Ebonyi indigenes reject handing over of Uburu varsity to Catholic Church

By TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in Diaspora (AESID) has frowned at the donation of King David University of Medical Sciences Uburu, by the Ebonyi State Government to the Catholic Church.

President of the AESID, Amb Paschal Oluchukwu, in a statement at the weekend, described Governor Dave Umahi gesture as a Greek gift.

Checks revealed that at the Episcopal Ordination and installation of Rt. Reverend Peter Nworie Chukwu as the 3rd Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki last Thursday, Ebonyi State Governor, announced the handing over of the King David University of Medical Sciences Uburu to the Catholic Bishops Conference.

The forum of Ebonyi Indigenes in Abuja however expressed concern that the state governor pronouncements could lead to animosity between the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, who had claimed ownership of the new varsity and the Catholic Church.

Ambassador Oluchukwu in the statement maintained that Governor Umahi’s declaration was “capable of not only pitching the mother church against her sister Presbyterian Church which has been in court challenging the forceful takeover of the said property but also further negate the provisions of our extant Laws, create chaos and confusion and deepen animosity between the Christian faith even as we yet see Ebonyi as a secular State only dominated by the Christian religion.”

According to the AESID, no law permits a Governor to build such a massive edifice with millions of public funds and hand the same over to a people of a particular faith in a multi-religious society.

“Apart from the severe breaches of the law typified by the non-passage of any Law enabling the donation of the said institution which was built with public funds, Governor, Umahi has by this pronouncement shown that he’s merely a desperate dealer trying to cover-up his suspected dirty tracks by currying the favour of the largest and most populous Catholic Church.

“No one, we repeat, no church or organisation for that matter, therefore, should accept any such compromised dealings from a Governor like Umahi. For we are certain that his motives on this particular offer are as ulterior as the majority of his dealings with Ebonyi people in his past six years on the saddle as Ebonyi governor.”

“We are aware that Umahi had sent a letter asking for approval to the State’s House of Assembly asking for the State’s takeover and acquisition of the oldest Hospital founded by a Missionary, Dr John Hitchcock which his lackeys in the said arm of government readily granted without any due diligence or investigation, the head of Information Department and Public Affairs of the Presbyterian Church, Rt Rev Nnoke Ibe had in a detailed Press release accused the state governor of forcefully taking over the hospital for which it still paid rents to the family and village donors of the land upon which it is situated.

“The release, made since July 2020 had asserted without a counter-claim from the Umahi-led government that, ‘The Church is also aware that the Government’s power of eminent domain confers a power to take land it requires for public purposes; but that power is made constitutionally subject to procedures which guarantee the rights, privileges and entitlements of occupiers and holders.”

While condemning the governor’s action, the statement also faulted the recent increase in school fees regime between N1 to N3M as annual School fees for the institution following the approval of its courses by the National Universities Commission.

“From where and how then can the Catholic community fund, maintain and sustain such academic institution which could become a monumental waste if not properly-funded?

“If truly Umahi loves and wants academic excellence, why has he proposed the above monumental fee regime in a poor state like ours? Why has he also totally neglected the public education sector in Ebonyi without reasonable grants to the existing state-owned Primary, Secondary and especially, tertiary institutions in the State?

“Finally, AESID joins the rest of saner Ebonyians to kindly reject the offer and focus on fulfilling its spiritual and religious goals for the Church even as we wish the newly-ordained Bishop a successful Episcopal reign filled with great wisdom to handle the affairs of the mother church.” (Sunday Tribune)