You Were Saintly, Having to Accommodate 2 Bishops

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l-R: Bishops Paulinus Ezeokafor and Dennis Isuzo

… Bishop Isizoh Commends Bishop Ezeokafor on 40th Priestly Anniversary

The Catholic Bishop of Aguleri Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Denis Isizoh, has commended the character of his counterpart in Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, as the latter celebrated his 40th Priestly Ordination anniversary, Saturday 16 November 2024, at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka. This comes as Governor Soludo has pledged to support the proposed Retreat Centre construction at Isiagu; and Sir Paul Chukwuma donating N150M to the project, Reports Fr. Robert Anagboso

In a deeply rich homily during the Holy Mass of the 40th Priestly Ordination Anniversary, Bishop Isuzo went down memory lane, recalling how he came to know Bishop Ezeokafor at the All Hallows Junior Seminary, Onitsha shortly after the Civil War in 1970.

‘Even at that time, he already showed signs of serious mindedness and someone destined for great things,’ said the prelate of Aguleri Diocese. Continuing, Bishop Isizoh reiterated that a proof of such disposition could be seen in the then Rector of the Seminary, the late Bishop Otteh’s perceptive knack to spot good and promising young seminarians and bring them closer to his presence for particular nurturing.

‘In the case of Bishop Ezeokafor, the then Fr. Otteh brought him to work in his office, setting the stage for a gradual but steady climbing of the ecclesiastical ladder.

Bishop Isizoh said the hallmark of Bishop Ezeokafor’s strength of character was manifested in his life as an Auxiliary Bishop, noting that such position was fraught with uncertainties even to the extent of not knowing exactly what duties he would carry out until instructed to do so.

‘Progressively, at a time he should have naturally been the coadjutor Bishop of Awka, he was designated an Administrator, devoid of right of succession; but in all these, Bishop Ezeokafor remained focused and committed to the work of God, rather than mundane glories,’ added Bishop Isizoh.

Profoundly commending the good natured personality and humility of Bishop Ezeokafor, Bishop Isizoh praised the former for the way he accommodated the presence of two Bishops: the then Auxiliary Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Dr. Jonas Benson Okoye (now Bishop of Nnewi diocese), and the then Bishop of Ahiara, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Okpaleke (now Cardinal, and Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese); both of whom, he said, were unfortunately absent at the celebration.

‘The challenges and difficulties of those days should not be lost on anyone, yet Bishop Ezeokafor was very magnanimous in providing a conducive atmosphere for the two Bishops and himself to live and operate as is expected of brother bishops and princes of the Church.

‘The impeccable management of the then situation in no mean measures, says a lot about the humane nature of Bishop Ezeokafor,’ stressed Bishop Isuzo.

In his own remarks, the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, praised what he described as the doggedness and forthrightness of Bishop Ezeokafor, noting that the occasion of the 40th Priestly Ordination Anniversary of Bishop Ezeokafor afforded the opportunity of a celebration of life which, he said, was eminently in tandem with the well-known principle of the prelate who, he said, championed the cause for a befitting life as against befitting burial.

Soludo equally expressed happiness with the way Bishop Ezeokafor carried out his Episcopal duties, noting that it was worthy of emulation by all who were in positions of leadership. In a particular way, the Anambra State number one citizen lauded the interest which Bishop Ezeokafor showed in the government of the state, describing him as a one man squad monitoring team.

Soludo narrated how the Bishop called him regularly with the reports of the stages of the various ongoing road constructions; this, he said, was highly commendable, even as he jokingly added that if those who were officially saddled with that responsibility were not careful, he would dissolve them and give the job to the Bishop.

The Governor pledged to give a resounding support to the building of the proposed Retreat Centre at Isiagu Town, as the existing one at Okpuno is daily losing the status of a ‘Spiritual Retreat Centre’.

Towards the end of the Holy Mass, and reviewing a Festschrift, “Pastoral Imprints in the Sands of Time”, written in honour of Bishop Ezeokafor to detail his life and work in the last 40 years as a priest and Bishop, Sir Paul Chukwuma lauded the character of Bishop Ezeokafor in the use of his authority and power of a ‘Teacher’, ‘Leader’ and ‘Sanctifier’, noting that Bishop Ezeokafor had responsibly used and exercised those powers to the greater glory of God and the good of humanity.

Concluding the book review, Sir Paul Chukwuma requested that the book be sent in specified quantities to all the priests of the 5 Catholic Dioceses in Anambra State, to the seminaries and the convent of the Immaculate Heart Sisters, even as he made a donation of N150m in support of the proposed Retreat Centre construction in Isiagu.

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