The new Archbishop of Owerri Catholic archdiocese,His Grace Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, has called on those fueling insecurity in the state to cease fire.

Ugorji made the appeal at his inauguration ceremony as the second metropolitan archbishop of the province which was held at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, on Thursday.

The new archdiocese said that peace was the only way the state could develop.

He said, “Peace comes when people are free from oppression, unemployment, exploitation and injustice. The church will continue to partner with government in making the society better”.

Ugorji described the archbishop emeritus of the province, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, as an erudite, zealous and consummate missionary who made great sacrifices for the growth of the province and the church as a whole.

The archbishop submitted that Obinna left a shoe big enough for anyone to fit into, but maintained that he was coming to the headship of the province with his own ‘customized shoe’.

He pledged unalloyed loyalty to the church while calling for support and prayers from the clergy and the laity.

Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, said Obinna had a remarkable and eventful reign as the archbishop of the province and embarked on aggressive evangelism.

Uzodimma stated that much is expected of the new archbishop, especially at a time the nation is at crossroads and battling with insecurity.

The governor, however, expressed confidence in Ugorji’s educational exposure and vast experience, adding that he was most qualified for the job.

Uzodimma urged the new archbishop to be the voice of the voiceless and to always stand for truth and justice.

In a homily, the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, Antonio Filipazzi, urged the Catholic clergy to always proclaim the undiluted gospel and stand by the doctrine of the church.

Filipazzi, who represented the Pope, condemned what he described as social media attack on Bishop Callistus Onaga of the Enugu Diocese over the closure of the Adoration Ministries of Enugu operated by Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka.

The nuncio urged the faithful to be conscious of their relationship with their bishop and respect the laws of the church.