Catholic church suspend Reverend Father wey ‘ban Igbo songs from im church’

Woman wey dey hold rosary

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Catholic Church for Lagos don suspend Reverend Father James Anelu of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Ewu-owa, Ikorodu, after im allegedly ban Igbo songs from di church and also allegedly make unacceptable comments about am.

Di priest bin stop one Igbo chorus during mass and tok say Igbo no fit dey dominate oda pipo for im church.

For one video wey don go viral on social media, di church members bin dey express dia anger as di priest dey tok and some of dem bin walk out.

Igbo na one of di major tribes for Nigeria and di pipo of dis tribe dey scattered around di world.

Many of native speakers of di Igbo language dey live for southeast Nigeria and di region wia dis pipo predominantly dey include – di states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

For inside press statement wey Archdiocese of Lagos bin release on Monday, 7 February 2022, dem tok say dem ask di priest to go on indefinite leave of absence so dem go fit investigative di mata.

“E don come to our notice say Rev. Fr. James Anelu, di Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Ewu-ona, Ikorodu, bin make some comments wey no dey acceptable about Igbo songs wey dem dey sing for church and make comments wey no represent Catholic Church position on common brotherhood of pipo of all tribes and religion.

“We don ask am to proceed on indefinite leave of absence so we go fit do thorough investigation ontop all di mata wey relate to im ministry for im parish. Di leave of absence go start on Tuesday, 8th February, 2022 till further notice,” di statement tok.

Di church urge all Catholic members make dem continue to dey worship God as one big family wey dey united in love and wey no dey separated by language, culture or race.

Dis kind suspension don happun before?

Dis na di first time Catholic Church dey ban priest for dis kind mata. Anoda ban wey happun for Catholic Church na for Kenya, e happun in 2018 and na sake of say di priest dey rap during sermons.

Father Paul Ogallo aka Sweet Paul say im dey use different style sake of say e want young pipo to dey entertained safely for church instead of venue wey no dey safe.

Ogallo superior, Bishop Philip Anyolo, tell BBC say di priest fit use rap and drama preach give young pipo but no be for inside altar.

Bishop Anyolo, from Homa Bay Diocese inside western Kenya, add say sacred and di secular no go fit mix togeda.

After mass, Father Ogallo go change from im priest robes to im rapper cloth wey be T-shirt and bandana.

E bin don tell BBC last month say: “Young pipo dey call me ‘Sweet Paul’ because I rap sweet”.