From Mary Obi
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has defended controversial burial reforms in southeastern Nigeria’s Anambra State and announced a crackdown on what he described as fraudulent religious leaders exploiting vulnerable residents.
Speaking at the annual Knights Day celebration of the Catholic Diocese of Awka held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Soludo said leadership requires “the courage to implement change,” urging both public officials and Christian faithful to choose “the right path over the easy one.”
The event featured a Pontifical Mass presided over by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Paulinus Ezeokafor.
Soludo praised the Catholic Church for promoting what he called the “common good” and commended the diocese for taking a firm stance against social vices.
A key focus of the governor’s remarks was the implementation of Anambra’s Burial Law, a reform introduced to curb lavish funeral spending and reduce the economic burden on families.
According to Soludo, the law is helping to eliminate excessive “pomp and pageantry” associated with burials while encouraging what he described as “befitting living and decent burial” for citizens.
The governor also expressed concern over the economic impact of prolonged burial ceremonies, saying many local artisans were losing jobs because residents often remain occupied with funeral activities for several days each week.
He said the state government was considering tightening enforcement measures to deepen implementation of the law and discourage wasteful spending.
In another major announcement, Soludo disclosed that authorities had begun a crackdown on alleged “fake pastors” accused of deceiving members of the public through false religious teachings and financial exploitation.
Several suspects are already in custody and “confessing,” the governor said, accusing some preachers of promoting “salvation without the cross” while exploiting vulnerable worshippers.
“A New Anambra is on the rise,” Soludo said, adding that the state must be “clean and clear” of deception and social misconduct.
The governor also used the occasion to underscore his administration’s fiscal discipline. While approving a request from the Knights to support charity visits to orphanages, he declined a proposal to use public funds for the production of ceremonial uniforms, insisting that state resources would not be deployed for private institutional regalia.
He urged members of the Knights to remain “the light of the world and the salt of the earth” by living according to principles rather than titles.
In his homily, the diocesan secretary, Evaristus Iheanacho, described knighthood as a process of “sober reflection, stock-taking, and reckoning” rooted in discipline, humility and courage.
He cautioned against spiritual elitism and urged members of the order to remain connected to ordinary people while preserving what he called their “human face” and prophetic voice in society.