Over N1billion Voted To Reconstruct Nigeria’s First Catholic Church/Monastery

Chairman of the Warri Diocese Catholic Church Committee on the reconstruction/remodelling of Nigeria’s First Catholic Church/Monastery, Prince Godwin Toju Emiko, flanked by ace broadcaster, Chief Julie Coker and other members of the committee…on Saturday

Nigeria’s first Catholic Church/Monastery situated in Ode-Itsekiri, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta state is bill for reconstruction/remodelling.

The project which is the rebuilding of the relics of Saint Anthony Monastery which was built between 1690-1692 after the 10th Olu of Warri, Olu Abajoye (1674-1700), first donated the land and financed it, would kickoff after a fundraiser scheduled for April in Warri.

Addressing newsmen on Saturday, the Chairman of the Diocesan Committee on the reconstruction/remodelling of the project, Prince Godwin Toju Emiko, said that the idea is to make the place a world class religious tourist centre and ensure its recognition by UNESCO.

He said that when completed, the project would create job opportunities for the people of the area and also reestablish the good works of evangelism as well as conversion started by the early Capuchins and other European missionaries in Ode-Itsekiri.

According to him, the monastery which was first designed by a missionary, Rev. Pattazio of the Capuchins Order, was established after early European missionaries, particularly the Capuchins and Augustinians from Portugal, Spain and Italy visited Benin Kingdom in 1515,  and came to Warri Kingdom in the 1570s.

Emiko, who was flanked by ace broadcaster, Chief Julie Coker, Public Relations Officers of the project committee and other members of the committee, disclosed that the project which would be erected in a massive three (3) acre of land, later donated to the Catholic church of Warri Diocese by former Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse II would gulp over a billion naira from starting to completion.

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“The monastery which shall take the concept and stature of a typical Franciscan monastery will accommodate a building for monks, Nuns, a chapel, a 3 story guest house, a clinic, a museum, a parking lot, a massive compound and farm land”, he said.

According to him, the fund raising from the reconstruction/remodeling of the gigantic project which was approved by Dr. John Oke Afareha, Bishop of Warri Diocese in 2014, would be in three phase in the month of April 2018 in Warri, August in Lagos and December in Abuja respectively.

He added however that fund would also be raised for the project in the USA and Europe, and therefore appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to donate generously towards realising the project.

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