Following the XXIV General Chapter time table, the election of Chapter delegates started officially at the congregational level on the 24th of October, 2008 to end on or before 31 st of January, 2009.

In our province the first ballot was counted by the Provincial Tellers (Frs. Nathaniel Eke, Francis Iheanacho, George Ekwuru, Ethelbert Amaku and Emmanuel Edeh) on the 5th of December, 2008 at 6pm . No body got the absolute majority of the total votes cast and therefore no delegate emerged. This necessitated the second ballot which was counted on the 10th of January, 2009 at 4pm by the same members of the Provincial Tellers. With this ballot only one delegate emerged in the person of Fr. George Ekwuru. Since the Province needed to elect two delegates, third balloting was scheduled to be counted on the 25th of January, 2009 . With the third ballot counted on this same day, Fr. Wence Madu, cmf, was elected the 2nd delegate to participate in XXIV General Chapter. With this, the election of delegates came to an end earlier before the 31st January deadline given by the General Government.

As it stands those who will attend the General Chapter from the province of East Nigeria are:

1. VRF Emmanuel Edeh, cmf (Ex-Officio)

2. Fr. George Ekwuru, cmf (elected)

3. Fr. Wence Madu, cmf (elected).

Apart from the chapter delegates going from Nigeria two other Claretian priests from our Province have been appointed by the General Government as interpreters during the Chapter. They are: Rev. Frs. Anistus Onuoha who is currently working in Haiti and Anthony Igbokwe who is currently on mission in Switzerland for the Province of Santiago, Spain.

It might interest you to know that VRF Fr. Henry Omonisaye the Major Superior of West Nigeria Delegation is also elected a Chapter delegate. We are blessed to have a total number of six Nigerian Claretians who will be actively involved in the next General Chapter, four are going as delegates while two will be there as interpreters.

The prayer for the success of the Chapter has already been circulated through the Local Superiors during our last Board meeting in March, 2009. We encourage all communities to intensify prayers for the success of this Chapter.

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