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By Young Erhiurhoro, Warri
An Anglican parishioner of the St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Unenurhie Parish in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, who is also a former chairman of the Unenurhie Youths Association, Mr. Augustine Abrucha, has joined thousands of Anglicans and other well-wishers across Nigeria and abroad to congratulate the new archbishop-elect of Bendel Province of the Anglican Communion, His Grace, Most Revd. Dr. Cyril OdiborOghene Odutemu.
Most Revd Odutemu, who is the bishop of Ughelli Diocese, was recently elected into the office by the House of Bishops at the Ibru Centre, Agbarha-Otor in Delta State.
Speaking to our correspondent immediately after the thanksgiving service for Hon Barr Samuel Oghenevwogaga Mariere, held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Evwreni on Sunday January 26, 2020, the marriage committee chairman of Unenurhie community said, “I was happy when I got the news that our Lord Bishop have just be promoted to a higher divine position of the Anglican priesthood.
“He’s now the archbishop-elect of the Bendel Province, a province that comprises sixteen dioceses. Therefore, on behalf of my immediate family, the St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Unenurhie and the entire Unenurhie community, I say big congratulations to my Lord Archbishop-elect.”
Mr. Abrucha went further to say, “The archbishop-elect is my personal school friend in those days. We both attended Evwreni Special College which is now Girls Model Secondary School, Evwreni. Though he was my senior but we were very close then as students. I can say that Most Revd. Odutemu is an ordained leader by God Almighty even right from his secondary school days.
“He was always a class prefect in the school. He was also brilliant and not stubborn like many of us that time. He was very humble and quiet all through the time I knew him in the school. You can now see that even as a bishop and now archbishop-elect, he’s still practically displaying all the virtues I earlier mentioned in his leadership in the church. I congratulate him again and wish him success in his new priestly office,” he said.
