that today, people are senselessly killed as if human life is no longer precious and inalienable?
“Today, people are kidnapped and killed, even after collecting huge ransom from their relations? How can we explain that in some cases, decomposing bodies, carelessly dumped by their captors, are found in forests?
“Have we not read reports of how human beings, who were kidnapped, turned out to be barbecued by their captors? Is this not sheer madness?
“How have we degenerated to this sordid and disgraceful level in Nigeria? If these ugly things were not engineered by the consumption of hard drugs, what will be comfortably linked to these acts?
“There is no doubt that the perpetrators of these crimes, come from homes and communities. They don’t come from the blues. They are truly not unknown gunmen, as they are often branded.”
The Archbishop equally had a word for parents and the nation’s leadership: “Parents must rise up to their divine calling, as true parents of their children.
“Parents must shun all acts of irresponsibility, in the full glare of their children, because they pick them up and act them out, as they grow.
“The nation’s leaders must remember at all times that God blessed Nigeria abundantly. God gave us good weather, natural resources and everything we need to survive and prosper.
“How far have we fared with these divine gifts? What we have done with these divine gifts, is apologetic. A lot of people now want to flee from our country because of the hardship in the land.
“There is lack of empathy from our leaders. We need to have a sincere recollection and amend our ways.
“Things must change, if we must positively move forward in Nigeria.”