Harvest of testimonies as Fr. Obayi’s ministry moves to permanent site

The crowd that night was unprecedented. Thousands had thronged the venue at the back of Queen of the
Rosary College, Nsukka, Enugu State, and they came with great enthusiasm.
It was the first Friday adoration of Okunere Adoration Ministry at its permanent site. Before this time, the ministry has been operating from St. Theresa’s Catholic Church compound, Umuida, Enugu- Ezike where the Spiritual Director, Rev. Fr. Paul Martin Obayi was posted.
Most of the Catholic faithful within Nsukka and Enugu axis who had wanted to be part of the adoration could not actualize their heart’s desires because of the long distance of going to Enugu-Ezike. Thus when news filtered out that the ministry had finally decided to move to its permanent site in Nsukka, it was a long awaited dream come true.
The congregation before the arrival of the Spiritual Director were in high spirits as the Okunerere Band Ministry dished out several praise and warfare songs from the rich repertoire of Fr. Obayi’ s several released l albums. The arrival of the priest with some altar boys and some other special guests was heralded with cannon gunshots.
The holy mass took off immediately even as the tempo became charged as Fr. Obayi led the way into the adoration arena with the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. He said the night programme was dedicated to all the first born sons in various families.
He noted that several challenges always confronted the first sons, saying that hope was coming to them since the Lord has proclaimed promotion for all the first born sons.The cleric declared that there was no more vacancy for the devil since the Holy Ghost was charged fire for fire. He implored the people to forsake evil and turn to God who has the solution to all problems confronting mankind.
The testimony time during the vigil programme was heralded with a big surprise. A man drove a millennium Range Rover Sport Utility Vehicle decorated with ribbons like a wedding train vehicle into the middle of the adoration arena and pulled up. With police escorts and a woman in tow, they marched towards the altar and handed over the car key to Fr. Obayi.
Accompanied also by Nollywood actor Ofiafuluagu Mbaka, the vehicle donor later identified as Sir Patrick Omeje from Amaeze community, Nsukka said he was giving the car to Fr. Obayi as a tithe offering. He said he once ran into Fr. Obayi in Nsukka where his car broke down, and that since that encounter, he has been thinking on what to do to ensure that the cleric would not encounter any further hitches in the course of his evangelical duties because of mobility until he decided to go for the SUV.
The car valued at N15 million, the philanthropist also doled out N1 million cheque to Fr. Obayi to use in fueling the car. Mbaka burst into songs of praise to God. He told the audience that the secret of his flourishing career as an actor was God as he urged all Nigerians to recognize the supremacy of God and the need to turn to Him for solution in all issues.
Fr. Obayi said he was highly impressed on the wonderful gift from Omeje. He said that what impressed him most was the fact that the donor was not a politician seeking for people’s patronage during elections, but simply a private businessman based in Abuja. He invoked God’s blessing on the donor and his entourage and advised wealthy Nigerians to use their wealth for the service of God and humanity.
After other songs of praise by the musical band, more testimonies began to pour in. Mrs. Ann Ozor, vice principal, Queen of the Rosary Secondary School, Nsukka, testified how her daughter, Joan, was raised to life after she had passed on:
“My daughter fell ill just within the period of her birth. We were admitted in different hospitals in Nsukka for two weeks. Her condition, however, became worse as the days passed by. We were later referred to University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, for further diagnosis and treatment. When we got to Peace Park, the people in the bus asked me where I was taking my child to and I told them UNTH. While this was going on, my attention was drawn to the lifeless state of my child and I broke down into tears.
“Providentially, it happened that Fr. Paul was celebrating mass in a private park there in Nsukka, and a woman I don’t know drew my attention to his presence in the market. I quickly took my daughter to the venue of the mass. When I got there, Fr. Paul was still giving Holy Communion to the people, so I walked up to the altar and laid my lifeless child on the mat. The people around the altar ran away while some of the ushers on duty came to me and asked me to take the dead baby away. The sorrow of a mother did not allow me to listen to them.
“While this was going on, Fr. Paul came back to the altar and upon seeing my child instructed the ushers to give him olive oil. He prayed for her and poured the blessed oil in between her stiff, tight cold chin and she immediately sneezed. He then requested that my child should be given something to eat.
“To my surprise, my daughter ate as if nothing happened to her and this was someone who could not eat for the period of two weeks we spent in the hospital. I thank God today that my daughter is not only alive but has remained a miracle child.”
There were others like Okwudiri Eze who also testified of vomiting lizard and Ngozi Ugwuanyi who also said she was healed of paralysis after three months in pain.
Sun
Photo of Fr Mbaka , Fr Obayi