CATHEDRAL CHURCH: POLICE ON GUARD: GEN.GOWON'S CAR WITH POLICE ESCORT ARRIVING: GEN. & MRS. GOWON GREETED BY CLERGYMEN, INTO CHURCH AND DURING SERVICE: CHOIR.




Initials LD/VS/DW/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ON THE FIRST SUNDAY SINCE THE END OF THE NIGERIA-BIAFRA WAR, A SPECIAL END-OF-WAR THANKSGIVING SERVICE WAS HELD TODAY IN THE ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF LAGOS. PROMINENT AMONG THE MANY WHO ATTENDED THE SERVICE WERE MAJOR GENERAL YAKUBU GOWON AND HIS WIFE.

THE FEDERAL NIGERIAN LEADER, WHO WAS NOT WEARING MILITARY UNIFORM FOR THE RELIGIOUS OCCASION, WAS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY SENIOR GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY OFFICIALS. THEY WERE MET AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CATHEDRAL BY MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY BEFORE GOING IN TO OFFER SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR RECONCILIATION WITH THE IBOS.

THE CATHEDRAL SERVICE CULMINATED THREE DAYS OF NATIONAL PRAYER FOR A UNIFIED SOCIETY.

AT THE SAME TIME, POPE PAUL WAS SPEAKING TO PILGRIMS IN THE VATICAN AND TELLING THEM THAT HIS DOUBTS EXPRESSED LAST WEEK, THAT THE NIGERIAN FEDERAL TROOPS MIGHT BE CAPABLE OF GENOCIDE, HAD BEEN DISPELLED BY THE NEWS THAT THE NIGERIAN AUTHORITIES WERE TRYING TO ASSURE PROMPT HELP FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE CIVIL WAR.