Today, December 12, 2025, the serene hilltop community of Christ the King Parish, Ugwunani Aku, welcomed the pastoral presence of Most Rev. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, Bishop of Nsukka, for a day marked by consolation, catechesis, and the strengthening of the Church through the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The Parish Priest, Rev Fr Emmanuel Ayoguoke, welcomed the Bishop on behalf of the entire Christian family, asking him—like a father in the faith—to teach them the authentic doctrine of the Church. In response, the Bishop first offered heartfelt condolences for the death of the Parish Priest’s younger brother, Abel, who tragically died in a motor accident. He extended the same words of comfort to the grieving mother, placing their sorrows within the tender mercy of God.
Turning to the community, Bishop Onah congratulated the people of Ugwunani Aku for the beautiful church they have built—yet reminded them that, “the faith of the people is more precious before God than the beauty of any structure.”
The Question of Odo and the Crisis of Christian Identity
In a frank and pastoral dialogue, the Bishop revisited a long-standing concern in Aku: the role of the Odo masquerade in the life of Christians. He recalled that in the early days of Aku as a single parish—now a flourishing deanery with many priests—the Church had consistently appealed to the faithful to abandon Odo practices incompatible with Christian life.
“What can we do,” he asked, “to help Odo come into the light of the Gospel—if indeed it desires to belong?”
Amidst many responses from parishioners, the Fr Bishop responded that Christians who discriminate or sow division are in the same spiritual danger as Christians who misunderstand Odo. Both, he affirmed, reflect a failure to live the Gospel. When a man complained that the CWO had ostracized his family, the Bishop firmly instructed that peace must be restored immediately. “The fact that we can ostracize one another shows that something has gone wrong.
How many are we, that division should have a place among us?”
The Bishop clarified that the Church hides only one thing—sin—so as to preserve the dignity of the sinner and allow room for conversion. But no element of Odo, he insisted, can be justified if it contradicts the faith:
“Tell me, what is happening in Odo that is good and worthy of the Gospel?” He kept asking.
He urged the community to pray for their priests rather than condemn them, noting that Our Blessed Mother is not joking with her priests, who daily re-enact the sacrifice of her Son.
Bishop Onah further challenged cultural inconsistencies:
“If Odo truly unites Aku, then bring forward what is good in it for the Church to embrace. But if the faithful still participate in Odo, it simply means they have not been taught what it means to follow Christ.”
He drew strong analogies:
You cannot take a drug and still drink what will kill you.
You cannot belong to two political parties at the same time.
You cannot profess Christ on Sunday and live in idolatry during the week.
He urged the faithful to rediscover prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, catechesis in the home, and unity in the parish:
One parishioner appealed to the Bishop to gather all the men of Aku to address the matter of Odo. As the Fr Bishop acknowledged this request to be taken care of, he encouraged the Dean to convene a meeting of the entire CMO in Aku, priests from Aku, and the priests working there to discern a pastoral way forward.
While responding to another question, the Fr Bishop lamented that families who neglect their parents in sickness and kill cows for them in death, are not paying such parents, a “last respect” but a “last insult.” “If you believe that cows will save the dead, then the Mass after your burial will not save your soul. But if Christ saves, then set your heart on the things that matter.”
The Mystery of Confirmation
At the beginning of Mass, Bishop Onah prayed that the faithful may remain firm in Christ and grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The 180 confirmands were formally presented before he accepted them for the sacrament.
In his homily, the Bishop proclaimed God’s ancient promise:
“I will pour clean water upon you… you will be my people and I will be your God.”
He taught that the same Spirit who anointed Christ (Acts 10:38–39) and strengthened the apostles continues to empower Christians today.
“You are consecrated,” he said,
“for love, for unity, for peace, and for the cross. The fire of suffering, courage, and holiness is being placed upon you. Do not forget who you are.”
He warned that Christians who forget their identity become like lions who think they are cats:
“A man who does not know he belongs to God cannot live as a Christian.”
New Soldiers of Christ in Ugwunani
After the homily came a moment of recollection, then the presentation of sponsors. The Bishop then sealed the confirmands with the Sacred Chrism, declaring them:
“New enemies of the devil, new soldiers of Christ, the first fruits of Ugwunani—annointed for God.”
He prayed that something visibly different and beautifully Christian would now emerge in Ugwunani Aku.
Words of Gratitude and Final Blessing
Before the end of Mass, the Parish Priest expressed gratitude to God and to the Bishop for dedicating two pastoral days to the parish. He thanked the Diocesan Secretary for preparing the confirmands, the Dean, all priests present, catechists, choir, sponsors and the confirmands themselves.
In his final remarks, Bishop Onah prayed that the consecrated faithful would never return to idolatry:
“You are anointed for the God of love. Let your life show His goodness.”
By Teclus Ike Ugwueze
