A group in the Catholic Church in Benin,Edo State, Edo Liturgical
Group, has demanded the removal of the Archbishop of the Metropolitan
See of Benin, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze and a Benin Priest, made a
Bishop in his place for the true evangelization of the people of the
kingdom.
The group, which addressed newsmen in Benin, weekend by its Chairman,
Mr Andrew Ayemwenre, also accused the Archbish op of punishing Benin
people for demanding for a Benin Bishop to help achieve proper
evangelization in their land in accordance with the recommendation for
the church by Pope Benedict XV.
"In less than two years of Archbishop Akubeze's coming, there appears
to be a design by him to replace our people, priests and laity in the
Catholic Church. The Edo Liturgical Group visited him on more than four
occasions to find the way forward.
"Among issues raised were one Edo Mass for parishes at primetime in
the entire diocese, copies of Edo Bible and Missal be made available in
the Church, use of Edo songs at Mass, Priests in the Archdiocese to
learn to celebrate Mass in Edo language, the re-instatement of Pa
Vincent Osakue to the knighthood, which was withdrawn by Akubeze and Mr.
Chris Aghimien as Secretary of the Laity Council of the Archdiocese of
Benin and the retention of the name, Edo Liturgical Group."
He insisted that despite peace moves by the group, the Archbishop
failed to accede to any of their requests and refused to approve the one
Mass on Sunday for the indigenes in all parishes in Benin-City.
"Holy Cross Cathedral as a Parish has 28 Sunday Masses in a month
while only one Mass is said in Edo language for her indigenes. This
means that of the 364 Sunday Masses in a year, only 12 is in the native
tongue. Meanwhile, in Onitsha and the entire Eastern Nigeria, the
reverse is the case. The use of Edo language as part of the Mass is a
taboo to Archbishop Akubeze," the group said.