Catholic Church disowns priest preaching against Soludo, APGA assembly candidates
Published on March 4, 2023 By Joe Chukindi
The Awka Catholic Diocese has disowned Rev. Fr. Cajethan Obiekezie, a priest of the diocese who preached against the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo during his homily, last Sunday.
The priest in his homily had attacked the governor for standing against the election of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.
The priest had also called on his parishioners to vote against all candidates of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, where Soludo is the party’s national leader.
But the Awka Catholic Diocese in a press release by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Charles Ndubuisi disowned the priest, saying he did not have the mandate of the diocese to make such utterances.
“He some utterances against the governor of the State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and other politicians within and outside the State. The Catholic diocese of Awka wishes to disassociate herself completely from those utterances. Rev. Fr. Cajethan Obiekezie has no mandate of the diocese of Awka, to do so.
“The diocese will take the necessary steps to continue to teach her priests the sanctity of the pulpit and will not hesitate to apply sanctions where necessary.
“The Church has inherent right, independent of any human authority to preach the gospel to all people, for it is the Church that Christ the Lord has entrusted the deposit of faith(can.747).
“However, this inherent right must be exercised within the laid down rules and regulations. In the context of Mass, the rules of homiletics should necessarily apply(cann.768 &1,2, 769, 772&1).
“Therefore, the platform offered by the pulpit cannot be used for personal sentiments and verbal attack, capable of destroying anybody’s good name,” the diocese stated.
In-form Oshoala scores in Barcelona Femeni win over Villarreal
Published on March 5, 2023 By Mike Oyebola
Asisat Oshoala was among the goal scorers as Barcelona Femeni hammered Villarreal 5-0 in their Spanish Iberdrola clash at the Estadio Johan Cruyff on Sunday afternoon.
Oshoala opened the scoring for the Blaugrana in the 21st minute.
The 28-year-old has now scored 19 goals in 19 league appearances for the title holders this season.
Oshoala is currently the leading scorer in the league having scored one more goal than Levante’s Alba Redondo.
The Nigerian was the joint top scorer in the Spanish Iberdrola last season with 19 goals.
Caroline Hansen scored a hat-trick, while Salma Paralluelo was also on target for the hosts in the game.
Barcelona remain unbeaten in the league this season after 20 games.
This 2023 election has taught me a lot, and it will linger a long time in my mind. One is the use of the media to indirectly control the narrative and the mind of the electorates without letting much out until many cannot think for themselves.
Many would think entertainment, most especially film in Nigeria, is still the imagination of some people's mind, but we learn some day that it can be used as a tool for pushing an agenda and entertainers play their own roles as directed.
I tried living through this period without offending anybody, but mehn, this is hard. King of boys na film sha. When I started seeing the campaigns moving from political achievements, policy reforms, and development to character assassination, my mind woke up, and self-awareness kicked in. Past events started playing back in my mind. I remembered the EndSars at the tollgate and how one of the musicians went on stage in a sleeveless top showing his muscles and did the Michael Jackson pose while the crowd chanted, P something and I was thinking to myself then, "are we here for a show or to make demands of the government." Recent events showed me that some people played this game and many of us. The victims became puppets. I remembered the fuel subsidy protest where I was the only one who spoke differently, and I was told that is not what the people want to hear.
No wahala, the self-righteous celebrities now feasted with APC, then in 2014, and those who remained with Jonathan were there because of their monetary gains, but I hit my chest boldly to say Jonathan never gave me a kobo, but I believed an economy growing at 7.1% shouldn't be thrown away as I was hoping BVN and TSA would help fight corruption when fully implemented. Maybe I was wrong, sha.
Tribalism is another thing that the election has brought to the forefront. Entertainers whom I have gone for shows in their states and would leave me in the hotel room when it is time to visit their government officials saying, "he is a Yoruba boy," suddenly are detribalized. I laugh in pidgin English. The majority of them now find a man from their tribe whom they all once criticised a saint. The Lord is good all the time.
Once I had a conversation with one of them, I mentioned my candidate's achievements in Lagos and how some of them helped us in the entertainment, and his reply was, " and so," and I continued that he should tell me some of his candidate's policies that transcended his state while I mentioned some of my candidate's policies, but he said, "Leave this thing abeg." How about religions' impact? I can't and will never respect some pastor's ministries anymore, but I will respect their ages as a Yoruba boy. Anyway, time will tell on many things.
This election is far from perfect, and that is not good. The violence, falsehood, rigging, and harassment are just bad. I absolutely condemn them. We should be long past this. I hope we will get it right soonest. Those who condone bullying online cried about bullying offline. Hmm
Online and offline bullying have effects and must be condemned no matter who it favours. I am not good with writing much, but someday, I will speak about 2023 elections. For now, let me maintain peace with all men. Thanks.
Chris Rock unleashes on Will Smith and wife Jada a year after Oscars slap
By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES, March 4 (Reuters) - A year after he was slapped on stage at the Academy Awards, Chris Rock hammered Will Smith and his wife in a comedy special streamed live around the world, joking that he enjoyed seeing the actor beaten in his latest film.
Live on Netflix on Saturday from the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Rock said he had been watching slavery drama "Emancipation" just to see Smith "get whooped," cheering "hit him again" and "you missed a spot."
In March 2022, Smith walked on to the Oscars stage and slapped Rock's face after the comedian made a joke about the appearance of Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The "King Richard" star returned to his seat in the audience and later won best actor.
Rock had been mostly silent about the incident until the end of his hour-long special, when he accused Will Smith of "selective outrage," also the name of his special.
The comedian said Pinkett Smith had stirred tension among the three, in part by calling for a boycott of the Oscars in 2016 when Rock was the host. Pinkett Smith said she was protesting the fact that Will Smith and other Black actors were not nominated.
Rock, who also is Black, joked about Pinkett Smith at the Oscars that year and again last year.
"She starts it. I finish it," Rock said.
Rock also brought up marital problems the Smiths have publicly discussed. Pinkett Smith admitted to an affair that she called an "entanglement" in 2020.
"I didn't have any entanglements," Rock said. "She hurt him way more than he hurt me."
Representatives for the Smiths did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Will Smith issued a statement of apology to Rock and to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the group that awards the Oscars, the day after slapping Rock. The academy banned Smith from attending the Oscars for 10 years.
The comedy special was the first event streamed live on Netflix, which is testing the technology as it considers expanding into other real-time programming.
Netflix agreed to pay $40 million for two Rock comedy specials under a deal reached in 2016, according to a person familiar with the matter. Saturday's special was the second of the two.
Rock spent most of the show riffing on topics ranging from Britain's royal family to the Kardashians, abortion and his dating life. He concluded by saying why he did not fight back when Smith hit him.
"I got parents, and you know what my parents taught me?" he said. "Don't fight in front of white people."
Photo: Will Smith hits Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2022. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Politics › Re: Peter Obi: Catholic Church Disowns Priest Preaching Against Soludo And APGA by naptu2(op): 4:27am On Mar 06, 2023*. Modified: 6:16am On Mar 06, 2023
