Reflection: How Rev. Canon Franklin Mmor Buried His Late Father ,Rev. Emmanuel Mmor

It was no doubt a gathering a crème de la crème in Awka Diocese, Anglican Communion and beyond when over seventy (70) priests, church leaders, government functionaries, community leaders and in deed, the entire Abagana community converged at late Rev. Emmanuel Onyemaechi Mmor’s compound at Amagu village, Abagana to accord him their last respect. It was an attestation of a positive life dedicated to service to God and humanity.

Though he passed on at an age which could be considered as ‘long’, tears knew no bounds to prove it could form its own ocean.

The life and time of Rev Emmanuel Mmor, from childhood traversed from the pews to the alter, which indeed gained him the nicknamed: “church boy”.

Though he was born and bred in Anglican church, late Emmanuel navigated the sea of Christ Apostolic Church in 1970 with C.A.C Anam as a starting point, wading through the storms and torrents associated with it. He served in various parishes and in various capacities across the Christ Apostolic church and Christ Holy Church before he retired to the Anglican Communion in 1999.

To prove that a man must dance a dance in his time, late Rev. Emmanuel Onyemaechi Mmor registered to his heart-throb, Comfort Nwando Oby in October 1972; a union which was blessed with seven (7) children: 6 boys and 1 girl. They are; Amala, Uchenna, Uzochukwu, Echezona, Ifeanyi, Chukwuebuka and Izuchukwu. As a responsibility he had sworn to carry out, he ensured all his children secured qualitative education to prepare them for the journey and challenges ahead. His foot steps have, however not yet stalled, even in death, as he has an illustrious son in the person of Rev. Canon Frank Mmor of St. Faith Cathedral who is treading his foot path.

However, life was not totally rosy for late Rev. Emmanuel Onyemaechi Mmor even in the Lord’s vineyard as he faced various persecutions from those who considered him a ‘religious enemy’. In one of such instances, his congregation was attacked and church building demolished at Umudiora Anam in Ayamelum local government area; even as his milestone and achievements include plating of over 40 church branches from 1970 to 1975, architectural drawing and building of Christ Holy Church parsonage Port Harcourt among others.

He has indeed proved his mettle in all areas of his life.

In the words of his fourth son, Rev. Canon Franklin Mmor, late Emmanuel is an enigma; a positive all-rounder who hates laziness and indiscipline.

“My father is very disciplined and hates laziness. He believes people should work out things for themselves. With him, there is nothing like mediocrity.

“My father’s foot step is worth emulating. In fact, I’m a priest too, I have not even achieved half of what he has achieved in life as a priest.”

While Canon Mmor swallowed that he was molded by his father to be what he is today, line, hook and sinker, he debunked drawing inspiration from the collosus to become a priest.

His words: “No I did not take up the profession because of my father. God called me. I’m sure of the call. I had passion and he gave me a sign of the call. And since I answered that call I have never failed. He has been proving himself to me. Anywhere I go, things begin to happen. I’m not trying to eulogize myself but I’m saying God promised me that if I answered His call, wherever I go, no matter how difficult that place is, He will clear a way for me.”

To prove that he favours no party, even those in his profession, Rev. Canon Mmor lashed some of his colleagues as running after the church goodies instead of service to God and humanity.

Hear him: “These days the type of pastors we see today are ones who want to get from people; they want to extort from the congregation even the poor people among them instead of providing for them. So what we see now is different from what our father saw then. It is a big challenge,” even as he added that his father knew he was about to die as he died on his birth day.

To lace the above, Dr. Alvan Ikoku Nwamara from the Music Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka said “the man is not well known to me as a person. I came in because of his son. But I tell you from the whispers I received from the people around me, where I was sitted, the man is just good. He indeed devoted his time to the things of God and if you heard what father Frank said; he said the man took him to another man for church service.”