The Post Express (Lagos)
6 February 2001
Lagos — Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, has offered for bidding the chair on which Pope John Paul 11 sat at a pontifical high mass he celebrated in Lagos during his first visit to the country I 1982.
A statement by the archbishop signed by Rev. Fr. Gabriel Osu, director of social communications said that the chair believed to have spiritual essence is being offered for bidding among all the parishes of the archdiocese on "first come first served basis". The statement further said that no monetary offers are attached to the bidding but however explained that Okogie decided to embark on the exercise because the chair had been left unused at the Holy Cross Cathedral since 19 years now.
In another development, the archbishop has admonished Catholics to check what he called the growing trend of 'Popular Devotion in the Archdiocese of Lagos. He observed that the exercise is being misconstrued, pointing out that "different abuses are going on" under the umbrella of "Devotion'.
While stressing that devotion is the "very heart and vitality of religion," the archbishop cautioned that a misconception of the meaning of devotion may lead to loss of faith and idolatry. Okogie who also decried what he called the commercialisation of church property such as buses, choires among others by some members of societies and organisations for "their personal gains" however urged all the parish priests in the archdiocese to cheek the "ugly development".
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