By Eze Nwamadi, Ogbonna Asadu and Ezema Igwenunu 

We read with awe and disbelief a piece signed by one Ikem Okuhu, one of Chijioke Edeoga's man Friday, purportedly written as an open letter to Bishop Prof. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, the highly anointed , respectably adored and venerated erudite scholar, a precious jewel and an iconic servant of the Most High God, someone every Nsukka man has no reason not to hold in high esteem. Who would dare touch the Lord's anointed except Chijioke Edeoga and the senseless urchins that populate his brand of Labour Party in Enugu State, a coterie of vile vermin scrambling for power with every ember of desperation?

Ikem Okuhu has not disappointed anyone. His irascible and pugnacious character runs without restraint. Someone who dared to beat up his biological father with whom he is not on talking terms till date apparently has neither moral restraint nor respect for the sacralized. He is a perfect fit for the Edeoga's purpose defaming the bishop. As a matter of fact, Okuhu operates under paternal curses, besides the one laid on him by Igwe Linus Obayi of Uguru Nsukka whose royal head Okuhu had also poured venomous biles. So, Okuhu is driven by the curses he carries. He whom the gods would kill, they first make mad. Ikem Okuhu's insanity had come heavier than ever since he joined Chijioke Edeoga, his sometime enemy, in his bid for the governorship of Enugu State. Since then, Edeoga's belligerence and bad attitude to politics has rubbed off on him in addition to his own heavy weight of paternal curses. 

What is Edeoga's problem with Bishop Prof. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah that he would send his rabid dog to attack and defame the Bishop with his characteristic false allegations and besmear campaign? Bishop Onah is a man of wisdom, intellectual abilities and high moral standard. He had sensitized the people on the need to participate in electioneering processes in order to enthrone righteousness. Prior to the 25th February, 2023 presidential and national assembly elections, the church under his watch had organized townhall meetings with candidates of political parties. It was an opportunity for the church to hear from the candidates and take voting decisions. And indeed the church, the Catholic Church, in its numerical strength came out and voted Peter Obi. They also voted by default other candidates of Labour Party who ordinarily would not have won their polling units. Then Edeoga and his minions were full of praises for the bishop and the church. So what has now changed that Bishop Onah should be harangued by Edeoga and his rude brat?

Bishop Onah is a man of wisdom. He can tease out mixed up issues. He knows that many of those clinging to Obi are not like Obi; that they merely wanted to benefit from Obi's popularity, reaping where they did not sow. He like the Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastic Province, Bishop Olisa Emmanuel Chukwuma, knows that in Enugu State, our own Peter Obi is Peter Mbah. The Peter in Obi is the Peter in Mbah. No one is deceived by the barefaced subtle attempts by Edeoga and other candidates of Labour Party to ride on Obi's stirred waters. They know quite very well that Edeoga has not got what it takes to rule Enugu State, moreso as Edeoga has no manifesto anywhere. That accounts for why Bishop Onah reportedly asked the church under his watch to vote Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for having the needed capacity, character and competence to lead Enugu State to unexplored heights. Peter's manifesto is unexampled and his blueprints to the values he proposed and the financial model are quite very clear and convincing, given that Peter has antecedents of transformation in the order of what he personally terms disruptive innovation which he had brought to bear on the market leader in the oil and gas downstream sector, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited. Peter has successfully sold himself to the church and the people. His presence in the people's political consciousness is quite visible, and this is brought about by his clear explanation of this social charter with the people of Enugu State. No one encounters Peter who is not convinced.

So, why then do the heathen rage and imagine vain things? How dare Edeoga accuse Bishop Onah of collecting gratification to the tune of N500 million from Mbah and Ugwuanyi that he might ask the church to vote Mbah? How much did he collect from Peter Obi and other Labour Party candidates in Enugu State before he asked the church to vote them?Why would Edeoga go this far to besmear the bishop, to touch the Lord's anointed and do him harm? This is an affront on the church. How dare Chijioke Edeoga raise his vile finger against the Lord's anointed in the name of politics! Must politics be played with no restraint? Must the sacralized be desecrated all in the bid to play destructive politics? Must Ikem Okuhu be sent to impugn the hallowed person of Bishop Prof. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah? What happens to life after politics that Edeoga would trample on sacred places with impunity? This is one allegation too heavy, an attempt to destroy Nsukka and everything it has got. How else are a people destroyed if their finest elements are derided, reviled at, insulted, maligned with campaign of calumny and false allegation, and exposed to public obloquy? 

Human elements from Nsukka cultural zone who still follow Edeoga sheepishly have now seen to what extent he would go in his subtle plans to run down Nsukka and its people. The fact remains that no matter how Edeoga and his minions try, Bishop Godfrey Igwebuike Onah is not someone to be stymied and with Edeoga's characteristic name-calling and false allegations meant to browbeat the victim into compliance in disguised blackmail. Bishop Onah would not be blackmailed. The man of God is focused and determined in the all- important quest to enthrone the best that is known and found. For Enugu State, Peter Mbah is the best and shall be elected come what come may.

The Catholic Church, especially Nsukka Diocese, has got to rise and shake off the viper into fire as Paul did. Edeoga and his minions are the viper with forked tongue. Edeoga has been in the business of attacking the church. When he wasn't attacking Archbishop Olisa Chukwuma of Enugu Anglican Province, he would attack and insult Bishop Olinya, the Anglican Bishop of Isi-Uzo Diocese. Today his bile has been poured on Bishop Onah. In Psalms 105:15, the Lord warns,"Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm." Edeoga has touched the Lord's anointed and has his prophet done much harm. The Lord will vindicate His servant, Bishop Prof. Onah,and if the anger of the Lord is enkindled against Edeoga and his minions, let the name of the Lord be praised as it begins with failure at the governorship polls.