A controversy has erupted in Nnewi, Anambra State, following the commissioning of the Catholic Cathedral reportedly built with significant contributions from the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, amid claims that his family was excluded from the event.
Eneh Victor Chigozie, a political associate and supporter of the late senator, publicly questioned the actions of the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi, Bishop Jonas Benson, alleging unfair treatment and an attempt to downplay Senator Ubah’s role in the cathedral project.
According to Chigozie, Senator Ubah had funded and executed up to 85 percent of the cathedral’s construction before Bishop Benson was posted to the diocese. He alleged that upon assuming office, the bishop halted the senator’s continued involvement in the project, despite its advanced stage.
Chigozie further described it as “disheartening and condemnable” that the family of the late senator was neither invited to the cathedral’s opening nor publicly acknowledged during the commissioning ceremony, despite Ubah’s contributions.
“Is there anything the late Senator did to the bishop that the public does not know?” Chigozie asked, calling on Bishop Benson to explain the circumstances surrounding the exclusion and the alleged stoppage of the project before the senator’s death.
He insisted that efforts to erase Senator Ubah’s legacy would be resisted, stressing that the former lawmaker’s role in the cathedral’s construction should be openly recognized.
As of the time of filing this report, the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi and Bishop Jonas Benson have not issued an official response to the allegations. The development has continued to generate debate within Nnewi and beyond, particularly among supporters of the late senator, who are demanding clarification and public acknowledgment of his contributions.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented Anambra South Senatorial District, died in 2024 and remains a prominent figure in the political and social history of the area.
