1915-1940:The Catholic faith came into Osumenyi (in Nnewi South LGA,Anambra State-Nigeria)
through the efforts of an inspired brave pioneer Christian,James Nwora
who came in contact with the catholic faith at Ozubulu and decided to
bring it home.He then set out in the company of one Nwosueke
Ezike-ewereaku(Eze-enyimba) and got the mandated services of one
missionary teacher,mr peter Ikeotuonye from Ozubulu to begin the
Catholic Church in Osumenyi in the year 1915.Other people who joined
this team of adventurers of religion and education included:Okonkwo
Ogbenyeebe,Michael Anakor,Mathew Ezikeonuoha of ,Uruchukwu Ugwumba and
Muoegbunam Aniika.Mr.Peter Ikeotuonye lived in the house of Umeononobi
ERzikenwine and was using his”Obi” as both school and church.The people
of the town happily received james and his team.Ezeaba Nwine,the then
oldest son 0f Ezikenwine,who on a second thought,became skeptical about
what that movement would result in future and decided to move it out of
their fathers Obi.He Ezeaba,therefore had to donate his own land at a
site near “Ihuchukwu” shrine,the present site of St.Anthony of Padua
Secondary School.A small thatched house was raised there for the purpose
of the missionary work.Later Rev.Fr. Ledane came from Ozubulu to confer
authority to teacher Ikeotuonye’s work.Later Rev.Fr.Bindel came from
Ihiala to establish Osumenyi as a station under Ihiala Parish.The work
of the missionaries attracted the interest of young men converts
like:Michael Anakor,David Ezeaba(whose son-Benedict Ezeaba later became
Fr.Bindel’s Houseboy)Gabriel Obi,Stephen Onyilimba,George Asor,Joseph
Muojekwu,Peter Osueke,Mark Offia,Edward Ukogu,Jerome Uzochukwu and later
on,Jacob Anochie.As the church started growing,land was needed for expansion,and people who had land near the church donated their land.Louis Onwuzulu donated land on which Fr.S rest house was erected.Ezike Nwa-elemuo also donated his own which contained Gravial.Later Umeochouru people donated their land for school field and other facilities.
The coming of the catholic faith in Osumenyi took place during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XV,precisely in 1915;during the Episcopate of Bishop Joseph Shanahan of Onitsha Diocese.In course of time,Rev.Fr Victor Duhaze came through Oguta into Eziora Ozubulu and planted the seed of faith and later moved to Odoata-Ihiala where a Parish centre was established.
SUFFERING AN INEVITABLE PART OF CHRISTIAN LIFE.
The early Christians really suffered.They had tgo trek as far as to Ukpor,Ozubulu and Ihiala to receive the sacraments.The Rev.Fathers visit to the station was at most once in three months and was hardly ever on Sunday.They battled against many odds living amongst the pagan community of our people.who at that time tabooed eating of cassava,killing or eating Boa conscritiptor(Eke) and Pigeon(Okokpa eke).They regarded twins and other rare ocurrences of nature as abominable,quite against the Christian teaching of Jove,peace and freedom for all and belief in Almighty God of creation.These and the task of learning the doctrine of the new religion made their lives a daily routine of suffering.Teacher James Egbujie alias “Nwa onye Onicha” later came to relieve Peter Ikeotuonye as the catechist,teacher and interpreter.
In 1935,a parish centre was established at St.John Cross-Akwuegbo,Nnewi with Rev.Father John Cross Anyaogu as Parish Priest and Osumenyi was brought into Nnewi Parish as a station.
1940-1965:EVANGELIZATION THROUGH SCHOOLS
It was not easy to spread religion without education.So as Father Anyaogu was relieved by Rev.Fr.Louis Kettles,schools were built in selected centres for groups of communities.One such central school was for Osumenyi,Ezinifite and Ebenator at a point near”Ama Nnalu Junction”with standard 2 as the highest class.The only indigenous teacher produced as at that time was Mr. Julius Ume.
As the taboo on the eating of cassava was abolished in 1943,more pupils started going to school and the central school grew up to Standard 4.Schools were built in the other communities and the central school at Ama-Nnalu was moved to the site of the church in Osumenyi in 1947.The former school was completed in 1949 and the teachers and pupils moved from church building,which was serving dual purpose,into the school building in 1950.The school grew fast and in 1952 one strong headmaster,Mr.Paul N.Okeke whose name will ever remain green in our memory came and brought the school up to approval for Standard Six in 1954.Mr.Okeke mobilized Osumenyi Community through the town union to construct a standard football field through non-denominational communal labour.The field is still in use till date.it was during this period(1946-1954) that the catholic church produced the first Indigenous “FSLC” teachers in Osumenyi.Namely:Mr.Hyacinth O.Umeh,Mr Christopher Ojiego,Mr.John Ebulue,Aloysius Okeke and Mr.Peter Ndihibe,Emmanuel Umeojiora,Cyprian Nzelu,Cajetan Onyilimba and Joseph Orjika.
In 1955,the parish priest of Queen of Heaven,Amichi Parish and manager of Catgholic Schools,Rev.Father Lawrence Horkins saw the need to have a school at the upper extreme side of Osumenyi and made this known to the Community.One Chief Ezeunyinne Ikeaka of Odikpi village offered his four bedroom bungalow apartment where schooling started in the same January 1955.Before long,Chief Lawrence Ogboloagha came forward and donated their family land,the whole present site of the St.Lawrence Parish Osumenyi.One teacher,Mr.Clement Ekemezie became the headteacher,his second was an indigene,Late mr.Basil Ebulue.
In 1956,Mr.C.S Onyilimba and Mr.Aloysius Ogboloagha took over from Mr.Ekemezie who left for Teacher Training College.Later the same year,Mr.Lawrence Igboanugo and Simon Nnodu were ;posted to St.Lawrence School,which then became a full-fledged Junior Primary School.Towards the end of the same 1956 and with rapid increase in school population and also in conjunction and collaboration with the local populace/community,Rev.Fr.Horkins launched the Holy Rosary Girls Primary School and opened same in January 1957.
At the early life of the church in osumenyi,there was a church cemetery where all adult Catholics were buried.That necessitated the setting up of a burial committee.The appointed but self volunteered members of the committee were Matthew Agwunatu,Francis Umegwu,Francis Mmaduakor and Bernard Oraneli.others worth mentioning are the members of project committee who helped the missionary teachers in construction and other projects.These includes:Stephen Onyilimba,Clement Okwenna,Jonah Unigwe,Josiah Mbonu,Cyril Ugwunne.
Later,Mr.S
Ezenwa Obi with his Personal resources took men and some materials from
aba to Osumenyi to roof the Holy Rosary School Building.The Local
Populace in the Community Provided the bulk materials.Late Raphael
Muojekwu's Name in St.Anthony's church was synonymous with church
warden.
CHALLENGE OF THE FAITH
Faith does not go without challenge.One of the challenges that rocked the catholic faith in Osumenyi and which lasted for Some Years was the sitting of the central church'which started in 1963 and ended in 1976;although it finally turned out to be a blessing Members from St.Lawrence Zone started feeling some Measure of Maltreated especially in regards to burials.In December 1963,they decided to have their Harvest and Bazaar Seperately as a protest on the same day it was scheduled at St.Anthony that Precipitated a Split.
This split attracted and invited the attention and Intervention of the then Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese,Most Rev.Dr.Charles Heerey who came in person.After his Appraisal of the situation around the split,he directed for a central Church to be Sited at a central Location,Which was accepted by the two groups St.Lawrence and St.Anthonyy's Zone.Some land owners at the chosen central location donated their lands namely:Ofodile Family and Nzediegwu Family.The Nigerian Crisis/Civil War-Biafra war delayed the implementation of the archbishop's directive.
After the civil was precisely in 1972,the crisis issue surfaced again,Because the St.Anthony Zone/group dissassociated themselves from the earlier directive of ecclesiastical authority.Rather they went ahead to lay the foundation of their own church at St.Anthony's ground,while the foundation of St.Anthony's church was laid the present Holy Spirit took off towards the close of the Year 1972.The attention of the then Arch Bishop of Onitsha,Most Rev.Francis Arinze(Now Cardinal Arinze)was attracted and invited.He sent some 'Priest-delegation'to come and sort out the situation in a round table conference in 1976.By then the two church buildings were almost completed or near completion.They were to be called St.Anthony Central Church and St.Anthony of Padua as Resolves.When the St.Anthony of Padua reached parished status the central church took up the Present name 'Holy Spirit Parish Osumenyi'God is really Great.
THE NIGERIA CIVIL WAR
The perios of the Nigeria/Biafra civil war(1967-1970) was a period of darkness both in Education and Religion.No formal Education was going on:Expatriate Priest were forced out of our own part of the Country for their Security and the practice of religion and education were being carried out under fear and trembling amidst sounds of gunshots,artillery and bomb-shells.The very old and the very young people at home were managing to exist,sharing farmland and relief-material with soldiers,stragglers and refugees.there was therefore an inevitable fall in the standard of education.Even as the war ended,people's attention did not go to education because the state military government under Ukpabi Asika took over all schools.Clubs and religious groups turned their attention towards building of churches,club-hall,Civic centre and other development projects.Sons and daughters of Osumenyi Went in for Priesthood and religious life.Apart from Late Rev.Sr.Mary Vincent de Paul(Daughter of James Nworah) who professed as a Rev.Sister before the war.The rest made it after the war.The first Indigenous Priest was Rev.Fr.Innocent Umejesi,Ordained in 1977.As at now,Osumenyi has Eleven other Priests and Fifteen(15)Indigenous Rev.sisters.
BACK TO PARISH STATUS:
Amichi Parish was erected in 1954 made up of Nine(9) stations of which Osumenyi was one.That was the Era of school expansion.The Parish Priest,Rev.Fr.Lawrence Horkins,Built St.Lawrence school in 1955 and the Holy Rosary(Girls)School in 1956.This was during the government take-over of schools,un-officially merged with St.Lawrence.Osumenyi and latter continued to remain in Amichi Parish until 1982 when Amichi parish was formally split into five parishes pending the availability of priests.Osumenyi eventually got our own priest Rev.Fr.Mike Ifeagwazi in 1986;and became the first one Town-Parish in Amichi region.St.Anthony of Padua was officiallyy erected a parish in the year 2000 with Rev.Fr.Livinus ikwueke as The first parish Priest and the central church took on the Present name,Holy spirit parish.Later again,in Nov.2006,St.Lawrence became a Parish with Rev.Fr.Johnbosco Oforjuo as the first parish priest.Recently this year,2015 St.Fabian became the 4th parish in Osumenyi with Rev.Fr.Joseph Onyeka as 1st Parish Priest.To God be the Glory.Osumenyi will Continue to Grow in faith until every village becomes a parish or an Out-Station at least,so we Pray.
1990-2015:Post-war Developments
Nursery/Primary Education:
The Rev.Sisters of Daughter of Mary Mother of Mercy(DMMM) congregation,known as Mercy sisters"came into Osumenyi and started managing the Visitation Hospital in 1979;Later in 1981 they Opened the Mercy,Nursery/Primary School,Osumenyi Popular in sports and Academics in Nnewi south L.G.A in 1997,at Holy Spirit Parish,The Queen of Angels Nursery/Primary School took-off and now,it is a school of grwat repute.
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Osumenyi is now in the Era of infrastructural development.St.Anthony of Padua Parish Knocked Down the church they built in 1972 and began an ultra modern church building on which they are putting finishinf touches now.The holy Spirit Parish Has so much reconstructed and re-roofed their church that the original mode and colour has Sunk into,Oblivion and replaced with what can just be described as a modern church building which also has been dedicated.St.Lawrence Parish has also put up an ultra-modern church which is awaiting painting to be dedicated.St.Fabian has a Full Fledged self contained church with all requisite facilities.What they need is to nurture the faith of the members to expectation.
St.Anthony of Padua has a convent house for the DMMM sisters with a residentials capacity of Ten or more Rev.Sisters.There is a Full Fledged Secondary school in each of St.Anthony of Padua and Holy Spirit Parishes.
Worthy of note is that the church building in St.Fabian was donated by an individual Philanthropist,Chief Fabian Nworah who built the church in a land he acquired Personally and donated to the church.The model classroom block of twelve classes.(Each with a packing store)was raised by Augustine Mbama,in St.Anthony of Padua.
Also in St.anthony of Padua,the Two storey classroom block housing the
mercy Nursery/Primary School with all the Facilities and
Equipment,Including Computer Sets was Put up by Chief Jude Ikechukwu
Ifedi.The chapel of adoration there was built by Pharm.Nnamdi Henry Obi
while the Grotto was built by chief Emma Ubaneche.
At the Holyspirit Parish,the chapel of Adoration there was built by Chief A.C Asor KSM while the Deanery office was by Chief E.C Ubaneche.The Grotto was built by the C.W.O whille the Peimary School was roofed by Chief &Mrs Venn.Onwughalu.
In St.Lawrence Parish,apart from the fact that the parish community built the church,the fact remains that the roofing was by Chief Jude Umeh and Leonard Umeh(Julex,who also roofed Fr's House)
There are other structures like Father's Office,built by the C.M.O and Chief Leonard Akubude and the Grotto built by Mr.Ikechukwu Okonkwo in Memory of their Late Mother Late Anthonia Okonkwo.
HOLY FAMILY 'MASS CENTRE'
The Original owners of the land on which the Holy Family Church at Obiofia Village Stands now is Umeokezue Family of Akabu Village.It was about 1999/2000,that the catholic population in Obiofia Village
TO BE CONTINUE......CHALLENGE OF THE FAITH
Faith does not go without challenge.One of the challenges that rocked the catholic faith in Osumenyi and which lasted for Some Years was the sitting of the central church'which started in 1963 and ended in 1976;although it finally turned out to be a blessing Members from St.Lawrence Zone started feeling some Measure of Maltreated especially in regards to burials.In December 1963,they decided to have their Harvest and Bazaar Seperately as a protest on the same day it was scheduled at St.Anthony that Precipitated a Split.
This split attracted and invited the attention and Intervention of the then Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese,Most Rev.Dr.Charles Heerey who came in person.After his Appraisal of the situation around the split,he directed for a central Church to be Sited at a central Location,Which was accepted by the two groups St.Lawrence and St.Anthonyy's Zone.Some land owners at the chosen central location donated their lands namely:Ofodile Family and Nzediegwu Family.The Nigerian Crisis/Civil War-Biafra war delayed the implementation of the archbishop's directive.
After the civil was precisely in 1972,the crisis issue surfaced again,Because the St.Anthony Zone/group dissassociated themselves from the earlier directive of ecclesiastical authority.Rather they went ahead to lay the foundation of their own church at St.Anthony's ground,while the foundation of St.Anthony's church was laid the present Holy Spirit took off towards the close of the Year 1972.The attention of the then Arch Bishop of Onitsha,Most Rev.Francis Arinze(Now Cardinal Arinze)was attracted and invited.He sent some 'Priest-delegation'to come and sort out the situation in a round table conference in 1976.By then the two church buildings were almost completed or near completion.They were to be called St.Anthony Central Church and St.Anthony of Padua as Resolves.When the St.Anthony of Padua reached parished status the central church took up the Present name 'Holy Spirit Parish Osumenyi'God is really Great.
THE NIGERIA CIVIL WAR
The perios of the Nigeria/Biafra civil war(1967-1970) was a period of darkness both in Education and Religion.No formal Education was going on:Expatriate Priest were forced out of our own part of the Country for their Security and the practice of religion and education were being carried out under fear and trembling amidst sounds of gunshots,artillery and bomb-shells.The very old and the very young people at home were managing to exist,sharing farmland and relief-material with soldiers,stragglers and refugees.there was therefore an inevitable fall in the standard of education.Even as the war ended,people's attention did not go to education because the state military government under Ukpabi Asika took over all schools.Clubs and religious groups turned their attention towards building of churches,club-hall,Civic centre and other development projects.Sons and daughters of Osumenyi Went in for Priesthood and religious life.Apart from Late Rev.Sr.Mary Vincent de Paul(Daughter of James Nworah) who professed as a Rev.Sister before the war.The rest made it after the war.The first Indigenous Priest was Rev.Fr.Innocent Umejesi,Ordained in 1977.As at now,Osumenyi has Eleven other Priests and Fifteen(15)Indigenous Rev.sisters.
BACK TO PARISH STATUS:
Amichi Parish was erected in 1954 made up of Nine(9) stations of which Osumenyi was one.That was the Era of school expansion.The Parish Priest,Rev.Fr.Lawrence Horkins,Built St.Lawrence school in 1955 and the Holy Rosary(Girls)School in 1956.This was during the government take-over of schools,un-officially merged with St.Lawrence.Osumenyi and latter continued to remain in Amichi Parish until 1982 when Amichi parish was formally split into five parishes pending the availability of priests.Osumenyi eventually got our own priest Rev.Fr.Mike Ifeagwazi in 1986;and became the first one Town-Parish in Amichi region.St.Anthony of Padua was officiallyy erected a parish in the year 2000 with Rev.Fr.Livinus ikwueke as The first parish Priest and the central church took on the Present name,Holy spirit parish.Later again,in Nov.2006,St.Lawrence became a Parish with Rev.Fr.Johnbosco Oforjuo as the first parish priest.Recently this year,2015 St.Fabian became the 4th parish in Osumenyi with Rev.Fr.Joseph Onyeka as 1st Parish Priest.To God be the Glory.Osumenyi will Continue to Grow in faith until every village becomes a parish or an Out-Station at least,so we Pray.
1990-2015:Post-war Developments
Nursery/Primary Education:
The Rev.Sisters of Daughter of Mary Mother of Mercy(DMMM) congregation,known as Mercy sisters"came into Osumenyi and started managing the Visitation Hospital in 1979;Later in 1981 they Opened the Mercy,Nursery/Primary School,Osumenyi Popular in sports and Academics in Nnewi south L.G.A in 1997,at Holy Spirit Parish,The Queen of Angels Nursery/Primary School took-off and now,it is a school of grwat repute.
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Osumenyi is now in the Era of infrastructural development.St.Anthony of Padua Parish Knocked Down the church they built in 1972 and began an ultra modern church building on which they are putting finishinf touches now.The holy Spirit Parish Has so much reconstructed and re-roofed their church that the original mode and colour has Sunk into,Oblivion and replaced with what can just be described as a modern church building which also has been dedicated.St.Lawrence Parish has also put up an ultra-modern church which is awaiting painting to be dedicated.St.Fabian has a Full Fledged self contained church with all requisite facilities.What they need is to nurture the faith of the members to expectation.
St.Anthony of Padua has a convent house for the DMMM sisters with a residentials capacity of Ten or more Rev.Sisters.There is a Full Fledged Secondary school in each of St.Anthony of Padua and Holy Spirit Parishes.
Worthy of note is that the church building in St.Fabian was donated by an individual Philanthropist,Chief Fabian Nworah who built the church in a land he acquired Personally and donated to the church.The model classroom block of twelve classes.(Each with a packing store)was raised by Augustine Mbama,in St.Anthony of Padua.
At the Holyspirit Parish,the chapel of Adoration there was built by Chief A.C Asor KSM while the Deanery office was by Chief E.C Ubaneche.The Grotto was built by the C.W.O whille the Peimary School was roofed by Chief &Mrs Venn.Onwughalu.
In St.Lawrence Parish,apart from the fact that the parish community built the church,the fact remains that the roofing was by Chief Jude Umeh and Leonard Umeh(Julex,who also roofed Fr's House)
There are other structures like Father's Office,built by the C.M.O and Chief Leonard Akubude and the Grotto built by Mr.Ikechukwu Okonkwo in Memory of their Late Mother Late Anthonia Okonkwo.
HOLY FAMILY 'MASS CENTRE'
The Original owners of the land on which the Holy Family Church at Obiofia Village Stands now is Umeokezue Family of Akabu Village.It was about 1999/2000,that the catholic population in Obiofia Village
Source:Osumenyi Catholic Community Centenary Brochure
No comments:
Post a Comment