There is panic in Imo the Chaplain Government House as the Chaplain, Monsignor Ralph Madu, was reported to have died of complications arising from COVID-19.
Madu, who died on Monday, January 18, was said to have celebrated mass at the Government House chapel and even administered the sacrament of Holy Communion on some faithful, including Governor Hope Uzodimma and some members of his cabinet, family and friends during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.
This has sparked off panic as the government directed all those that attended mass on that penultimate day to report for testing.
A source in the Peoples House, said that presently the Government House is shut as the whole appointees are rushing to submit themselves to test.
Uzodimma had taken the test once and had been confirmed negative.
Until his death, Rev. Msgr. Madu was the Imo State Government House Chaplain. And before that, he was the immediate past Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat, Abuja.
Just late last year, late Rev. Fr. Madu celebrated his 37th year ordination anniversary and dedicated service in God’s vineyard.
Uzodimma, who announced Msgr. Raph Madu death in a Facebook post, said that the Government of Imo State, the Catholic community and particularly, the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, regretted the death of Msgr. Raph Madu.
He described the clergy as a thoroughbred clergy whose fidelity to God’s work was unflinching.
The governor said that Msgr. Madu lived his life drawing people to God and enriching people’s minds with the gospel of Christ.