By Pascal Ibe
A claim is currently trending in many WhatsApp groups that Catholic priest named Fr Jude Obasi, who from Afikpo in Ebonyi State, wedded his long time lover on May 25,2024 (last Saturday).
Shared in many WhatsApp groups on Monday with a photo, the writer stated, “This is Reverend Father Jude Obasi who hails from Afikpo North local government area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria who got wedded publicly to his Long time lover of over 6yrs just this last Saturday at St Mary’s Catholic church, Abakiliki, father Jude in an interview stated that He refused to live a life of lies and deception that other Reverend fathers are secretly living.*
“Do you know that a lot of these children of majority of most single mums were fathered by these pretentious priests that hitherto now have swore an oath of celibacy.“
“How do you mount a pulpit and condemn adultery and fornication, kidnapping, prostitution, banditry and yahoo yahoo when you are neck deep in it . If you cannot hold your body as a priest serving in the Lord’s Vineyard, please choose from amongst your church members and get married, it’s more Honourable and also biblical as a reverend father to marry your church member{s}“
Verification
A simple Google image reverse search by crimeFacts.news, showed that the incident happened in Kenya in October 23 2023.
During findings, we confirmed that over 10 online newspaper reported that the wedding took place in Kiambu country, just north of the capital, Nairobi, Kenya.
According to BBC, Edwin Gathang’i Waiguru was ordained into the Catholic Charismatic Church before his marriage on Sunday in Kiambu country, just north of the capital, Nairobi.
He had not been officially ordained by the Catholic Church, where priests are supposed to commit to a life of celibacy, as was earlier reported,
Standing next to his bride, Margaret Wanjira Githui, Edwin Waiguru said it was “possible to serve God and have a family and have a lovelywife”.
“God did not make a mistake when he created a man and a woman and He said it is not good for somebody to be alone.”
Hundreds of the couple’s family and friends went to witness the ceremony conducted by Bishop Patrick Mulau of the Kirinyaga Charismatic, NTV reports.
See the video of the wedding ceremony bellow 👇
Also, crimefacts on Monday evening, received a letter from the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, which debunked viral wedding ceremony by any priest in the Diocese.
According to the letter signed by Fr Mathew Uzoma, there’s no who one goes by the name Jude Obasi in the Abakaliki Catholic Diocese.
Verdict
The claim that a priest serving in Abakaliki Catholic Diocese, named Fr Jude Obasi got married to his long time lover is Misleading.
The incident happened last October, 2023 in Kenya.
