Catholic Bishops, Women Groups Disagree On Imo Abortion Law

Some pro-abortion women and groups have described those opposing abortion law in Imo State as “ignorant and wicked people.”

 

This came as Catholic Bishops in the state called on Governor Rochas Okorocha and members of the State House of Assembly to remove all anti-life sections in the state’s Abortion Law number 12 of 2012, which harbour liberalist-abortion provisions.
Rising from a meeting in Owerri, the Bishops’ call was contained in a communique signed by the Archbishop of Owerri and the Bishop of Orlu, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna and Dr. Augustine Ukwuoma respectively as the women took their protest to the State House of Assembly.

A group known as Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women, ACOVAW, however disagrees with the clergy men, throwing its weight behind the law, and also describing it as “a wonderful and proactive piece of legislation that should be applauded rather than subjected to all sorts of misinterpretations and misrepresentations.”
The group’s leaders included President of International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Hauwa Evelin Shekarau and Chairperson, National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, Mrs. Lois Osueke.
The bishops argued that any law which failed to respect the right to life and human dignity was automatically null and void as they contradicted natural and divine laws.
“A law to prohibit violence against women, legitimate as it is in principle must, with all the more reason, prohibit violence against helpless unborn children from conception to natural death without exception. Thou shall not kill,” the Bishops stated.

 

The bishops also opined that “we must not enthrone the culture of death through the legalization of abortion, with it’s consequent s*xual permissiveness of all, which will ravage our society morally and spiritually as it has done in Europe, America and elsewhere.”
The bishops argued that the right to life and human dignity belonged to human nature and was inherent in every person by the creative act of God.
“These rights do not depend on individuals, parents, church, society or state. They are guaranteed by natural laws, divine commandments and affirmed in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the bishops said.
They therefore promised to continue working with God’s faithful people in Imo State for the protection of the fundamental rights of all, including those of women and the unborn child.
“We will continue to engage Imo State government and Imo State House of Assembly on ways and means to provide for laws that will strengthen the family and protect the human rights of all Imo citizens,” the Bishops stated.