Sunday 4 July 2021, I traveled to Borum Community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State to honor the invitation of the Secretary to Cross River State Government, Barrister Tina Banku Agbor, to a thanksgiving mass and mega rally to mark her formal defection from the PDP to APC in solidarity with her principal, the indefatigable Professor, Senator Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State of Nigeria.
I had heard about the exploits of the irrepressible, invincible, and Radical Rev. Father Eworo close to a decade. A few years ago, he aspired to become the Governor of Cross River State. Still, as usual, the shenanigans and chicanery of the political system scuttled his ambition and seemed him.
Although I have not met Father Eworo in person, we struck a friendship. We used to talk on the phone regularly till when I lost his contract about three years ago. Yesterday in Borum, I met Father Eworo one on one. When I entered the Catholic Church in Borum at the beginning of the mass celebration, I didn't know that he was among the priest lined up to herald the beginning of the mass. However, the vintage Father Eworo sighted me and proceeded to call me out. I was surprised because at that time, I didn't know that it was Father Eworo; I was wondering how the Rev Father knew me so well. Because he talked glowingly about my career as an advocate for social justice, human rights, conviction, and my travails in government, so when he said that he is Rev Father Eworo, gosh, I was taken by surprise.
Father Eworo is a frank, fearless Priest. He is brilliant, articulate, humorous, and speaks well the language of the ordinary man. Father Eworo on the pulpit is sheer electrifying, held congregation spellbound; his message was powerful and exuded great confidence and charisma. He criticized the political class, its waywardness. He commended Governor Ben Ayade for giving Barrister Agbor, a very dogged and hardworking woman whom the male-dominated political class despised. He was never allowed to become politically relevant out of sheer ego and chauvinism. But despite all that, she persisted.
Even when I left the church suddenly, Father Eworo asked Engineer Ray Nnamdi to go and arrest me and bring me back. Father Eworo ordered me to kneel on the pulpit's precinct and rendered a very powerful prayer for me. He then sprinkled holy water on me and then released me. I was overcome with emotion!!
Father Eworo reminds me of Catholic Priests in South America who were in the vanguard to end human rights repression, oppression, military rule, social and economic injustices four decades ago. They were the advocates of liberation theology that rose in late 20th century Roman Catholicism and Centres in Latin America. It sought to apply religious faith by aiding the poor and oppressed through political and civil society involvement. It advocated that a Priest must be the conscience of society and be in the vanguard to emancipate the poor, the oppressed from tyranny. Rev. Father Eworo is undoubted a theologian and a liberator !!
Okoi Obono-Obla
Publisher: Don Martyn L.O
Ikeduru APC Media Hub
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