Catholic Bishop of Uyo Diocese, John Ebebe Ayah, at a thanksgiving mass held at the St. Patrick’s Catholic, Ikot Ansa, Calabar, yesterday stunned C’River state governor, Ben Ayade, into openly addressing the bishop’s mouthed concerns to the congregation.
At the thanksgiving mass for Emmanuel Agim Akomaye, recently elevated to the ranks of judge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Ayade who was special guest of honour, was invited to make a donation in support of the church’s 2022 harvest unveiling. Ayade made a donation of N25 million on behalf of the state government, his family and the judiciary.
Not done with only this act, the governor turned and faced the bishop, saying: “You are our pride, the pride of Cross River North, the son of the soil, Bishop John Ayah, I will whisper my package to you later.”
The bishop in his response told the governor that, “I want to talk. The governor is my brother, we are both from Cross River North. I want to appreciate the governor and tell him to package whatever he has for me, add to it and use it to pay the salaries of the workers”, receiving a thunderous ovation from the congregation that took minutes to die down.
Ayade immediately went back to the microphone, defending himself that salaries of the workers are ready and further that his government has been faithful in the payment of salaries for seven years upward, “the people will appreciate Ben Ayade when he leaves office”, the governor ended.
The thanksgiving mass in honour of the Supreme Court judge had many important dignitaries from far and near in attendance.