By Gideon Njoku
Not a few people think it’s a sacrilege, almost. But Kaduna State Government, on August 4, 2020, arraigned the Anglican Bishop of Zaria Diocese, His Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Abiodun Ogunyemi, before a Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Bishop Ogunyemi was charged for, allegedly, committing criminal defamation, injurious falsehood, and criminal intimidation against Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Trouble started for the Bishop when the Kaduna State Government embarked on a demolition of structures, including Churches and Mosques.
The Cathedral Church of St George was marked for demolition. A Cathedral is not just any Church. It is the seat of the Diocese.
Bishop Ogunyemi had written a letter of appeal to the Governor, stating why the Cathedral should not be demolished. The land belongs to the Church. It was legally purchased. And there are documents, including a Certificate of Occupancy to boot. Many other people, also joined in pleading with the Governor, and protesting the planned demolition.
Finally, the Governor relented, and spared the Church the heartbreak. But according to reports, the Governor allegedly stumbled on other things written about him by the Bishop which he allegedly copied the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the DSS.
Part of the reasons the Governor took the step to prosecute the Bishop is allegedly a statement made by him when he was protesting the plan to dispossess the Church of another parcel of land, to the effect that the Governor would never be President.
The Bishop reportedly said: “The whole of the Sabongari market is our land acquired, in the early 1900, with genuine C of O which we have submitted to the State Government for re-certification.
“Any attempt by El-Rufai to demolish any of our properties in that market will be a direct assault on the Church in the whole of Nigeria.
“The Governor should know that he will never be President of Nigeria. I speak prophetically as a servant of a living God.”
The Governor, allegedly, asked the CP to discreetly investigate. The result is the arraignment of the Bishop before the Court.
It started with invitations to the Police. The last was on August 3, before he was arraigned.
He was taken on bail by a Canon of the Cathedral Church of St Michael.
Prosecuting the Bishop is the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP. When the case was called up on August 17, the DPP told the Chief Magistrate that consultations were going on to resolve the issue.
The Chancellor of Zaria Diocese, Dr John Omugbele, confirmed that the case has been adjourned to October 28th, 2020.
Perhaps, on that day, an agreement would have been reached between the Church and the Government.
