Priest Makes Case For Jobless Nigerians

Governments at all levels in  Nigeria  have been charged to  always  embark on   prograsmmes  and policies capable of creating job opportunities  for  the teeming jobless youths in the country.

A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Alphonsus  Okoh, who gave the charge on the occasion of public presentation of his book, entitled “Cure for Gossip”,  stressed the need for the  establishment of new industries and revitalisation of moribund ones, pointing out that it is when people  stay idle that their minds would begin to think of evil things.

Reasoning that the importance of engaging the youths in meaningful ventures cannot be over- emphasised, Rev Fr. Okoh, attributed idleness to the major  cause of gossip because “an idle mind   is the devil’s workshop”.

While maintaining  that  a busy person can never have time for gossip which he said, has destroyed scores of homes as well as communities in the country. Advising Nigerians to always  desist from  gossip, Rev Fr. Okoh, further  expressed deep concern and worry over the alarming damage and harm which gossip had caused to many homes and communities in the country.

The Author, who is also the Parish Priest of St. Michael’s Catholic Church Asata Enugu, while speaking with Reporters shortly after the public presentation of the 118 page book , explained that he was prompted to package the book because of the serious havoc gossip has wrecked on many homes including breaking of scores of marriages.

He revealed that  the well packaged book took him more than ten years to produce , adding that he wrote it with a view to finding a lasting  solution to the canker worm called gossip.

Maintaining that  his experience during his pastoral sojourn as a seminarian assisted him in putting the book together. Rev Fr. Okoh used the occasion to call on families as well as  all and sundry to lay hand on a copy.

Speaking during the ceremony, governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, applauded the catholic priest for finding time out of his tight schedule as shepherd of Christ flock to write such a vital book capable of solving many lingering families  and community  problems occasioned by gossip.

Chime, who spoke through his deputy, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi however, described gossip as a disease that do no body or family any good, corroborating the fact that it has  done more  harm than good to millions of homes and societies, urging the people to always avoid it because it has bad consequence.

He, however,  enjoined the author to keep the flag flying by churning out more similar  books capable of solving societal problems in the nearest future, describing the catholic clergy man as man of peace.

In his goodwill massage at  the occasion, the  Emir of Katsina, Umar Farouk Umar, represented by one of the emirate council official, commended the author whom he described as a true detribalised Nigerian for producing the book, urging him not to relent in writing more in the near future.

The traditional ruler, however, used the ceremony to appeal to Nigerians irrespective of their religious and ethnic affiliations to continue to throw their full weight behind the President Umaru Musa-led administration in the country, saying as Nigerians, “the nation belongs to all of us”, hence, they should support the government.

The event, which took place at the parish main hall attracted religious, traditional, and political leaders, including the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA aspirant for the 2010 governorship race in Anambra State and son of the incumbent deputy governor, Mr. Emeka Etiaba.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru, welcoming his Anambra counterpart, Dame Virgy Etiaba, to his office in Port Harcorut during a courtesy visit.