By Fr Pat Amobi Chukwuma
An iroko tree has fallen. The birds nesting on it have scattered and are wailing for sudden loss of habitat. When an idiot dies, tears are not shed. But when a wise man dies, heaven and earth are shaken. The encyclopedia loses a vital vocabulary. Wisdom is thereby negatively affected. God is wisdom personified. Man, created in God’s image and likeness, is endowed with an atom of wisdom.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines wisdom as “knowledge gained over a long period of time through learning or experience.” In other words, wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment. Someone endowed with wisdom is regarded as a wise person. The serpent is the wisest creature on earth. Hence, we are advised to be as wise as serpent and as innocent as a dove. Wisdom and innocence combined give rise to perfection.
Not everything that glitters is gold. Some persons bear wisdom by nomenclature but are nincompoop by behaviour. When I was ministering the flock of God at Abagana as vicar, we had a pet dog in our house that was called wisdom. The dog was useful and clever. It only lacked the power of speech, but answered its name when called. It was a trained dog and was wise in its own capacity. It even went on certain errands. After a year, I was transferred to another parish.
Hence, a new vicar was sent to replace me. Coincidently, he bore Wisdom as his nickname. Whenever the parish priest called the name Wisdom, both the vicar and the dog would be rushing together to answer the call. Thus the priest wisdom and the dog wisdom had head collision from time to time. To avoid insult and unnecessary rivalry, the parish priest sold the dog. It was a wise but painful decision. It would have been foolish to ‘sell’ or transfer the wise priest because of a wise dog. Experience is the best teacher.
Where am I going? Ekwulobia and Awka Dioceses just lost an epitome of wisdom. He is late Monsignor Jerome Ndubuisi Madueke. Saint Jerome is a great Saint who translated the Bible from Greek to Latin. Monsignor Jerome followed his patron saint’s footstep by translating every aspect of knowledge into useful ministry.
He was a philosopher, an exceptional theologian, a musician, an ideal teacher, liturgist, communicator, studio manager, composer, writer, preacher, et cetera. Since he came back from further studies overseas, he has been working in the Communication Department of Awka Diocese.
He founded the Fides Newspaper and edited it for many years. Also, he produced the monthly Fides Bulletin. He was always at his study table and studio making new researches. He worked in the Fides Communications under late Archbishop Albert Kanene Obiefuna (when he was the Bishop of Awka), late Bishop Simon Akwali Okafor and the incumbent Bishop Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor.
In fact, Monsignor Jerome Madueke was Fides personified. He created the Wit’s Corner for me since I started writing in 1998. I doff my cap for him. I wish he would also create an eternal Wit’s Corner in Heaven for me, by God’s permission, so that I will permanently occupy it on the day of my transition to eternity. He constructed the new Fides apartment and fathers’ house within.
After so many years in the Fides Communications situated at Okpuno, he was relieved of the strenuous apostolate in order to have a respite. Another giant in the person of Reverend Father Martin Anusi took over. But he could not wear the big shoes Monsignor Jerome Madueke left behind. Consequently, the successor father Martin went to market and bought the size of his own shoes.
When Ekwulobia Diocese was carved out from Awka Diocese in 2020 by late Pope Francis, Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke (now Cardinal) resurrected the ingenuity of Monsignor Jerome Madueke. He entrusted him with the establishment of a new Communication Department for Ekwulobia Diocese.
It was during the unforgettable year of Corona Virus. Hence, Monsignor Jerome wore his face mask and managed the ‘stay-at-home’ order to found the Maranatha Communication Department of the new diocese. Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means “Come Lord Jesus!” Jesus really came to his assistance. Thus he founded the Maranatha Newspaper and Maranatha monthly bulletin at St. Vincent’s Catholic Church premises in Amesi, the hometown of Peter Cardinal Ebere Okpaleke, the Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese.
Gradually Monsignor Madueke established offices and studio there. He rarely slept because of his love for wisdom. His laptop was always with him, even when he was lying on his bed; except when he was at the altar and pulpit. Just as he was Fides personified, he was also Maranatha personified. His seat in heaven is labeled ‘Fides’ in the front and ‘Maranatha’ in the back.
Fides means Faith while Maranathan means Come Lord Jesus. When Monsignor Madueke finished demonstrating his faith on earth, Jesus Christ came and took him to rest eternally in heaven on that bright Tuesday of 29 July 2025, the memorial of Saint Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Martha worried for service while Jerome Madueke worried for wisdom.
Monsignor Jerome Madueke was an ideal priest. He was entirely committed in the priestly ministry, though he was a bit hot tempered. He always wore the clerical soutane. Since I knew him for over forty years, I have never seen him in mufti. Only once, I saw him wearing shirt and trouser while sitting in his study room at Okpuno. He was tall in height and knowledge, outspoken and hardworking. He did not tolerate laziness and stupidity.
His death on 29 July 2025 was a great shock. The world stood still on that fateful day. He died from complications from a long battled illness at Regina Caeli Hospital, Awka. Happily, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven was standing at his sick-bed side when he gave up the ghost. A group of priests and Angels of God accompanied his remains which were preserved at Visitation Hospital Mortuary Umuchu, where the Blessed Virgin Mary visited his preserved corpse on daily basis.
I hope the size of his casket was found in the market. I advise the casket makers to make few oversize caskets for the tallest and few for the shortest in order to avoid unnecessary embarrassment when the need arises. The grave diggers made an extension in length for the body of Monsignor Madueke to really rest in peace and to rise without any hindrance on the Resurrection Day.
Monsignor Madueke’s native name is Ndubuisi, which means that life matters. He would have been a Field Marshall in wisdom, if God had extended his life. God knows the best for him. The name Jerome is derived from the Greek word “Hieronymos” which means ‘sacred name’. The meaning shows a deep connection to the divine, reverence, integrity and virtue. Monsignor Jerome was indeed a man of integrity and spirituality.
His surname ‘Madueke’ means that the work of creation is the sole prerogative of the Almighty God. We are his creatures while He is the Creator. A certain woman gave birth to the ugliest boy on earth and named him “Obumneke” (Am I the Creator?). Whenever the ugly boy asks his mother why he was born so, the mother in turn asks, “Am I the Creator?” If man can create, I would create a replica of late Monsignor Jerome Madueke. How I wish his exceptional brain can be extracted from his head and implanted in me or you.
A rare gem has gone. May God temper justice with mercy as he stands before the judgment seat of God! May he rest in peace till we meet to part no more on the Resurrection Day! I wish God would create a Communication Department in Heaven and entrust it to Monsignor Madueke, so that he can communicate between the Church Triumphant in heaven and the Church Militant on earth.
