*By Abuchi Onwumelu of Fides Newspaper*
Eight of the 11 children of the late Chief A. O Ezeoke of Obinabo Village, Nkpologwu, Aguata LGA of Anambra State, have described as false and malicious, the allegation levelled against the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, and Rev. Fr. Dr. Edwin Obiorah, by their brother, Dr. Sylvester Ezeoke
Dr. Sylvester Ezeoka, who is the first son of late Chief A.O Ezeoke, had recently addressed a press conference where he was quoted to have dragged Bishop Ezeokafor and Rev. Fr. Dr. Edwin Obiorah to court over his father’s will.
In the said report, he alleged that the bishop, as a principal executor of his father’s will, was playing a game suggestive that he did not want to divest his father’s property to the beneficiaries.
But reacting to the allegation levelled against Bishop Ezeokafor and Fr. Obiorah, the eldest child of the family, Mrs. Ngozi Nwachukwu (nee Ezeoke), who spoke on behalf of her siblings, said their brother (Sylvester), lied against the bishop and Fr. Obiorah. This is even as the family appealed to the general public to disregard the statement made by their brother.
Their address titled, ”Letter in support of Bishop Ezeokafor and Rev. Fr. (Dr) Edwin Obiora”, read in part, ‘We, the under listed children of the late Chief A. O. Ezeoke of Obinabo Village, Nkpologwu, Aguata LGA, have taken notice of the serious and wild allegations levelled against the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, by Dr. Sylvester Ezeoke, concerning the execution of the late Chief Ezeoke’s will.
‘We wish to state categorically that those allegations recently published in the media are totally false and are maliciously intended to malign the bishop and his legal adviser, Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Edwin Obiorah.
‘Dr. Sylverster Ezeoke did not speak on our behalf as a representative of the late Chief A. O. Ezeoke family. We wish to affirm our strongest support for Bishop Ezeokafor and Rev. Fr. Obiorah to continue the work they are doing to execute our late father’s will within the confines of the law’.
Their statement was signed by eight of the deceased’s children: Mrs. Ngozi Nwachukwu; Dr. (Mrs) Chinyere Aginam; Mrs. Uchenna Ezeaka and Mrs. Amarachukwu Esomugha.
Others are Mr. Callistus Ezeoke; Mrs. Njideka Emenobi; Mr. Elochukwu Ezeoke and Miss Nonso Ezeoke .
