Mbah Assures Church Smart Schools Won’t Undermine Its Role in Education

…Bags Award of Excellence from Canon Law Society of Nigeria

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has assured Church leaders that his administration’s Smart Green Schools initiative will not diminish the Church’s role in the state’s basic education system, describing it as an indispensable partner in educational development.
Mbah acknowledged the Church’s historic contributions to education in Enugu State, the defunct Eastern Region and Nigeria, stressing that no responsible government could afford to disregard its legacy and continuing role in shaping the educational system.
The governor gave the assurance on Wednesday while delivering a keynote address at the 38th Convention of the Canon Law Society of Nigeria (CLSN), held alongside the celebration of the 95th birthday of the society’s founder and former Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Most Rev. Anthony Gbuji, at the Ghost Cathedral, Enugu.
Speaking on the theme, “Role of the Church in Shaping Education and Development in Enugu State,” Mbah acknowledged concerns over whether the government’s massive investment in public schools could leave Church-owned institutions behind.
“I understand that concern. These are institutions that have educated generations of our people. Their leaders have every reason to care about their place in Enugu’s educational future. So, I want to answer them directly.
“The Church is essential to the educational transformation we are undertaking.
“It would be deeply counterproductive for government to invest in a new system of learning while allowing Church educators and institutions to become disconnected from it.
“We need you in our basic education system. We need your teachers, your experience and your continuing commitment to the development of our children,” he said.
The governor, however, urged Church educators to embrace emerging teaching and learning methods while preserving the values and traditions that had distinguished their contributions to education.
He emphasised the need for sustained collaboration between the government and the Church, noting that the transition to new learning methods would require adjustments to established practices.
“The Church, in turn, has an opportunity to embrace new educational methods while preserving the values and traditions that have distinguished its contribution.
“We will have to work through practical questions about training, standards, resources and implementation. Some established practices will need to change,” he said.
Mbah said his administration was committed to translating the partnership into practical measures, including extending professional development opportunities to Church educators.
He disclosed that Catholic priests were already being incorporated into the training process, adding that teachers in Church-owned schools should benefit from the capacity-building opportunities available under the new education initiative.
“Our intention is that Church educators should have access to the professional development opportunities being created for teachers in government schools.
“As we introduce experiential learning, we want educators across both systems to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to participate. That is an obligation I believe the government should take seriously,” he stated.
Reflecting on the Church’s historical contributions, Mbah said Catholic missionaries had played a pivotal role in expanding access to education, training teachers and creating opportunities for families long before the emergence of the present educational system.
He noted that mission schools across the former Eastern Region became centres of learning and intellectual ambition, helping to shape generations of educated Nigerians.
“The Catholic Church has earned a distinguished place in the educational history of Enugu and Nigeria.
“Long before our present educational system took shape, missionaries were establishing schools, training teachers and opening opportunities for families who understood that education could change the course of their children’s lives.
“Across the former Eastern Region, mission schools became centres of learning and intellectual ambition. “So, we owe a considerable debt to that inheritance,” he added.
The governor said the Church’s contribution extended beyond establishing schools and producing graduates, noting that its role in nurturing moral values and a sense of social responsibility was equally significant.
According to him, educational development should produce not only accomplished individuals but also responsible citizens who understand the importance of contributing to the common good.
“A nation can produce highly accomplished individuals and still fail to build a society in which people flourish together.
“The difference lies partly in what those individuals understand their accomplishments to be for. The Church helped establish an educational tradition that recognised this connection between personal development and responsibility to others. That is an inheritance worth carrying into the future,” he said.
Mbah expressed appreciation to the Church for conferring the Award of Excellence on him, saying the recognition had further strengthened his administration’s resolve to make Enugu State a preferred destination for investment, business, tourism and living.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Canon Law Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Ernest Obodo, urged Catholic priests to uphold the provisions of Canon Law, particularly Canon 287, which addresses partisan political activities.
Obodo, who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, said priests must remain fathers to all and avoid conduct that could undermine the Church’s moral authority and credibility.
He warned that statements made from the pulpit could divide communities, while silence in the face of injustice could amount to a betrayal of the Gospel.
“Nothing destroys the credibility of the Church faster than a priest who becomes a political sycophant and whose candidate later fails or is found corrupt. The people would then say, ‘The Church is just like them,’” he said.
The event’s high point was the presentation of the Award of Excellence to Mbah in recognition of his accomplishments in the governance of Enugu State.
The award was presented by the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga.