… Honours Illustrious Son for Introducing Evangelism Strategy to Community
By Michael Nnebife
St Francis’ Catholic Church, Enugwu-Ukwu, in Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State, on Monday 1st April, marked the 2024 Galilee with aplomb in the area in line with the instructions of Jesus Christ after His resurrection, directing His disciples to move to Galilee for the fulfilment of the fullness of joy of the glorious resurrection.
A number of cultural dance troupes, which include Igede Music, Umuada Irunebo Dibugwu cultural dance, among others, displayed their various acrobatic performances to the delight of the St Francis parishioners and guests at the event in which an Illustrious son of the community, Engr C. Osineme, was honoured with the award of Galilean Ambassador.
According to the Parish Priest of the church, Rev Fr Val Peter Uzoezie, the award was to honour Engr Osineme, for not only initiating the idea of the Galilee celebration, but also for converting a place formerly known for idol worship to a monument for the worship of the only true God, with a magnificent crucifix taking the place of a traditional wooden instrument, ‘ikoro’, and housing St David’s Outstation, Umuaba, Enugwu-Ukwu.
The annual parish event, which commenced with a Holy Mass presided over by the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Awka, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor, took place at St David’s Outstation.
Speaking in a sermon during the Holy Mass, Most Rev Ezeokafor described the St Francis 2024 Galilee celebration as not only a follow-up to the Easter celebrations, but also a symbolic and memorable one, which, he believed, should continue to ring a bell in the minds of St Francis’ parishioners.
Reminding the parishioners of the need to live out their faith in Christ, Ezeokafor said the reason for the celebration, was the glorious resurrection of Christ without which theChristian faith would have been in vain.
The prelate, who pointed out that heaven remained the target of every Christian, urged the faithful in Enugwu-Ukwu to endeavour to work out their salvation while alive here on earth, noting that there was no salvation in the grave.
The chief shepherd of Awka Diocese thanked St Francis’ parishioners, the entire Enugwu-Ukwu Community, Engr Osineme, among others, for their faith and service to God in the area.
He prayed God to bless them and their good intentions for the Galilee celebration to be fruitful, for the salvation of souls and eternal bliss.
In his remarks, the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Uzoezie, expressed appreciation to the Bishop for his fatherly love and care for the parish and for accepting to celebrate the Galilee with the parish despite his tight schedule
In an interview with Fides, the award recipient, Engr Osineme, briefly recounted how he came about the Galilee celebration.
‘The Galilee celebration is one of the good things I saw in Benin when I was working there as a civil servant, and serving God as a member of the Christmatic Renewal.
‘It’s there that I got the inspiration, and decided to bring it down to my country home for the service of God,’ the Galilean Ambassador said.
He appealed to other illustrious sons of the community to embrace the think-home philosophy for the developmental needs of Enugwu-Ukwu Community.
Some dignitaries that graced the occasion, were the member representing Njikoka I Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Chidiebele Ibemeka; the President General of Irunebo Community, Enugwu-Ukwu, Mr Leonard Okonkwo; members of Enugwu-Ukwu Igwe-in-Council, among others.
