Let me begin my staring that this piece is motivated by two reasons: first, the desire to place in perspective the historic appointment of the new Bishop of Warri Diocese today, and, secondly, the need to respond to messages sent to me by Mr Collins Nwaokolo, a Parishioner of St. William, Orerokpe who wrote: “Migwo father. Please father, people are asking me why he is not smiling?” I hope this piece will shed some light on their enquiry.
A HISTORIC MOMENT
The appointment of Rt. Msgr. Anthony Ehwerido today by Pope Francis was a cheering news, greeted with endless applause by priests, religious and lay faithful gathered at the cathedral to listen to the Apostolic Administrator, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze. Since April when he was appointed Apostolic Administrator after the retirement of Most Rev John Afareha, Archbishop Akubeze left no one in doubt that his stay will not be long. He worked very hard to prepare the ground for what happened today- the appointment of a new Bishop. The priests, religious and Christ’s faithful of Warri Diocese thank God for choosing Rt Msgr Anthony Ehwerido as bishop and will remain eternally grateful to Archbishop Akubeze for his diligence, maturity, sincerity and Godliness in midwifing a new Bishop for Warri Diocese. In the same vein we donate a sack full of gratitude to the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Filipazzi for masterfully managing this transition. He is a man of honour, a peace maker and faithful servant of God. I heard some person saying after the announcement today words like: “we are waiting for Nuncio on consecration day to show him how much we appreciate his role”, “Nuncio na good man” “we go show am how much Warri love am” etc. This appointment is indeed a historic one against the backdrop of our checquered history of episcopal transition. God be praised!
The wild jubilation and endless applause that greeted the announcement of the bishop-elect at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Warri today was a clear testimony of the candidate’s acceptability by all and sundry. The atmosphere was charged in excitement as priests and religious swarmed on the bishop- elect to congratulate him even as he became deeply emotional, requesting everyone in turn to pray for him. After the announcement and everyone has gone out except the Curia members, the jubilation continued outside and gained starcatic crescendo as priests and Christ’s faithful sprayed powder on their faces, a traditional gesture of celebration of a unique and historic event among people of the Niger Delta. Even when I was detailed from the Curia meeting to go out to request them to tune down their voices to enable the Curia members hear themselves, I couldn’t help but splash the powder too when Fr Djebah gave me some. It was simply awesome. God is great. A new dawn indeed!
RESPONSE TO THOSE WHO MADE SOME ENQUIRY
To Mr Collins and those who asked similar questions, the atmosphere today was that of joy. Yet, when joy becomes unspeakable, inscrutably piercing, emotion can run effervescent. The bishop elect was visibly in tears upon the announcement. I had a similar experience at my priestly ordination in 2008 at Ibadan as I shed tears throughout the litany of saints while we prostrated. I mean, from beginning of the litany to the end. No one takes this honour upon himself. (Cf. Heb. 5:4). We thank God for him.
As the Archbishop rightly noted in his address before making the announcement of his appointment, Rt. Rev. Msgr Anthony Ehwerido loves God and his Church. His episcopacy will be a blessing to Warri Diocese.
Apart from being my former Rector at the Minor Seminary, I recall that he was the first to call and offered words of consolation to us after we emerged from the kidnappers’ den, recovered our phones and were being driven to Benin City by Fr Christopher Ekabor in 2018. May God bless our new Bishop.
