By Padre Michael Nsikak Umoh, CSN
It was a historic moment and a day of great jubilation and respite for the clergy, religious and laity of Ahaira diocese and by extension, the entire Mbaise nation on 19 December, 2023, as the Catholic Church in Nigeria gathered at the Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral, Ahiara, to ordain a bishop for the diocese, after over a decade of impasse.
The homilist at the ordination Mass, the Bishop of Aba Diocese, Most Rev. Augustine Echema acknowledged the power of God at work in His Church in resolving the crisis that had unfortunately rocked the body of Christ in the area; but he also had words for everyone including the new Bishop and the people of God.
Bishop Echema reminded Bishop Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, CMF, of the great task before him as a chief shepherd and pastor because, “there are many people in Ahiara including some priests who have lost hope in God, in the Church, in themselves because of the thirteen (13) years of crisis.” Thus, “you have a mission to reassure the people of God that the Christian message is always good news.”
“This mission is clear as the Prophet Isaiah 61:1-3 tells us in the First Reading, and it is to the afflicted Nigerians beginning from Ahiara Diocese, those who mourn to whom you are to announce the Good News of God (that is the Gospel).”
Besides the grave duty of comforting the people and fostering reconciliation and unity in the diocese, the preacher further reminded Bishop Nwobi to always pay attention to the socio-political situation in the country and avoid being indifferent or turning his back to the oppression, corruption and suffering that is ravaging the society.
“You are being empowered today to speak out in the face of injustice, to join (your) brother Bishops in Nigeria to become the voice of the voiceless and to cater for the many displaced families who have become refugees in their own land. You will become today another voice to denounce the mindless and reckless spilling of blood and destruction of property in our communities here in the South-East and elsewhere in our land. You must continue to tell those criminals who are involved that the shedding of innocent blood is an abomination. “Yahweh hates hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17). And those who kill by the sword perish by the sword (Matt 26:53).”
In order to be able to discharge these grave responsibilities successfully, Bishop Echema exhorted the bishop to pattern his episcopacy after Jesus the good shepherd, as found in the Gospel text of the day from John 10:11-16 where the shepherd was absolutely responsible for the sheep. Unlike the false shepherd who comes into the job, not as a calling, but as a means of making money, “the true shepherd never hesitated to risk, and even to lay down, his life for his sheep … A real shepherd was born to his task. He was sent out with the flock as soon as he was old enough to go; the sheep became his true friends and his companions; and it became second nature to think of them before he thought of himself … Pope Francis talks about the shepherd having the smell of the sheep.”
“Jesus was the good shepherd who so loved his sheep that for their safety he would risk, and one day give his life … In the picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, there is loveliness as well as strength and power … I pray that you bring into your episcopacy the sympathy, kindness and graciousness alongside efficiency and skill which will make you a friend of all. This is the way your predecessor endeared himself to the good people of Ahiara Mbaise.”
Additionally, while congratulating the new bishop, the priest and Christ’s faithful of Ahiara diocese, the prelate admonished the people of God to rise from the past experience and work to ensure that the Church of Christ does not suffer a double tragedy of attack from within and from outside. He noted that the worst attack on the Church is that from within, from false shepherds; “the tragedy and disaster of shepherds who see their calling as a career and not as a means of service.”
Finally, Bishop Echema thanked the Holy Father for his “forgiving heart and magnanimity” towards Ahiara diocese, and the immediate outgone Apostolic Nuncio, Most Rev. Antonio Guido Filipazzi, and the Apostolic Administrator Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji and many others, for the great roles they played in the process of restoring peace in the diocese.