VCO in Rome to attend the cultural day of the Association of Nigerian Priests

Yesterday, I was in Rome to attend the cultural day of the Association of Nigerian Priests, Religious and Seminarians in Rome (NIPRELS), held at Pontificio Collegio Missionario San Paola Apostolo, Via di Torre Rossa, 40. This was unique in many respects. The last time there was such gathering and event was in 2018. It was indeed a great opportunity to meet with my dear brothers and sisters here in Rome. The unity which I noticed among the Priests, Religious and Seminarians from different parts of Nigeria was highly commendable. Meeting His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Arinze, the grand Patron of NIPRELS and His Grace, Most Rev. Fortunatus Nwachukwu, who is the Secretary of the Section of First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Holy See, once again, was indeed a great blessing. It was also good to see the Nigeria’s Head of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires to the Holy See, H.E. Mrs. Folarinwa Foluke Atanda.

I am also grateful for the privilege I had to address this august gathering. I used the opportunity to draw lessons from the sermon earlier at the Pontifical High Mass where His Eminence preached about the three variants of God’s Will. Those He wants as different from those He permits or those He tolerates. If we take this to the issue of political leadership, a subject matter I am passionate about as our pathway to redemption, the simple lesson is that it is not every leader that God wants. When those He wants are in power, the people must surely rejoice. Therefore, when people are suffering, it simply means that God has not qualified them, but simply ‘permits’ or ‘tolerates’ those leaders. My wish and prayer is that going forward, we as a people should genuinely cry to God for the type of leadership He wants, and to attract this, we also need to heed His commandments and be in a position to attract His very special and needed Grace.

Let me very specially thank and appreciate the President of the NIPRELS, Rev Fr Basil Chinedu Achusim, the planning committee chairman of this great occasion, Rev Fr E. Umanah for a very colourful and culturally enriching event. Many thanks also to Rev Fr. Prof J Egbulefu and Rev Fr Prof. John Ugobueze,who joined from the United States, for the opportunity to meet once again. Very special thanks to my Nna m Ochie, Rev Fr Anthony Okoro, who made life easy for me, and arranged my logistics. Thanks Padre for your brotherly love and hearty congratulations to all the members of NIPRELS. I met quite a lot of my old friends from Pro Cathedral Abuja, Divine Mercy Lagos and various Dioceses in Benin and Anambra too numerous to mention here.

May the good Lord continue to guide and bless all of us through Christ our Lord Amen.