Very Reverend Fr Umenzekwe-Azike marks Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination, April 21

In this interview, Honourable Chief Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina) speaks on the Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination of his uncle, Very Reverend Father Michael Umenzekwe-Azike, and advises him to keep doing good and that God will reward him more than his intentions.

Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ndukuba Umenzekwe-Azike will be marking his Golden jubilee of his priestly ordination on April 21, 2024, how do you feel?

It is a welcome development, in his life, the life of our family, the life of Achina Community and the life of the Catholic Church, it is not easy to attain the golden age in a particular profession or vocation. Despite the fact that Rev. Fr. Mike entered seminary as an adult; he was a civil servant based in Lagos, and all of a sudden decided that he would be a Catholic Priests, despite the fact that his parents were pagans, he summoned the courage and the Catholic Training Centre, All Hallows Seminary Onitsha graciously admitted him, from there he ascended till he became a priest.

Since then he has been doing the job he chose to do. He brought in the experience he had in the civil service and combined it with vocational training, which is why he excelled. But he is on the quiet side, he is thorough, very unassuming, he doesn’t play to the gallery, is not materialistic and is very disciplined. In short, his character and behaviour are synonymous with cleanliness.

What are his contributions to Achina community, the Catholic Church and humanity at large?

“He is the type that works underground, unannounced. He helped so many people in our town and beyond to get admitted into the seminary, a greater number of them are today retiring from priesthood, people he trained. Even in creation of parishes and all that, he worked underground to make sure that various parishes we have in Achina today came to limelight. In other parishes he has worked, his footprints are there. First he served at St. Mary’s Church Osumoghu; St. Mary’s Catholic Church Nnokwa; worked at Nkwerezunaka; St. Teresa Catholic Church Obosi; Osumenyi; St. Pius X Seminary Akwukwu; St. Joseph Catholic Church Aguleri; St Mary’s Catholic Church Ukpo Centre Nnewi; St John The Cross Egbo Nnewi; among others.

You see, he is among the class of Reverend Fathers that believe in having their Sutan and their footwear, he is among those that believe in being mobile to do their work whether it is bicycle, motorcycle or anything. He is among those reverend fathers that believe in the efficacy of prayer, leveraging on the assistance of our blessed mother Mary. He is among the reverend fathers that believe in the sanctity of the Eucharist, the body of Christ. If you go to catechism class through him, it may be difficult for you to pass, not that he is wicked but he must make sure that you are thorough, you must understand the teachings and injunctions of the Catholic Church.

If he is a bishop, I would tell you that he would have been very thorough like the Bishop then that ordained him, who became a cardinal in Rome, Cardinal Francis Arinze.

What are the things that are put in place for the occasion, is everyone invited. What are the highlights?

The celebration is going to take place on the 21th April, 2024, at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Achina, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. The Mass is billed for 9:30am, we expect church leaders and numerous guests will be there, including the laity and faithful. The entire catholic church is expected to be there.

“It is what I may call semi low key, in the sense that the celebration was being planned for November, 2024, but the Reverend father for reasons best known to him and the church authority, which I don’t want to go into, they called us last week and said the celebration has now been shifted forward on the day he was ordained. So that made us to start making contingency arrangements. Again considering his age and strength, he is 89, if I am not mistaking, so we decided to do it, and decided to concentrate on very necessary things. After the Mass, he would retire to the family compound and entertain the guests, various types of music will be on standby to entertain the guests, and there will be enough to eat and drink.

What are you telling the celebrant? Your advice; your good wishes

Well, he is a preacher, by his profession. The only thing I can tell him is that let him keep to the Ten Commandments as he used to tell us, as he used to explain or interpret to us. Since he has given his life to God, since he has maintained the celibacy life, taking the oath of celibacy and chastity, let him keep to that. Let him keep on maintaining the tempo of peace he has been championing even though he is now old, and I believe, in the end, our lord Jesus Christ will reward him beyond his expectations.