Christ Church Kaduna breathes peace at last
CONN/300405
Kaduna, Apirl 28, 2005- A new Vicar has been presented to the congregation of Christ (Anglican) Church Kaduna, signaling the return of peace after disagreement over disposition of clergy caused a rift between the Diocese and one of her parish Churches.
He is the Rev Canon Ben Idume, currently serving as the Church of Nigeria National Director of Youth and Women Affairs.
Archbishop of Kaduna, the Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, made the announcement to hundreds of worshippers who had the chance to witness the end of the over one-year old Vicar-ship dispute on Sunday 24th April, 2005.
He also announced the dissolution of the Central Working Committee of the Church (CWC), led by Chief O.N. Nwobi and commissioned a 12-man Committee, expected to work with the new Vicar until vestry elections are held.
For the past 15 months, Christ Church Kaduna and the Diocese of Kaduna were embroiled in a face-off after members of the local parish rejected the posting of a non-Igbo speaking Vicar.
Insisting that it was their right to have an-Igbo speaking Vicar since the congregation was pre-dominantly Igbo; the local church parted ways with the Diocesan who was of the opinion that non-Igbo speakers should be encouraged to join the Church for total integration irrespective of tribe or tongue
During the period of the impasse, the pastoral care of the congregation was committed to lay readers of the Church and an external ministry.
The intervention of Governor Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State and the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Rev. Peter Akinola commissioned a reconciliation Committee.
The Committee had representatives from the State government, the Kaduna State Christian Association of Nigeria, the Diocese of Kaduna and Christ Church Kaduna.
Prominent in the truce reached by the Reconciliation Committee was the posting of Rev Idume, a Deltan, who understands and speaks the Igbo language fluently.
At the `reconciliation service’, Archbishop Fearon prayed God to reward all that worked for the return of peace in the Church and particularly asked that the new Vicar be empowered with wisdom and understanding.
“We pray that the team (12-man Committee) he is working with will be fully controlled by the power of the Holy Spirit, ’’ the Archbishop said.
In a solemn mood, Rev. Canon Idume urged for prayers from members of the Church and appealed that all side-talks and gossip be put away toward achieving the supreme goal of the Church, which is salvation.
Meanwhile, the institution and induction service of the new Vicar is to come up on May 8, 2005.
Among the dignitaries who attended the service were Permanent Secretary Bureau for Religious Affairs in Kaduna State and the Secretary of CAN Kaduna Chapter, Rev. John Haiab.
Christ Church Kaduna was established in 1946
