Suddenly the lyrics of the song, “The steadfast love of the God never ceases, his mercy never comes to an end, they are new every morning ,great is thy faithfulness”, hit my soul.
I was in a bathtub having an evening bath when this happened. What was I really thinking about? Nothing in particular! Just having an uncontrolled and uncoordinated thoughts. Who wouldn’t have such, in a country where everything has gone berserk, corruption up there, integrity fallen to a ridiculous level and impunity a trademark for all Nigerians.
Suddenly the thought of the newly appointed auxiliary Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, the many years of waiting,the controversies and war of words that characterised it hit me like a tsunami.
Tears of joy began to roll down my cheeks. After 13 years of his death, no successor. To some it seemed he didnt put his house in order before he died. Within those years, a lot happened, so many things said about him, the good,the bad and even the ugly, as the war for “Okezuo” continued to rage against what I chose to call “ecclesiastical injustice”.
They realised that justice, equity and fairness can only be seen and appreciated in “Okezuo” the very principle advocated by the priests and laity that made them look rebellious and controversial. Would one say they have been vindicated? Anyway, wouldn’t want to go that route, more comfortable with no victor no vanquish approach.
Late Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe wasn’t a Saint with no spots. Nobody was and wouldn’t while alive. Many were his mistakes, so also his excellence,his weakness and strength, his bad and excellent decisions. He was human, not a living angel, angry and jovial, mood changing sometimes.
He wasn’t all through a flawless Bishop. He had his flaws. Tell me he never matched on people’s emotions and made them feel bad, and I will tell you how a hypocrite you are.
Tell me he never made people happy and pulled them by their shoe laces to make them become what they are today and I will show you how a sadist you are.
Tell me he wouldn’t regret some of the decisions he took in hindsight, and I will tell you how unreal you are. Tell me there were things he didn’t do , he would have loved he did and I will tell you how sincere you are.
He did his best, in sincerity he did all he did,not setting out to witch-hunt and malign. His good intentions weren’t in doubt, even when the consequences may have been adverse to some.
He was a Bishop without no deceit, pure was his heart, love his mind and justice his soul, even when some of his actions seemed a bad taste to others.
I remember him clearly, his features lucid in my mind. Soft spoken with a joviality so disarming. Not so much a wordsmith, his articulation surely not in doubt. His father figure mien wasn’t corrupted by unnecessary ecclesiastical politics, though one may not totally exonerate him. With the compassion of a father he may have slipped into it, not deliberately though.
Did he have favorites? Those in them he was well pleased? Of course he did. He was human, emotion and sentiments entirely ran through his veins. Were there people that felt they would have been treated more fairly by him? Granted more favors? Certainly yes. Would such make him a bad Bishop? Not really. He wasn’t God and wouldn’t have satisfied all by their terms and expectations, nobody would. Did he work with priests who painted him black before people? Who out of zealousness over did things? Who advised him wrongly for selfish reasons? Who took undue advantage of him and cast him in a bad light? Of course such priests and laity existed.
I celebrate Late Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe today and call for his canonization process to begin. He lived a good life. He wasn’t materialistic, not political, not vengeful, not prideful, not egoistic, no hubris, unassuming, self effacing, pious from human assessment and a complete gentleman.
He tried his best within the circumstances he found himself. Meant well for Ahiara Diocese and to all his priests he gave fatherly warmth . To those who thought he would have given them more warmth, he was human and wouldn’t have been perfect at all times.
The truth is,there were many seminarians he expelled justifiably so, he wouldn’t if he had another chance and many priests he ordained, love shown, favours granted etc he wouldn’t ordain if he had another chance.
Now that the Diocese has been given an auxiliary Bishop, he can now rest, smile and be happy. We are all winners in this . No loser! For the joy of the Lord is our strength and his steadfast love on Ahiara Diocese will never cease.
Bishop Adibe Victor Chikwe an uncanonized Saint. I said so because in him I found “Om mani padme hum”, a commonly used mantra in Buddhism to control negative emotions. The Om is the generosity that purifies the ego. Ma, the ethics that purifies jealousy. The Ni the patience that purifies passion and desire. The pad the precision that purifies bias. The me the surrender that purifies greed and hum the wisdom that purifies hatred.
Let us support this move, he is at my best description a candidate for sainthood, not because he was perfect and flawless rather he was to the contrary, interestingly remained at best focused, gazing unto God daily for mercy and grace, until he breathed his last.
What better Saint can one make out of these qualities?
Jarlath Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
