Archbishop Okeke: When you help others, you are doing God’s job

Nigeria is often characterized as the country of extremism. A place, where one can experience all at a time the heaven and hell, the joy and sorrow, the success and fall, and the birth and death. Faith, gratefulness, and hope have a presence with elementary force in this duality.
“Should the International Eucharistic Congress be held next year, I definitely would like to attend and to share my joy and gratefulness with the people of Hungary.” – sent his message Valerian Maduka Okeke, Archbishop of Onitsha, having been invited by Cardinal Péter Erdő to be a guest speaker of the Budapest Catholic World Meeting. In the wake of the world pandemic, the IEC is to be organised between 5 and 12 September 2021. The Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha was interviewed by Enikő Gécsek-Tóth, reporter for Radio Kossuth.

Pandemic and starvation

On the ground of the pandemic a far deeper and closer bond has been developed between the Archdiocese of Onitsha and the Hungarian Christian community. Due to the restrictive measures, taken in response to the pandemic, thousands of families have been left without jobs and livelihoods.
The famine took more victims than the pandemic itself. Dr. Réka Fodor and Dr. András Csókai regularly partake in medical missions around the region. However, as from this spring the focus of their activity has been transformed from the medical mission into a humanitarian rescue operation. It was upon their call that the Hungarian Christian community promptly moved on for cooperation.

“Offices and even markets had been closed down, since social distancing just could not work around these locations. In turn, many have lost their jobs, leaving people without a source of livelihood. Although the fatality rate was lower than in Europe, still the pandemic has escalated the starvation. In light of above we are even more grateful to the Hungarian missionaries for the hard job they have done for us.” – as Archbishop Okeke illustrated the Nigerians’ spring quarantine life to Radio Kossuth.

Circulating around villages and massacring Christians

Many people are threatened not only by deprivation, but by violence as well. As to the Humanitarian Aid Fund report 6000 Nigerian were killed, and 12 thousand fled their home during the past 5 years. Valerian Okeke also spoke about the violence: “The Boko Haram Islamic sect movement threatens the country, especially around the Northwest territory. New and new groups have appeared recently, organised from extremist Muslims. These groups are circulating around the villages, shooting dead and massacring the local Christians, mainly at night. Some just call them bandits, however one thing is common in each group: they are all extremist, fanatic Muslims. I have to admit that undoubtedly there are many good, nice and worthy Muslims, however, it is also true that the terrorists in the country are all Muslims. Of course I do not mean that every Muslim is a terrorist.”

Despite the vast number of young people being keen to study, there is a shortage of universities

Archbishop Okeke is a man full of plans and enthusiasm. He spoke about his intention of preparing lots of priests for the service. Besides, he is looking for feasible solutions to help the numerous young people, with the desire of going ahead with university studies so to fulfil their dreams. He remarked bitterly that there were not enough institutions of higher education. The Metropolitan of Onitsha is very explicit: “Though many students reach the necessary scores required by the universities, the government just denies their application with a reason that enough applicants have already been accepted from said region, thus no further candidates are needed. Although upon their studies these young people would have every right to be admitted to a college, they are unable to do so, due to a shortage of either space or universities. Thus, I would like more universities to be built, so to ensure a proper education for the new generation enabling them to become doctors, engineers, lawyers, professors and others.” They would like to ameliorate the health care system as well.

The call

Archbishop Okeke is well aware of the importance of a school so to reach a successful career path even in lack of supporting family and tutorial background. As for his childhood, and his first meetings with the religion he recalled: “My commitment to God was a step by step course that had developed by the time. Goes without saying that the decision was in our Lord’s hands, still I owed a lot to my parents and teachers. Without them I would not be the one who I’m today. They raised my interest in God. My parents took me to the Holy Mass every Sunday, where I saw the priests praying. I loved what they were doing. And as the time was passing I discovered the desire in myself to follow the same path.”
At the age of 8 he was already an altar boy. Upon his study results he was admitted to Africa’s number one high-school, the Christ the King College in Onitsha. “By that time I knew exactly that I wanted to be a priest. When I talked about these plans of mine to the School Master, he introduced me to the director of the seminarians’ high-school, so I changed school in order to start my priesthood studies at that point.”

Crying and begging for food right in front of me

As a priest, but mainly as an Archbishop, an enormous job is needed to be done in favour of people’s welfare. “So many are suffering, while a great number of people are living in excellent conditions. Nigeria is the country of extremism: on the one side there are many incredibly rich people, on the other side crowds are starving in deep poverty. The poor are going to church, since they are virtuous.”
The Onitsha province covers 8 sub-provinces with an overall population of 3 million. As a Metropolitan Archbishop he is responsible even for further provinces, thus some 10 million people belong under his directorate.

In the radio interview Archbishop Okeke also spoke about his everyday challenges: “The most demanding duty is to ensure people’s welfare. It is very hard to see the huge crowd of the poor. They are crying in front of me, begging for food. Or, as being sick they are asking for medicine since they are unable to cover the hospital bills. They want to go school, but no way for them to pay the tuition fees. There is no food to be put on the family’s table for lunch and dinner. These are the challenges I face day by day. We pray for all those who extend their hands to me, beg for help and food.”

Message to Hungary

It has been several times so far that the Metropolitan sent his thanks to the Hungarian Christian community and to the Government of Hungary for the support received. Now in the public Radio he repeated his thanks and appreciation.
“Upon their deeds, the Hungarians are already Christians, since they acted exemplary by providing support through donations to the Afréka Foundation. They helped the needy, and granted humanitarian aid.”
“Charity is the king of virtues. Whenever you help, you are doing God’s job. Whenever you turn with love towards the sufferers, you bear your faith and transmit God’s love.” - added Archbishop Okeke. “So here is my message to the people of Hungary: please carry on with this nice job!”

The secret of happiness

Crowds of people attend the Holy Mass in Nigeria. As to the Church leader more than 90 percent of the 150 million inhabitants take part in the weekend liturgical ceremonies. Roughly 20-25 % out of the total population are Muslims, while the rest are Christians.
Despite the problems and difficulties, Nigerians are rather happy people. As Archbishop Okeke nicely worded: “This happiness originates from their faith in God. An ordinary Nigerian believes that whatever God is doing it is good as it is. Moreover, they are convinced that by God one day all the difficulties are going to be transformed into blessings. They wait for the day when the Almighty God interferes, appears in their life and all the sorrow will turn into joy, while troubles into mercy. It is their faith that forms their hopes, and this hope is a faith in a brighter and better tomorrow. Therefore, here the people are happy, since they believe that God has not yet finished his work with them.”

Photo: facebook