Father Paul Obayi Quits Ministry, Gifts Property To Ugwuanyi
In a dramatic and emotionally charged announcement, Rev. Fr Paul Obayi, the spiritual director of Okunerere Adoration Ministry in Nsukka, Enugu State, has officially handed over the ministry’s land and properties to former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Fr Obayi made the declaration during his homily on Palm Sunday, citing neglect and abandonment by church authorities as key reasons for his decision to walk away from the adoration ground and all it contains.
“I want to tell you one thing: we are going to leave this place,” he said. “They claim the land is theirs and so be it. I’m going to hand over everything to Ugwuanyi.”
Just a few months ago, a segment of the adoration ground was demolished by a woman identified as Princess Monica Otta, who arrived with a bulldozer and police escort. The demolition destroyed structures within the premises, including a water factory said to be worth ₦300 million. Fr Obayi said the land affected was part of an extension acquired during Ugwuanyi’s tenure as governor.
Despite the public nature of the incident, Fr Obayi lamented that neither his bishop, Geoffrey Onah, nor fellow priests stood by him.
“The woman told me, ‘You must be fighting alone. Your bishop is not with you; all the priests are not with you.’ Till today, my bishop has not called me. I have sent texts. I have written letters. Nothing.”
This isn’t the first time Fr Obayi has hinted at a fracture within church leadership. He had previously threatened to leave the Catholic Church, citing alleged oppression from the diocese. Although he later backtracked, Sunday’s message made it clear that tensions remain high.
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“No priest has been strong enough to speak against the evil. What I’m telling my fellow priests is that the partridge would be roasted the same way the cock was roasted,” he declared—an ominous warning hinting at a culture of silence and fear within the clergy.
In an act that stunned his followers, Fr Obayi announced he would gift not only the land but also every structure and item on it to former Governor Ugwuanyi, including:
- The remaining part of the demolished water factory
- All houses and structures on the land
- The borehole
- The perimeter fence
- A large crucifix
- The statue of the Virgin Mary
“Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi did well for me by giving me this land. I’m going to give him a gift. I’m handing it all over to him. He is now the owner of this place.”
The news has sparked a variety of reactions online and in the Nsukka community. While some have hailed the priest’s decision as a prophetic gesture of detachment, others are concerned about what it reveals regarding internal church politics and the treatment of clergy who fall out of favour with leadership.
Many also wonder about the implications of transferring religious property to a private individual, even a former governor, raising questions about ownership, transparency, and accountability.
As of now, Fr Paul Obayi has not disclosed his next move or whether he intends to start a new ministry elsewhere. For his followers and observers of religious affairs in Nigeria, this dramatic turn of events will be closely watched in the coming weeks.
Content Credit: Oyedepo Oluwafifedoyinsola
Image Credit: www.premiumtimesng.com
