THE President General of the umbrella Igbo organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, has taken a swipe on the Federal Government over the current scarcity of fuel, describing the situation as a deliberate plan to impoverish the Igbo people, who usually travel enmasse during the Christmas period.

Nwodo, who noted that whatever wealth Igbo sons and daughters would be bringing home during Christmas would be halved by the the obvious effect of fuel shortage, advised Ndigbo to strive to ensure that they invest at home. This is as the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna and the Bishop Diocese on the Niger, Rt. Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo, urged Ndigbo to use this period of Christmas to intensify their prayers for peace in the country.

The two reverred clerics also urged the Igbos to bring back their wealth to their homeland. The Ohanaeze President, Nwodo, also said in a Christmas message to the people that the period provided good opportunity for Ndigbo to pray more to God to send succour to alleviate their sufferings in the country. Chief Nwodo alleged that knowing what Christmas means to Ndigbo, the Federal Government was very uncharitable to the people to allow fuel scarcity in the country during this yuletide.

He said: “They know that at this period in the year, Ndigbo travel a lot to their homeland; that is when the government chose to close our airport; that is when it decided to allow scarcity of fuel. This is very unfair and insensitive. “It’s a deliberate policy of impoverishing our people, to ensure that whatever wealth our sons and daughters bring home during Christmas, is expended on the obvious effect of fuel shortage and none for investment.” Nwodo warned that any deliberate policy to undermine the economy of Ndigbo would affect the entire country heavily. He urged Ndigbo not to allow the hardship occasioned by the anti people policy of this administration to affect them in ploughing some fractions of their wealth home. Let nothing spoil your Xmas —Archbishop Obinna Archbishop Obinna gave the advice in his 2017 Christmas message “Light up the Candles; Sing the Carols and Jump for Joy.

He said: “Let nothing spoil your Christmas, not even the government induced poverty”. The cleric said that “only recently, with the so called Operation Python Dance, a number of our youthful children were swallowed up, with a number of them are still unaccounted for. “ That Ekeukwu Market in Owerri is now lying in ruins, reflects the dispirited hearts of traders, civil servants, pensioners and the common Imo man, in the face of mass poverty and sadness in our land,” Obinna said. Bishop Nwokolo preaches peace, reconciliation In a similar vein, Bishop Nwokolowho spoke during his Christmas message said the love of God, good will to men and peace on earth were the three cardinal messages that must be emphasised during Christmas celebrations because God loves the world and gave his only son Jesus Christ to redeem mankind. Udeogaranya calls for Christ-like humility

In a related development, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Charles Udeogaranya, in his message urged Christians to rediscover and rededicate themselves to love, peace, unity, equity and justice. He said: “The lessons of humility, selflessness, love and simplicity learnt from the birth of Jesus should be our guiding principles. He urged those in position of affluence to return to a more simple life in emulation of the unique experience of our Lord Jesus who was born in a manger. “Our continued existence as a nation was a great testimony that God loves Nigeria and will continue to protect us the more if we come closer to him. We should therefore, keep up our hopes for a better Nigeria as there will always be light after darkness”