EKEOHA CHAIRMAN EMEKA OKEKE CONGRATULATES BISHOP ECHEMA AT 40 YEARS OF IMPACTFUL PRIESTHOOD
EKEOHA CHAIRMAN, EMEKA OKEKE CONGRATULATES BISHOP ECHEMA AT 40 YEARS OF IMPACTFUL PRIESTHOOD
As the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Most Rev. Prof. Augustine Ndubueze Echema, marks 40 years of priestly service, the Chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, Comrade Emeka Okeke, has joined the Catholic faithful, clergy, family, friends and well-wishers within and outside the country in celebrating a remarkable milestone in the life of the respected scholar-priest.
Okeke, who is also the ‘Igwe’ CMO of Christ the King Catholic Church (CKC), Aba, described the anniversary as a monumental celebration of a life devoted to God, the Church and humanity.
He thanked God for Bishop Echema’s uncommon humility, intellectual depth and unwavering commitment to pastoral service.
Bishop Echema was ordained a priest on August 16, 1986, and went on to build a distinguished priestly career spanning parish ministry, priestly formation, theological scholarship and pastoral leadership.
His intellectual accomplishments eventually saw him attain the rank of Professor of Sacred Liturgy, before Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Aba on December 28, 2019. He was installed on February 13, 2020.
According to Okeke, the Bishop’s journey from the sanctuary to the classroom, seminary and episcopacy represents a rare blend of faith, scholarship, sacrifice and service.
His 40 years in the priesthood, he noted, had produced enduring footprints not only within the Catholic Church but also in the larger society.
Since assuming leadership of Aba Diocese, Bishop Echema has had to shepherd a Church situated in one of Nigeria’s major commercial cities, amid numerous challenges and concerns over the preservation of moral and cultural values.
Okeke observed that the Bishop had responded to these realities with a pastoral approach that seeks to keep the Church close to the people.
His regular engagement with priests, religious, youths and lay faithful, as well as pastoral visits to parishes and communities, has strengthened his connection with ordinary Catholics.
He noted that his episcopacy also coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most difficult periods in recent global history.
According to him, during the crisis, his concern for the poor, sick, grieving and vulnerable further demonstrated the pastoral dimension of his ministry.
Another significant aspect of Bishop Echema’s contribution is his commitment to priestly formation and the intellectual development of the Church.
His background as a scholar and formator has reinforced the importance of retreats, workshops, continuing formation and sound theological grounding for clergy and seminarians.
As a renowned scholar of Sacred Liturgy and inculturation, Bishop Echema has also continued to underscore the importance of harmonizing the Catholic faith with the African cultural experience.
His interest in the promotion of the Igbo language and culture reflects his conviction that evangelization must engage meaningfully with the cultural realities of the people.
For Okeke, however, the most enduring measure of the Bishop’s ministry may not be found merely in doctrines, programmes or institutional milestones, but in the lives he has touched—the sick he has encouraged, grieving families he has consoled, young people he has inspired, priests he has strengthened, seminarians he has mentored and faithful who have found hope and reassurance in his pastoral presence and homilies.
Forty years after his ordination, Bishop Echema’s priestly journey has evolved through several dimensions of Catholic service.
He has been a parish priest, theologian, professor and, today, shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Aba.
Okeke wished him a happy and memorable 40th priestly anniversary. He said that it is more than a celebration of the passage of time adding that it as an opportunity to reflect on four decades of service, scholarship, sacrifice and spiritual leadership, as well as the many lives and communities positively influenced by the Bishop’s ministry.
He expressed pride in Bishop Echema’s remarkable priestly journey and prayed for greater wisdom, strength, good health and divine grace as the Bishop continues his service to God, the Church and humanity.
He also expressed confidence that Bishop Echema’s intellectual, spiritual and pastoral contributions would continue to shape the future of Aba Diocese and leave an enduring legacy in the Catholic Church in Nigeria.
