It is Done! Most Rev Jonas-Benson Okoye Becomes Nigeria’s Newest Bishop

             

The solemn atmosphere of St Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral Awka last Friday August 29 suddenly burst into a frenzy of excitement, hand clapping and yells of joy the moment the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria Arch Bishop Augustine Kasuja proclaimed Most Rev Jonas-Benson Okoye a bishop. It was the climax of weeks of preparations for the Episcopal ordination of Most Rev Okoye which started from the day he was appointed an auxiliary bishop by the Vatican, May 30, 2014, and ended with his eventual ordination as the latest Catholic bishop in Nigeria, reports Jude Atupulazi.

As Bishop Okoye was escorted to his seat by Arch Bishop Kasuja he was cheered on ceaselessly by priests, religious and the entire congregation that squeezed themselves in to the magnificent church to witness the epochal event that threw up Okoye as the fourth auxiliary bishop of Awka Diocese.

Arch Bishop Kasuja who charged the new bishop to work hard in advancing the faith noted that the task before the newest prelate was enormous given the fact that Awka represented the largest diocese in the country.

According to Kasuja out of the about 1.6 million population of Awka about 800, 000 were Catholics, representing 50 percent of the entire population. He further noted that out of that number Awka Diocese had 546 priests, with 333 residing there while 213 pastored in other parts of the country and beyond.

He therefore charged the new bishop to always preach the Gospel, bearing in mind that the call of bishops is for service, even as he further charged him to use his office to win souls for Christ.

Earlier in his homily the Catholic bishop of Nnewi Most Rev Dr Hilary Odili Okeke exhorted Bishop Okoye to see his call as that for service and to always remember that he did not contest for the position but was chosen by the Church.

Describing Bishop Okoye as a person of great intellect Bishop Okeke recalled Okoye’s vast contributions to the Church especially in the area of Canon Law.

His words, ‘You are a canonist but you have always demonstrated that canon law is not all about legality but about salvation of souls.’

Speaking further the bishop of Nnewi Catholic Diocese said that Okoye’s ordination reminded him about the foundation of Christianity which was love in which every Christian was challenged to love one another as brothers and sisters in the lord.

Further describing the office of bishop as a vehicle for taking the faithful to heaven Bishop Okeke charged Bishop Okoye not to lose sight of that responsibility as well as always endeavouring to make God’s light to shine in he lives of the faithful.

He advised the new bishop to remain submissive to his boss Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor and strike a good working relationship with him, noting that as auxiliary bishop he is required to assist the bishop.

Bishop Okeke enjoined the faithful to accept their bishops and desist from insisting that only sons of the soil should be appointed and deployed to their places, noting that it amounted to playing politics in the Church which, he said, the Pope frowned at.

In his speech the new Bishop, Okoye, expressed gratitude to all those who worked for the success of his ordination, including the state governor, Willie Obiano, and his predecessor, Peter Obi; the committee members and his bishop, Paulinus Ezeokafor, among others and beseeched the faithful, priests and religious to always pray for him, even as he described himself as the luckiest priest, having been ordained bishop on the same date he was ordained priest way back on August 29 1992.

Earlier Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor had expressed his happiness at the coming of a helper and thanked the Holy Father for making that possible, just as he thanked the state governor for his assistance.

For his part Gov Obiano in congratulating the new bishop assured him of the prayers of the people of the state.

The massively attended event was graced by people from all walks of life including Gov Obiano, former Gov Peter Obi, Victor Umeh of APGA, Uche Ekwunife of PDP, Sir Alex Ekwueme, members of the academia, traditional rulers and top government officials.     

(Additional reports by Ifeoma Ezenyilimba and Abuchi Onwumelu)