Well seated in his decently furnished living room, members of the 5th Pan African Congress holding in Abuja were entertained by his Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan with this song ” Our Father who is heaven we glorify your name we bow down and worship” to those delegates it was a normal old song , but to His Eminence it was one song that constantly reminds him of his experience with inmates of Ilorin prison who were on death list.
He recounted how he visited those condemned criminals and met them in a very stinking and unhabitable environment, parked like sardines with poor ventilation. It was so pathetic a sight seeing human beings treated like animals, having fifteen inmates In a room that was meant for five persons. Shocked that people in such a terribly indecent environment could be such happy, singing songs even when their end was imminent. Responding to his inquiry on why they were so happy in such a terrible situation, one of the Muslim guy, old and skinny said ” When I came into the prison, I met my Christian inmates very joyful and happy in such a bad environment.
I asked them why they were that happy. Their response shocked me. “It was Jesus that we carry inside that made us that happy . As a Muslim it was very irreconcilable being in such situation and at the same time being joyful. So I decided to accept this Jesus that made them to be happy despite their condition. Since I accepted this Jesus my life changed and the flow of joy and happiness like running stream I experienced was so powerful, nothing else mattered to me but God.
This experience according Cardinal informed his continuous visit to prison through out his time as a Bishop.
Speaking on politics and the need for Christians not to develop double personality but to embrace it , Onaiyekan said “Keep away from politics but politics wouldn’t keep away from you”. This was a subtle way by the Cardinal to press it down to our consciousness that politics is a game we must play with the attitude of going into it to change things positively as against isolating one from it and tagging it as dirty and corrupt. For him it is not enough to have a president who is a Catholic, as much as it would be a desirable thing, having a President who will promote social catholic doctrines would be most desired.
He gleefully announced to the Pan African delegates who came on courtesy call that his only aspirations and purpose in life now that he is retired is to get to paradise. In his words “I have my boarding pass already, waiting for them to announce my flight”. He called on renewal members to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. His Eminence recounted the biblical story of the fig tree with so many flourishing leaves but with no single fruit on it which Jesus cursed. For him Charismatic members must bear fruits that will last.
Those on the delegation list were his Lordship most Rev.Dr. Eusebius Ogbonna, Uche Manu KSJI Chairman CCRN and the chairman Planning Committee of the Congress, Fred Mawanda, Jean Christophe Sakiti, Alphonse Bertin of continental and national service of communnion of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and CHARIS and others.
The high point of the visit was the visit to his private Chapel where the delegates prayed for the success of the Congress.
Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
