The Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has urged leaders and members of the laity council to show greater courage in driving societal change, insisting that both governance and religious knighthood must focus on actions that truly advance society.
Speaking on Sunday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the All Knights Day celebration of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, Soludo also revealed that the state has begun a crackdown on what he described as “fake pastors” who prey on vulnerable citizens with what he called a message of “salvation without the cross.”
According to him, several of the suspects have already been arrested and are currently making confessions.
“A new Anambra is in the offing, which must be clean and clear of such deception,” the governor said. “We are reinforcing the church’s teaching that hard work pays and not the other way round.”
Soludo also revisited the state’s burial regulation reforms, noting that the Anambra Burial Law was designed to curb excessive spending on funerals and reduce what he described as unnecessary pomp and pageantry. He said the policy aims to ensure citizens are given what he called “a befitting living and decent burial” without financial strain on families.
He urged church leaders and members of the laity council to take a stronger stand in shaping society, adding that both governance and knighthood should prioritise meaningful development rather than status or convenience.
“Church leaders and the laity council must embody the courage required for societal transformation,” he said. “Governance and knighthood must prioritise the right path for societal development instead of the easy route.”
On state support for church activities, Soludo explained that while the government would assist charitable efforts such as visits to orphanages, it would not fund personal or institutional appearances like uniforms.
In his words, “I will not deploy state resources for purchasing private institutional regalia.”
He further reminded the Knights that their role should go beyond titles and recognition, stressing the importance of humility, discipline and service.
“The Knights must remain the light of the world and the salt of the earth by living through principles rather than mere titles,” he said. “True love for Christ is found in keeping His commandments through discipline, humility, and courage.”
The governor also cautioned against elitism within religious circles, urging the Knights to remain connected to ordinary citizens and maintain what he described as their “human face” and prophetic role in society.
The event featured a Pontifical Mass led by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, with a homily delivered by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Iheanacho, who described knighthood as a call to sober reflection, accountability, and disciplined living grounded in strong moral principles.
