Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state has emphasised the need for the people to shun religious division and misunderstanding among individuals.
Akeredolu reiterated his position on Southern Presidency, stressing that time had come to rotate power to the South in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.
The governor disclosed this on Sunday at the Agape International Church 34th Annual Convention in Akure. The theme of the convention is: “This is my Time.”
He emphasised that the people had always lived together in harmony in spite of their religion differences in the past.
According to him, we have very interesting coincidence here. Today, we have Her Excellency Omolewa, Wife of former Governor of Kwara State here.
“I have known her to be a true Christian, very true one, leading the altar in her home, in a home where the husband is also a true Muslim. And they are all living together peacefully.
“There are many people here that have both Muslims and Christians as family members and there is no quarrel. Religion should not bring quarrel among us and that is where we stand.
“What we believe and stand by is that since we started this Republic in 1999, we have been rotating power from North to South, and for us, by that rotation, this is the time of South.
“This is our time and nobody is going to take it. ‘Awa lokan’. Wonderful theme for this time. When the theme was chosen, I’m sure nobody was thinking about ‘Emi lokan’ or anything; but it is just by coincidence.
“God has spoken through Agape that this is our time. I thank you Agape.” the governor added.
The governor commended the Church leadership for complying with government’s directives on the installation of CCTV device in worship centres and other public places.
Akeredolu thanked God who had made the arrest of attackers of St Francis Catholic Church Owo possible, saying it is a prayer answered.
He further urged the congregation and all residents of the state to always be security conscious and remain alert.
“Please let us be watchful and be security conscious. Our security lies in our hands.We must be alert. God will continue to protect all of us.
“Whatever government asked you to do, please comply. Have security men at your gates, have your CCTV cameras and check all new faces before allowing them into your churches.”
The governor, who warned those acting as informants to kidnappers in the state, stressed that anybody, camp or village that aids and abets kidnappers in the state would be obliterated.
The General Overseer, Agape International Church, Bishop Felix Adejumo described Governor Akeredolu as the voice of the South West who had been doing a lot to protect the poeple of Ondo State and the entire South-West region.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
