Okorocha under fire for renaming Assumpta Avenue to Muhammadu Buhari Way

From George Onyejiuwa , Owerri

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has come under fire for renaming Maria Assumpta Avenue to Muhummadu Buhari Way.

Catholic faithful in the state have, therefore, expressed displeasure over the renaming of former Assumpta Avenue by the Imo State Government.

Angered by the action of the state government, the Catholic faithful demolished the brick board on which it was written.

For those who know Owerri very well, Maria Assumpta Avenue is the expressway in front of Maria Assumpta Cathedral, leading to Owerri City Centre  from Owerri-Port Harcourt Road and also intersecting Owerri-Onitsha at the entrance of the Cathedral. It is a strategic road that channels all traffic from Port Harcourt and Onitsha directions into Owerri. Maria Assumpta Avenue is as old as the Maria Assumpta Cathedral itself. 

Speaking on the issue, Sunny Okechukwu  said tOkorocha’s action is not only an insult to the Catholic Church but altogether to stir trouble as such decision cannot stand. He said while nobody is against the naming of streets by the governor, he cannot just change the name of Assumpta Avenue to Muhammadu Buhari just like that.

Also, Malachy Okorie said the renaming shows that the governor has become an emperor who does whatever he likes and does not care what the people think or feel about his actions. He pointed out that controversial renaming of Assumpta Avenue to Muhammadu Buhari is simply to start another problem with the Catholic Church which he thinks has been critical about his anti-people policies.

Similarly, Mr. John Amadi noted that while the governor can name any street, it should be the roads that he built and not those built by others. 

“When Okorocha named one of the roads he had constructed as President Jacob Zuma, and another as President Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia, nobody raised an eyebrow or complained, but to change the names of streets to other names especially the Maria Assumpta Avenue to President Muhammadu Buhari Road, then he wants to stir up trouble with the Catholic Church because he was not the one who constructed the road.

“Again, it is laughable to change Whethdral Road to Sam Mbakwe Road, because even Sam Mbakwe who had earlier constructed the roads named it Whethdral for historical purposes. I think the problem of this governor is that he does not have the sense of history and that is why he also renamed Douglas House to People’s House .”