A Catholic knight, Sir James Louise, popularly known as Ebube Anaedo, has publicly renounced Christianity following the alleged failure of the Catholic Church to acknowledge the contributions of the late Ifeanyi Ubah to the construction of the Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral, Nnewi, Anambra State.
The cathedral, described as a massive and iconic edifice, was inaugurated on Wednesday at a ceremony attended by prominent personalities from within and outside the state.
According to findings, the project was initiated by the late senator, who reportedly volunteered to build the cathedral and had completed about 85 per cent of the work before the posting of a new bishop, Jonas-Benson Okoye, to the Nnewi Catholic Diocese in 2022. It was gathered that the bishop subsequently directed Ubah to disengage from the project, a decision that reportedly generated tension, with many insisting that due credit should be given to the senator for his substantial investment.
However, controversy erupted during the cathedral’s inauguration when Sir James Louise, dressed in full knighthood regalia, openly protested after mass, lamenting that the late senator’s name was neither mentioned orally nor included in official brochures as a contributor to the project.
In a video circulating on social media, the visibly distraught knight broke down in tears, apologised to the late Ubah on behalf of the church, and dramatically renounced his Christian faith. He was seen removing his shoes and cap—symbols of his knighthood—while declaring his withdrawal.
“This is my last day as a Christian. I’m done. This is awful,” he said.
“How could anyone believe that this cathedral which Ifeanyi Ubah slaved to build could be inaugurated without a mention of his name? This is bad. I’m done with Christianity.”
The video has since generated widespread reactions online, with many social media users criticising the Catholic Church for allegedly failing to recognise the senator’s role in the project.
As of the time of filing this report, the Catholic Church authorities in Nnewi had yet to issue an official response or clarification on the matter.
David-Chyddy Eleke, Awka
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