Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has reacted to suspension by the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Gboko, Most Reverend William Avenya for a letter suspending him from public ministry.H
The Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Gboko, North Central Nigeria, the Most Reverend William Avenya, suspended the priest, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, from public ministry for getting involved in partisan politics. The priest is a Benue State governorship contender on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
According to Fr Alia, the suspension will aid him to fully pursue his gubernatorial aspiration on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
In a statement made available to newsmen by Media Aide to Fr Alia, Isaac Uzaan Saturday, the guber hopeful said:”More than a decade ago, the then Catholic Bishop of the old Makurdi Diocese (now splitted into Gboko, Otukpo, Lafia, and Katsina/Ala) the Most Rev. Dr Athanasius Usuh officially suspended Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu from public ministry for contesting for governorship under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“With this, Adasu became the first priest in Benue to be suspended on the ground of involvement in partisan politics.
“Despite this decision by the church’s authority, Benue people trooped out and massively cast their vote for the priest who became the second civilian governor of the state.”
The statement maintained that Adasu’s administration, even though caught short by the military is ranked among the very best that Benue has ever experienced.
“Interestingly, after serving as the Executive Governor of the state, Fr. Adasu went back to the church and was joyfully received and his priestly faculties restored back to him. He was subsequently posted to St. Ann’s Catholic Parish, Adikpo and later as a lecturer in Benue State University, Makurdi where he worked until his death and burial at the diocesan cemetery for priests in Makurdi,” the statement noted.
According to the statement, empirical evidences abound to the fact that since after Adasu’s administration, Benue has never been very lucky with the crop of leaders it has experienced apart from a few exceptions.
The statement noted that, consequently, to put the records straight, Benue masses in their desperate attempt to liberate themselves from the shackles of bad governance decided to go for yet another priest in the person of Fr Alia.
“Like his brother Fr. Adasu, Dr Alia braved into the political ring to fight for the soul of Benue State come 2023 thereby taking a less travelled road in order to restore hope to the hopeless people of Benue State,” the statement maintained.
“On the other hand, like his predecessor, Bishop Avenya yesterday, 20th, May, 2022 officially suspended Fr Alia from public ministry.
“In the letter dated 20th May, 2022, Bishop Avenya maintained that the suspension is effective only as long as the reason for it persists.
“Therefore, on behalf of Benue masses who are the originators of the Divine Mandate project, we wish to thank His Lordship for this long awaited decision even as we request that he keeps his son, Dr Alia in his prayers,” the statement further read.
THE Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Gboko, North Central Nigeria, the Most Reverend William Avenya, suspended the priest, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, from public ministry for getting involved in partisan politics. The priest is a Benue State governorship contender on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
His suspension was contained in a letter to all Priests, Religious and Laity, Catholic Diocese of Gboko, dated May 20, 2023 and signed by the Bishop. It is titled, ‘Suspension of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia from Sacred Ministry.’Part of the letter read: “I write to communicate to you the suspension of my priest, Revd. Fr. Hyacinth lormem Alia from public ministry after series of admonitions to him. “The Mother Church does not allow her clerics to get involved in partisan politics on their own. You are aware that my son, your brother and your priest has purchased the party forms to contest for the Office of the Governor of Benue State under the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), which is totally against our vocation.”“Therefore, to respond to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the Church in the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, I have suspended him from the exercise of sacred ministry. “This canonical suspension takes effect from the moment it is communicated to him and lasts until he ceases from contumacy.” —The Voice/VANGUARD
