Most Rev Godwin Okpala
By Tony Folarin Obajemu
The sudden disappearance of the retired Archbishop of the Niger Province and Bishop of Nnewi, Most Rev Godwin Okpala, has continued to generate tension, anxiety and concerns among residents and critical stakeholders in Anambra State.
Okpala and his driver were said to have gone missing since Friday, December 6, after they went on a trip to the Umuchu community in Aguata Local Government Area of the state, but failed to arrive at their destination.
It was gathered that despite efforts by the church to establish contact with the 75-year-old cleric and his driver, no communication has been received and their whereabouts as well as the vehicle they were travelling in have remained unknown, 10 days after.
The Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Ndubuisi Obi, who confirmed their disappearance to journalists, issued an appeal for intercessory prayers on Saturday, the following day, urging the faithful to seek divine intervention for the safe return of the Archbishop and his driver.
Obi said the matter had been reported to the police and that the church was awaiting the safe return of the cleric. But when contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, promptly said the command did not receive any such information.
Despite the anxiety the disappearance of the cleric is generating, the church has yet to make any official statement on the matter, thereby fuelling tension among its faithful.
