Anambra: Anglican Archbishop, Driver Missing

By Adesina Soyooye

Confusion, apprehension and anxiety have gripped the body of Christ, especially, the Anglican Communion, Anambra State, over the fate of His Grace, the Most Rev’d Professor Godwin Okpala.

Okpala, the retired Archbishop of the Niger Province and Bishop of Nnewi Diocese and his driver were last seen on Friday. His Grace was on his way to Umuchu, but he and his driver never arrived their destination, and nobody has heard anything from them.

There are fears that the Archbishop and his driver have fallen into the hands of bad people and have become victims of abductors.

His Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Ndubuisi Obi, the Anglican Bishop of Nnewi, has issued a prayer alert appealing to the faithful to intercede for the safety and swift return of the retired Archbishop.

Wrote a very worried Bishop Obi:

“With a deeply burdened heart, we inform you of the distressing news that our revered Father in God, the Most Rev. Prof. Godwin Okpala, has been missing since Friday morning. He embarked on a journey to Umuchu with his driver but never reached his destination.

“Since then, there has been no communication, and neither he, his driver, nor the vehicle has been found. We plead for fervent prayers, trusting in God’s divine intervention to bring them back safely.”

Indications are that the Police has been alerted of the Archbishop’s fate.

But the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, Toochukwu Ikenga, said he was ignorant of the incident.

The South-east, and especially, Anambra State, recently, has become a hot bed for abductions of innocent people for ransom money.