The Archbishop of Gulu Archdiocese, His Grace John Baptist Odama has called on angry Christians in Arua not dialogue instead of resorting to violence.
Odama was speaking to the media in the sidelines of the swearing in ceremony for the newly elected Omoro District LCV Chairman, Douglas Peter Okello on Friday at Lalogi Sub County headquarters.
Archbishop Odama said the best solution to the current problem in Arua diocese that has seen angry protesters demand for the transfer of Bishop Sabino Odoki is a peaceful dialogue instead of violence.
“Let them chose a peaceful way of resolving the current problem. We should see ourselves as brothers and sister. It is should not blow us up,” Odama said.
Archbishop Odama who is also the current Chairman of Episcopal Conference of Uganda described violence witnessed in Arua diocese as sad and regrettable.
He noted that the problem is not only for Arua diocese or West Nile region, but for Uganda and the world as a whole.
“It is a sad situation and it is not only sad for the people of West Nile. I must say it is sad for any human. So it is a human problem because humanity has taken so long to learn how to live with one another.”
He adds that it will take long for human to learn to live and love one another as God preached through his son, Jesus Christ.
“If I could put it bluntly, we are still babies; humanity is still baby in learning to live with one another. So the solution is this, God has put it Himself through the voice of his Son; Love one another as I have loved you. Live in harmony with one another, when anything goes wrong, forgive one another. You pray even for your enemy,” Odama stressed.
Relations between Bishop Odoki and sections of the clergy and Christians have been bad for long, with suspension of a number of senior priests, but deteriorated drastically when his predecessor Frederick Drandua fell ill and died on September 1, 2016.
His flocks who run riot with the police outside Ediofe Cathedral in Arua accused Bishop Odoki of neglecting the late Bishop Drandua. Some say the conflict is tribal in character. Bishop Sabino Odoki is from Nebbi although he has lived much of his life in Gulu where he has a home. Some unconfirmed reports say the Lubgara who form a big part of the Christian community in Arua diocese want a son of their own to be installed Bishop.
Bishop Odama of Gulu Arch Diocese is from West Nile but he is a highly respected religious leader in not only Acholi but in Uganda.
