The Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City held a press conference on Wednesday to refute a claim made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole regarding the ownership and funding of St. Philomena College of Nursing.
In a statement delivered by the Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Jude Orah, the Archdiocese labeled Oshiomhole’s assertion that the college was “built, equipped and owned and funded by Edo State Government hundred per cent” as “entirely false and should be disregarded.”
The senator made the claim during a live broadcast on Arise News on July 26, 2025, following a N15 million donation to the college by Mr. Peter Obi.
“The times we live in today call for moments of truth so that falsehood may not thrive. It is in this spirit that we are gathered here today to address the public regarding the ownership and funding of the College of Nursing Sciences, located within the premises of St. Philomena Catholic Hospital, Benin City,” the statement read.
“This clarification has become necessary in response to misleading statements made by His Excellency, Senator Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, CON. The Senator unequivocally claimed that the College of Nursing Sciences was ‘built, equipped and owned and funded by Edo State Government hundred per cent.’”
Father Orah clarified that St. Philomena Catholic Hospital, and its associated educational institutions, are fully owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City.
He stated that the facilities are built, equipped, and funded by the Archdiocese through sacrificial giving and donations from benefactors.
“It is imperative to state that the claim by the Senator is entirely false and should be disregarded. St Philomena Catholic Hospital, and its educational institutions, namely: School of Midwifery and College of Nursing Sciences, are owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City; built, equipped, and funded by the Archdiocese and kind donations from benefactors.”
The press statement highlighted the hospital’s long history, noting it was founded by Catholic missionaries in 1947 with a mission to serve all people regardless of background. “It does not enjoy any governmental subvention or state budgetary allocation as claimed by Senator Oshiomhole,” Father Orah stressed.
The director called the senator’s statement an act of “political revisionism which sacrifices facts for distortion.” He expressed that to suggest a church-owned facility is government-funded simply to downplay a charitable act by a political opponent is “not only unethical but profoundly damaging.”
Father Orah concluded by calling on Senator Oshiomhole to retract his statement and urged the media to rigorously fact-check public claims to prevent the spread of misleading narratives. “Facts are sacred. And when truth is wounded, it must be healed like a patient in the very wards of St. Philomena,” he said.
