The Anglican bishop of Nnewi in south-eastern Nigeria has said he strongly opposes the decision of the state of Anambra to rename its University of Science and Technology after Pope John Paul II who died April 2.
Bishop Godwin Okpala said he opposed the renaming because the institution caters to Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and others religious adherents in the state. He argued it was unfair of the parliament, in which Roman Catholics hold a majority, to approve the naming of the institution after the leader of their church.
In 1998, on his second visit to Nigeria, Pope John Paul visited Anambra state where he beatified Cyprian Tansi, a Cistercian monk born in 1903.
In an interview with Ecumenical News International, Okpala faulted the hasty manner in which the members of the state's legislature approved the renaming of the university, a public institution, without consulting the people and other church denominations in the state.
"The Catholics, Anglicans, and other religious bodies are involved," said the bishop. "It is impossible for a particular denomination to arise and claim what belongs to all. It has to be a consensus opinion which cannot be decided by the House of Assembly [legislature] alone," Okpala insisted.
The Anambra State House of Assembly on April 12 passed a motion mandating the government to rename the university. The motion was sponsored by three members of parliament, Joe Dimbi, Uchenna Okom, and Humphrey Nsofor, all professed Catholics.
The resolution said the decision to rename the university after Pope John Paul II was taken after legislators noted he "had a special love for and relationship with Anambra State, especially, his selfless service to humanity."
Okpala warned, however, "Anglicans all over the state are against this decision to rename the university after the Pope." He demanded that the decision be revoked before it resulted in conflict between church denominations in the state.
