From War to Worship: Bishops Set Stage for Landmark Igbo Day of Thanksgiving

The Igbo College of Bishops and Archbishops says the proposed Igbo Annual Thanksgiving and Adoration Day is aimed at expressing gratitude to God for preserving the Igbo people during the Nigerian Civil War and fostering unity across the region.

The clerics made this known on Monday during a press briefing in Enugu ahead of the maiden observance of the event, which is scheduled to hold every last Saturday of January.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the Anglican Archbishop of Enugu Province, Most Rev. Sosthenes Eze, said the thanksgiving service was conceived as a spiritual, not political, gathering for Igbos worldwide.

Most Reverend Eze, who also serves as the Bishop of Enugu North Diocese (Anglican Communion), said the initiative is rooted in remembrance and gratitude for survival after the 1967–1970 civil war.

“This is a religious movement, not a political one,” he said. “It is to thank God for delivering the Igbo people from the devastation of the civil war and for sustaining us through the many challenges that followed.”

He added that the annual observance would also serve as a moment for reflection and prayer for the progress and protection of Igbo people globally.
According to him, despite facing hardship and discrimination in different places over the years, the Igbo have continued to endure.

“Despite the destructions, denials and difficulties our people have faced, God has preserved us and helped us to remain strong,” he said, urging political, business, religious and traditional leaders to support the initiative.

Also speaking, Bishop Obi Onubogu of Rock Family Church, Enugu, reflected on his personal experience of the war, describing the thanksgiving as a deeply emotional and spiritual obligation.

“I was in my twenties during the war; today I am 86,” he said. “If I had not survived, my children and my 15 grandchildren would not be here. We survived not by strength or wisdom, but by God’s mercy.”

He recalled the hunger, displacement and loss suffered during the conflict but said the focus of the event is gratitude rather than resentment.

“We choose thanksgiving over bitterness. We only want to thank God and invite others to join us,” he said.

Emeritus Archbishop of the Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and first Bishop of Oji River Diocese, Most Rev. Amos Madu, said the annual gathering would also promote unity among Igbos.

Similarly, the Archbishop of Enugu Archdiocese, Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Christopher Edeh,represented by Very Rev. C.C. Ojike, urged Ndi Igbo to embrace the initiative, noting that collective thanksgiving carries significant spiritual value.

The organisers say the event will bring together churches across denominations within Igbo-speaking states and in the diaspora for prayers, worship and reflection.