Ebonyi State New Media

26/04/2024

Emeka Rollas, President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria has said that the mother of late actor, Junior Pope, believes her son was m¥rdered.

Emeka Rollas in a recent interview, talked about Junior Pope’s Cameroonian mother’s surprise that her son drowned. The AGN President further revealed that CPR was conducted on Junior Pope after he was brought out of the water after four hours, but he didn’t make it.

He said “I was with his mother yesterday, and all the rumours online are making her feel that her son was !illed. I had to let her know that I was also supposed to be in the boat.

“Anybody that said they didn’t perform CPR on Jnr Pope is a liar. He was brought out d£ad after spending over 4 hours under the water.”

Ebonyi State New Media X LIB

26/04/2024

Bandits have k!lled a pastor of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Rev. Mennasah Ibrahim in Kaduna State.


It was gathered that the clergy was attacked and k!!led on his way from an official church assignment from Kurebe in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.


The Christian Association of Nigeria, Gure Branch, and family members have demanded justice for the victim. Before his d£ath, Rev. Ibrahim was a pastor serving with the ECWA at Kaduna Central District Church Council (KCDCC).


In a press statement jointly signed by his family and CAN Chairman, Gure branch, Rev. Yahaya Kinge, they urged Governor Uba Sani’s led government as well as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to help secure justice for the victim.


According to the statement, the Nigerian youth and women who are direct victims of banditry and insurgency are fed up due to the inability of the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the incessant k!!lings of innocent people.


“The hard push to the wall is enough for us to bear no longer. As of the time of filing this report, no statement has been made either by Kaduna State Police Command or the state government.,” the statement read.


“The remains of his body have been deposited in Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Nigeria.”

Ebonyi State New Media X LIB

25/04/2024

"Electricity production is too much" Tanzania shuts down five hydroelectric stations to reduce excess power supply.

Prime Minister of Tanzania, Kassim Majaliwa, has announced the shut down of five hydroelectric stations in the country, in order to reduce excess electricity supply in the national grid.

Mr Majaliwa said the main plant alone, which is Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, has already generated enough electricity to power major cities, including the country’s main commercial hub, Dar es Salaam.

The BBC quoted an official of Tanesco, the power company run by the country as saying that, “We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now.”

Following heavy rains that began earlier in the year, the 2,115MW Julius Nyerere hydropower dam is said to be filled up with water.

The shutdown makes it the first time the country, which suffers chronic power shortages, will be shutting its hydroelectric stations over excess production.

The development comes just two months after the first turbine, with a capacity of 235 MW of a new hydroelectric plant, was switched on, in order to increase the power generation capacity and help reduce months of power rationing.

Ebonyi State New Media X LIB

25/04/2024

A man has been charged with m¥rder after a 46-year-old British-Nigerian man was stabbed to death near Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in north London.

Okechukwu Iweha was found with knife w@unds on Worcester Avenue near Northumberland Park, in Haringey, on 7 April 2024. He died at the scene.

A post-mortem held on April 10 at Haringey Mortuary gave the cause of d£ath as a st@b wound on the chest.

The suspect, Leandro Kaienga, 28, of no fixed abode, appeared in custody at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

He has also been charged with possession of a bladed article.

The Metropolitan Police arrested Mr Kaienga on Monday, April 22.

A mu¥der investigation was launched after police were called at 05:51hrs on Sunday, 7 April to Worcester Avenue, junction with Northumberland Park N17, after Okechukwu was found unresponsive.

Officers attended with London Ambulance Service paramedics. On arrival, they found Okechukwu suffering stab injuries. CPR was administered but despite the best efforts of emergency services, he was sadly pronounced d£ad at the scene.

The force said Okechukwu’s family continued to be supported by specialist officers.

Ebonyi State New Media X LIB

25/04/2024

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has said that the party is the solution to the challenges bedevilling the country.

The former Kano governor stated this during the APC grand finale campaign and presentation of party flags to the 11 local council chairmanship candidates, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Gombe.

Ganduje, who presented APC flags to the candidates, said the party under President Bola Tinubu was doing a lot to tackle the challenges of the country and get Nigeria transformed for the better.

He said the Tinubu administration was creating the right environment for the country’s development and economic prosperity.

“With the manifesto and the constitution of the APC, the party has achieved a lot at the national level under President Tinubu,” he said.

“It is now clear that APC is the answer to Nigeria’s problems.”

He urged Nigerians to support and pray for the administration of President Tinubu to sustain the transformation of the country.

While receiving those who decamped from opposition parties, Ganduje urged residents of the state to vote for APC candidates.

"As long as APC remains in power, the people of the state will never lack good governance,” he added.

24/04/2024

The Federal government has suspended Dana Airline operations over concerns surrounding the safety and financial viability of their operations. The suspension comes barely 24 hours after one of the airline’s craft with registration number 5N BKI skidded off the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday morning, April 23.

The Ministry of Aviation in a letter to the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo through the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole, said recent incidents involving Dana Airline had raised “serious safety concerns.”

In the letter with reference number PS/FMA/MA/S.121/Vol. 1/99 titled, “Immediate Suspension of Dana Airline Pending Safety and Financial Health Audit,” the Ministry said

“As the supervisor overseeing our nation’s aviation safety and regulatory compliance, it has come to the Honourable Minister’s attention that recent incidents involving DANA AIRLINE have raised serious concerns regarding both the safety and financial viability of their operations.

In light of these incidents and with the paramount priority being the safety and well-being of our citizens and travellers, the Honourable Minister has directed that you immediately initiate the suspension of Dana Airline’s fleet until a comprehensive audit can be conducted.

This audit should encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with our aviation regulations.

The recent incidents have underscored the urgency of this matter, and it is imperative that swift and decisive action be taken to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders involved. I trust in your expertise and diligence in carrying out this audit thoroughly and expeditiously. Please keep me informed of the progress and any significant findings throughout this process.

Your dedication to upholding the highest standards of aviation safety is deeply appreciated and please, accept the assurances of the Honourable Minister’s best wishes.”

Ebonyi State New Media X LIB

23/04/2024

23/04/2024

From Obi Cubana timeline:

"Dear Youth .....
Today let's discuss "the power of positive competition"
1st left is Dr Obiora OKONKWO, Owner of United Nigeria Airlines.
Middle is Dr Allen Onyema, owner of Air Peace!
This was on board Air Peace inaugural flight from lagos to London Gatwick, on Saturday 30th March 2024, just before take off.
These two great men do the same kind of business; airlines operations!
I have met both at several occasions and i can tell you they share mutual love, respect, admiration for each other, and they celebrate each other's wins as if it's theirs!
They could have chosen to be bitter competitors, but they chose good friendship, brotherhood, positive association, positive collaboration instead of bitter competition!
And yes, they both thrive individually!!
Lessons; we can do same businesses and remain humans!
Learn to collaborate, and even if you choose to compete, let it be positive and healthy competition!
The sky is massive enough to accommodate all to fly🛩️

"

23/04/2024

22/04/2024

Popular Crossdresser, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju a.k.a. Bobrisky, has filed a notice of appeal against his conviction before a Federal high court in Lagos. In the notice of appeal, Bobrisky asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the six months conviction maximum imprisonment sentence imposed on him and in its place impose a fine of N50,000 on each of the counts against him.

Bobrisky was on Friday, April 12, sentenced to six months imprisonment over naira abuse with no option of fine.

In the appeal, filed by his lawyer, Bobrisky argued that the: “Trial Judge erred in law and facts by his imposition of the maximum sentence of months imprisonment terms against the appellant without option of fine contrary to the provisions of Section 416(2) d of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015 (“ADCJA”) that prescribed the mandatory guidelines on the trial court on imposition of sentencing after criminal conviction of a first time offender as the appellant.”

The appeal therefore “is seeking an order setting aside the six months maximum imprisonment sentence imposed on the appellant and in its place, an imposition of a fine in the sum of N50,000 on each of the counts against the appellant”.

Recall that on April 4, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed six counts of money laundering and abuse of naira against him. On Friday, April 5, Bobrisky was arraigned in court on a six-count charge ranging from abuse of the naira to money laundering. The court, however, struck out the money laundering charges but convicted him after he pleaded guilty to four counts charge of abuse of the naira made against him by the EFCC.

Ebonyi State New Media X LIB

22/04/2024

A Georgia man, Jeremy Williams, has been given four d£ath sentences for paying a mother, Kristen Siple, $2,500 to r@pe her 5-year-old daughter, Kamarie Holland, before m¥rdering the child.

The horrific details of the case sparked widespread outrage.

The emotional trial saw jurors reportedly shed tears upon viewing videos of Williams’ actions.

Williams was convicted of paying Kristen Siple $2,500 to r@pe and s@domize her daughter.

He filmed the s£xual assault and then k!lled little Kamarie Holland.

On Dec. 13, 2021, the girl was snatched from her Columbus, Georgia home.

Williams took her to an abandoned ramshackle home where he once lived across the state line in Phenix City, Alabama, and r***d, tortured and strangled the child to death.

Siple initially claimed she woke up that day to discover her daughter missing and the front door open.

Georgia man sentenced to d€ath after he paid mother $2,500 to r@pe her 5-year-old daughter before k!lling her

However, last month, she confessed to selling her daughter to Williams for an hour to sate his sickening desires.

The mum now faces 20 years in prison for s€x trafficking.

“If there’s ever been somebody that’s deserving of the d£ath penalty, it’s Jeremy Williams,” Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor told reporters.

Georgia man sentenced to d£ath after he paid mother $2,500 to r**e her 5-year-old daughter before killing her

“He’s another type of evil that we in society just don’t need walking around.”

LIB X Ebonyi State New Media

22/04/2024

NAFDAC raids supermarkets and markets in Abuja, seizes counterfeit products worth ₦50 million

Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Control NAFDAC recently carried out raids on popular supermarkets in the Wuse 2 and Gwarinpa area of Abuja, uncovering counterfeit products on display. The enforcement team also targeted markets in Garki, Wuse, Utako, Kugbo, Nyanya and Mararaba, seizing counterfeit cosmetics and drugs.

A statement from the agency says during the operation, counterfeit cosmetics were discovered and seized at Sahad Stores, H-Medix and various markets while fake drugs were confiscated at the Utako market. Counterfeit NIVEA products, cosmetics, Jik bleach, Harpic toilet cleaner, and Airwick room freshener were all confiscated. The total value of the seized goods amounted to ₦50 million, with fake NIVEA products alone valued at ₦45 million.

Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, Head of Investigation and Enforcement/Federal Taskforce, FCT, Abuja, expressed concern over the sale of substandard products, particularly counterfeit NIVEA cream which was being sold at higher prices than the approved products. He emphasised the health risks posed by such counterfeit goods, including the potential for cancer, kidney damage, and skin rashes.

NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to rooting out counterfeit syndicates and safeguarding the public health.

22/04/2024

The federal government has directed that candidates who are less than 18 years old should not be offered admission into tertiary institutions.

The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, gave the directive on Monday, April 22, during a monitoring exercise of the ongoing 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory.

The minister said the 18-year benchmark is in line with the 6-3-3-4 education system.

He said: “The minimum age of entry into the university is 18, but we have seen students who are 15 or 16 years old going in for the entrance examination.

“Parents should be encouraged not to push their wards too much. Mostly, it is the pressure of parents that is causing this.

“We are going to look at this development because the candidates are too young to understand what the whole university education is all about.”

11/03/2024

EXERPTS FROM THE SPEECH OF THE GOVERNOR OF EBONYI STATE ON THE RECENT GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVE REGARDING TINTED VEHICLES AND ONES WITHOUT PLATE NUMBERS, ON SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2024.

1. I am delighted to speak to you, even though it is quite unusual on a Sunday morning. But this is because a lot of things happened in the previous week and consequently, Government made a proclamation. I sincerely apologize because proper consultation was not made, but we had to act, given the nature of what happened. The instruction or directive of Government is for the benefit of all.

2. You may recall that earlier in January this year, at Ebya bridge, a security checkpoint was attacked and we lost four police officers. The day before yesterday, on 8th day of March 2024, another unfortunate incident happened in the same area and four police officers were killed with two women, around 5am.

3. When I interacted with some of the law enforcement agencies, they categorically informed me, that those people came with tinted glass vehicles – one Lexus 350 and Sienna and these vehicles had no plate numbers. The criminals over powered them because they were well equipped. The police officers were taken unawares. Since we are Government, and we have this responsibility to protect lives and properties, whatever immediate actions we need to take to salvage what we have seen, we will do it.

4. Sometimes I do ask questions on the essence of tinted vehicles. When I was Speaker, I did not see any reason why I should tint my vehicles. I directed all my drivers to remove them because I did not like it. I subscribed for people to vote for me and they voted, so why should I hide myself from them? As Speaker, I was authorized by Law to go with tinted vehicle, but I did not see any reason for that, and no one ever attacked me. Throughout my time as Speaker, I used my cars ‘un-tinted’ because I am supposed to stop and greet people, or at least wave a hand and my people appreciated it. This is the responsibility I carry as a Leader.

5. However, these incidences are happening because some of our Government officials are not active. And people are seeing it that the leader of the Government is lazy, because no one is receiving credible intelligence. I am not happy over that. I have given marching orders to the three Local Government Chairmen, Coordinators and Special Assistants to the Governor on Internal Security of those Local Government Areas. We will apprehend the hoodlums and they will face the full wrath of the Law.

6. People have been very patient. The electorates have been very patient. We are slow. To all the Government officials, this is time for action. We have nothing disturbing us from doing the right thing. If the Governor’s memo gets to your office and stays more than a day, the next day, I will relieve you of your duty. Because I will not be going to the office every day, sometimes work from morning till night, discharging the people’s mandate, then you that is appointed – who is not receiving the same pressure as myself, will allow the document of the Governor to stay in your office for a month, two months. I will never take that again.

7. On that premise, we have stopped all travelling, except the Governor and Deputy Governor. There will be no other traveling from the State purse for the next six months, because we must sit down to work. And even myself, since I became Governor, I have only traveled out of the country once and I am not ready to do that again soon, because those who elected me are here suffering. What am I going to do in America? A lot of people say when you travel, you meet core investors who will develop our State. I say, those investors will definitely come to Ebonyi if we give them the enabling environment. So, for those Commissioners who want to be flying to Abuja every week, I am sorry about that.

8. I thank you very much.

Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru
Governor, Ebonyi State.
March 10, 2024.

23/02/2024

Prof. Barth Nnaji, alongside a cohort of visionary leaders including Chief Innocent Chukwuma, the CEO of Innoson Motors, and a vibrant assembly of new generational Igbo social entrepreneurs, are leading and living a playbook for groundbreaking projects that promises to redefine the economic landscape of the region.

On Monday, an event of monumental significance will unfold in the heart of Igboland, marking a new dawn for the Igbo nation and Nigeria at large.

This initiative, championed by individuals who are not only leaders in their respective fields but also fervent advocates for the advancement of the Igbo people, aligns perfectly with the ethos that Remy Ilona (Remy Ilona), Chief Nwokedi Oliver Emeka, and his contemporaries have long been preaching.

At the heart of this transformative endeavor is the official unveiling of the $800 million Geometric Power Plant in Aba, a project spearheaded by Prof. Barth Nnaji, the Chairman of Geometric Power Group. Nnaji, whose illustrious career includes serving as Nigeria’s former Minister of Power, has been a relentless proponent of industrial and technological growth within Igbo land and Nigeria as a whole. The decision to establish the power plant in Aba was not merely a strategic business move but a deliberate effort to catalyze the socio-economic revitalization of the region.

During a recent leadership colloquium on "Igbo Leadership and Development," Prof. Nnaji elucidated on his rationale for situating the power plant in Aba. He articulated a vision driven by a desire to overcome the structural challenges that have plagued Igbo land since the conclusion of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, and to unlock the vast technological and economic potentials that the region harbors. The Geometric Power Plant aims to rejuvenate the economic vibrancy reminiscent of the era of the Great Zik of Africa, Dr. M.I. Okpara, amongst others, by addressing the electricity deficit in nine out of the seventeen local government areas in Abia State.

Prof. Nnaji acknowledged that while alternative locations such as Ikeja, Ilupeju Industrial Estate, Agbara Industrial Layout, or even near the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, would have offered more immediate and substantial financial returns, such choices would have sidelined the broader vision of empowering Ala-Igbo. The project's placement in Aba was a strategic decision to ensure that the benefits extended beyond the investors and promoters of Geometric Power, reaching the people and government of Igbo land who stand to gain the most.

The journey to bring the Geometric Power Plant to fruition was fraught with challenges, including a protracted ten-year legal battle over the rights to the Aba-Ringed Fence Area, which significantly impacted the project's financiers, investors, host community, suppliers, contractors, and the Aba business community. This endeavor traces its origins back to a visit in 2004 by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and late Dr. James Wolfensohn, who, impressed by Aba's economic and technological potential, approached Prof. Nnaji to consider building a power plant in the area.

Prof. Nnaji's decision to embark on this project was also deeply personal, stemming from his own experiences and the challenges faced by industrialists in Igbo land due to inadequate electricity. His commitment to the cause was further solidified by his background as a professor of manufacturing engineering in the United States and his attempts to establish a plant in Enugu for producing high-standard.

10/02/2024

Dr. Charles Awuzie wrote:

This was me ministering in a small church run by an older Pastor in Lagos MANY YEARS AGO...

I travelled from Abuja where I lived to Lagos on his invitation ... I bought my own flight ticket and he put me in a hotel.

He was much older than me and I was just a very young and passionate Evangelist.

On getting to the hotel, he said to me "Evangelist, it's Christmas oh. I haven't bought anything for my family. I need money. That's why I organised this revival." Honestly, I got scared.

On the first day, I ministered and as usual, prayed for the sick. That was my gift. That was what I loved to do - praying for the sick.

That night, he came to my hotel after the service and told me money can't come if that's all I came to do - pray for the sick. He told me that I needed to add Prophecies and that the people only believe prophecies. I told him I wasn't called to be a prophet and he said he's older than me in the game and has the right to advise me. I was in my 20s. He was in his late 50s. He could literally biologically father me.
That night, he told me the names of some of his church members - there's this guy he told me about and how he was seeking for a visa to travel abroad.
During the service, he introduced me as a prophet that night and 'gingered' the congregation with how forensic I can be. He told them that the previous day was just introduction and that the second day would be "HOT 🔥".... Pentecostals love Red Hot Speakers... Unfortunately, I was never one. I am soft spoken. I have a soft voice. I can't even scream with a mic.

Under pressure, I took the mic, sang my favourite song 🎶- Crucified...led behind a stone... You lived to die... Rejected and alone... Like a rose... Trampled on the ground... You took the fall... And thought of meeeeeee... Above all.... 🎶

Back in the days, each time I sang that song, I would cry... Even as I type this, I still feel the tears as I typed the lyrics. And everywhere I sang that song, I preached with genuine passion.

But that night, I walked to the brother who had been seeking for a visa according to the host pastor. I called him to come to me. He came. I asked if he's been applying for a visa and he said Yes. I asked him to tell me his story. He said "Sir, my family is p00r. My mother is sick and dying. I have spent everything to look for a visa to go abroad and fight for me family. Sir please help me".

I asked him what sickness his mother had and he said Cancer. My heart broke. I started crying. I asked him to go back to his seat. I couldn't preach. In few minutes, I dropped the microphone and left the church.

I called a friend to get my things from the hotel and I moved into another hotel.

The pastor called me and threatened to destroy me. He said I messed up his church by not prophesying as he told me to. He told me that all the money he spent on inviting me was a waste. I told him my conscience was more important than his invitation.

That night, I couldn't sleep. I cried about the young boy who just wanted to leave Nigeria and make a living to save the life of his mother who was dying of cancer. I cried about the Ignorance of church members who were mere objects of manipulation to their prophetic papas. I cried about my lack of funds to travel back to Abuja. I couldn't sleep.

The next morning, I got a call from a family in Canada who were supporters of my ministry. They paid for my ticket back to Abuja and when I told them the whole story, they asked me what my honorarium would have been if I played along. I told them and they paid that amount into the ministry's account.

Someone mocked me recently about how I am hustling as a Tech guy when my mates in ministry then are controlling millions of people around the world. He said I failed in ministry. I laughed at his Ignorance but cried at the current state of the PENTECOSTAL church in Nigeria.

Don't come here and say "there are still genuine prophets." Just calm down. You don't know anything if you were never in ministry. I will only respect the opinion of any true mission minded pastor who will read this with sobriety. They know the truth. They are also victims of this other gang. But for you who is just an "ordinary church member" or son/daughter of a prophetic papa, this post is above you. You should spend some time in ANALYSING THE PROPHECIES YOU WITNESSED.

The biggest fraud is no longer carried out by Yahoo boys, the biggest fraud is what has become of the PENTECOSTAL Prophetic church movement in the past 20 years. I took a break for the sake of my conscience - and I am proud of my choice. I have left all forms of religion and I am focusing on what is practical and factual like Technology and science. I have a personal spirituality but I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ORGANISED RELIGION besides telling my story - my truth.

10/02/2024

Governor Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru on his timeline:

We are set to commence payment of gratuities in Ebonyi State on monthly basis. Payment of gratuity will qualify a retiree to be receiving pension. I advise that a retiree should always proceed on 3 months retirement leave, to enable one to process all needed documentation to receive their gratuity immediately. We are not interested in owing anyone.

On this note, I was glad to receive in my office today, the management of the Ebonyi State Local Government Staff Pensions Board led by the Executive Secretary, Mr. Emeka Nwoñu. I am delighted with his proactiveness in putting up a report on Local Government pensioners. We are going to work swiftly on this and ensure the pensioners are attended to as soon as possible.

Additionally, we will assist our people in payment of NECO and WAEC registration. I learnt that the amount for NECO and WAEC registration has been increased from N18,000 to about N34,000 and our people are finding it difficult to cope with the situation. I have directed the State Commissioner for Education, to calculate the number of students who are registering for the examinations in public schools, so that we can look at it, because it is our duty to serve the people. If we cannot pay all, we can at least pay 50 percent.

-

09/02/2024

The Catholic Bishops of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province have unanimously rejected the blessing of same-s£x marriages.

The Lagos Ecclesiastical Province comprises the Lagos Archdiocese, Ijebu Ode, and Abeokuta Dioceses.

The bishops made their stance known in a communique signed by their chairman and secretary, Archbishop of Lagos and Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, Most Rev Alfred Martins, and Most Rev Francis Adesina, respectively, after their plenary meeting on Thursday, Feb 8, in Lagos.

The clerics said they were in total agreement with the position of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, that declared no to the blessing of same-sex unions.

Aligning with the position of the CBCN and that of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar concerning the blessing of homosexual unions or same-s£x couples, the bishops said: “We affirm that the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage as the union of a man and a woman in a stable and exclusive relationship, open to bearing children, remains the same. We also affirm the Church’s teaching on human s£xuality and urge the faithful to be guided by it.”

The Vatican had on December 18, 2023, approved a landmark ruling to allow Catholic priests to administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular church rituals or liturgies, nor given in contexts related to civil unions or weddings.

A document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office approved by Pope Francis, said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all.

However, Pope Francis’ approval was met with criticism.