By Chinenyeh Ozor

Nsukka—The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, has poured encomiums on the Catholic Bishop Emeritus of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Francis Emmanuel Okobo, for dedication and humility to his religious call in his 50 years as a priest, out of which 25 were spent as a bishop.   This was contained in his goodwill message to the diocese during the week-long celebrations to mark the triple jubilee: Episcopal Silver Jubilee of Bishop Okobo, Silver Jubilee of the Nsukka Catholic Diocese and Priestly Golden Jubilee of Bishop Francis Okobo.

Bishop Francis Okobo (front row 2nd left); his successor, Bishop Godfrey Onah (right) and other catholic clerics during the week-long celebrations marking the Episcopal Silver Jubilee of Bishop Okobo, Silver Jubilee of Nsukka Catholic Diocese and the Priestly Golden Jubilee of Bishop Okobo.

Over 25 bishops, 100 priests and 70 reverend sisters and Senator Chuka Utazi, representing Enugu North Senatorial district, attended the celebrations in the diocese, while different cultural dances from different parishes entertained the crowd.

I was a pagan—OKOBO

This was even as Okobo said that he was an idol worshipper before God elevated him to the position of a priest and then a bishop. Okobo was ordained priest on May 11, 1966 and appointed a bishop 24 years later on November 26, 1990. He said: “I was a pagan before I became a Christian; I was born into a pagan family. When I look back, I have to ask myself what did God find in me that made Him to elevate me who was once a pagan to become a Christian, a priest, a bishop and now bishop emeritus.

“I remain indebted to the Catholic faithful for the wonderful support they gave me as the first bishop of the diocese.“ The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka was carved out of Enugu Diocese in November 1990 by Pope John Paul II with Okobo as the first bishop. The diocese covers the seven local governments that make up the Nsukka cultural zone including Igboetiti, Igboeze North, Igboeze South, Isiuzo, Udenu, Nsukka and Uzo Uwani.

Under Okobo, the parishes in the diocese rose from 27 in 1991 to 113 in 2013. Currently, it has 163 parishes and a population of 480,326, with 270 ordained priests, 76 professed religious sisters, 10 religious brothers, 205 major seminarians and 342 seminarians.

Papal eulogy

Pope Francis said: “As the first bishop, it was your hard work that made the diocese to grow to its present height. The local churches in Nsukka diocese have been a big family in unity with the universal Church through your hard work in God’s vineyard. “As the diocese joyfully celebrate these festivities, may it continue to help in renewing the mission of all baptised as well as preach the gospel to all generations.”

Speaking during the high mass to mark the end of the celebrations, the President, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, whose address was read by Archbishop Anthony Obinna of Owerri diocese, said the bishops appreciated Rev Okobo’s dedication, humility, respect and accountability as the first bishop of Nsukka Catholic diocese.

He said: “The number of bishops at the triple jubilee celebrations was an eloquent testimony of the value and respect the conference has for Dr Francis Okobo in particular and Nsukka diocese in general. “As the first bishop of the diocese, he mobilised and led many Catholic faithful in Nsukka to the doctrine and teachings of Jesus Christ.  “Looking at the diocese, one will see his immense contributions for the 25 years he served as bishop.”

Okobo’s successor

Kaigama also expressed fulfilment on Okobo’s successor, Bishop Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, who since he took over as bishop had consolidated and improved on the achievements of his predecessor, including evangelisation and conversion of souls to God.

In his remarks on behalf of the clergy, laity and lay faithful in the diocese, the Vice Chairman of Nsukka Pastoral Council, Mr. Maurice Ezeamigi, said the blessings of the diocese started with the ordination of Rev Okobo as bishop of the diocese, adding that Okobo was a no-nonsense priest, who would legitimately go miles to get what legally belonged to the diocese. He said: “Nsukka diocese will forever remain grateful to God for his numerous uncommon blessings and favours in Nsukka diocese since 25 years ago, when it was created out of Enugu diocese.

“The architect, spiritual and pastoral success for the 25 years as diocese was God’s design, using Okobo as the pastor par excellence. “The diocese is also grateful to God for the gift of Bishop Godfrey Onah as the successor of the bishop emeritus. Onah is an outstanding pastor that the church in Nigeria and indeed Africa would proudly want to display in ecclesiastical showcase.

“The diocese is benefiting and will continue to benefit from Bishop Onah’s many years of experience at the Vatican City.” Bishop Onah, in his homily, expressed deep appreciation to the bishops, priests and laity from different walks of life for coming to celebrate with Nsukka diocese and the bishop emeritus, adding that the diocese would ever remain grateful to God for his uncountable blessings to the diocese.

Okobo’s reaction

Responding to the encomiums ,Most Rev Okobo thanked the diocese and entire congregation for honouring the invitation, explaining that it still surprised him how God loved him to the extent of making him attain his present status. The bishop, who thrilled the faithful said that his desire “to offer his life as a Catholic priest was strongly resisted by his parents, who felt that their beloved son wanted to waste his life, hence they went the extra mile to prevent him from responding to this call.

“For instance, my box was burnt twice so that I may be expelled on account of carelessness, but it never worked out.” He further said that his parents also “resorted to adding something to my food to distort my mind but all were to no avail. They had to stop and never disturbed again when they discovered that my desire was real.”

Background

Okobo was born on December 4, 1936, to the family of late Ozo Bartholomew Nnabuchi Ugwuja and Lolo Josephine Ugwu Okobo in Lejja, Nsukka Local Government Area of the state. The Bishop said that he was the first male and the first grandchild in a large family even as his grandfather was an old king (Eze-Lejja) who had three sons, pointing out that he was loved by his grandfather whom he “deputised for in most of his (pagan) religious obligations due to old age,” before he decided to become an ordained priest.

He said: “The people of Dunoka Lejja (where he hailed from) are known as a royal kindred, who believed in the culture, traditions and religion of the community, hence they believed then that, learning the whiteman’s culture through formal education and religion was a waste of time.