August Meeting

As this year’s “August Meeting” draws near, a lot of anticipations and preparations are made in order to make it a fruitful one.  Women from all over the world, especially the married Igbo women flock back home for this annual meeting. It is during this meeting that decisions are made for the betterment of the Igbo women and the community at large.  This very meeting of theirs is taken very seriously, in the sense that anyone who fails to attend it pays a fine (especially those who have been mandated). The concept of the meetings evolved from the annual mass return.  The mass return were for every citizen – men, women, youth and children.  The…

Holy See Mourns Death of Syrian Monk

Fr. Francois Mourad Murdered by Extremists in Predominantly Christian Village Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches mourned the murder of Fr. Francois Mourad, a monk who lived in Syria. According to Fides News Agency, Fr. Mourad was killed in the convent of the Custody of the Holy Land where he had taken refuge. While the circumstances of his death are not confirmed, local sources believe that the monastery of St. Anthony of Padua where he was residing was attacked by militants linked to an Islamic extremist group known as Jabhat al-Nusra. The monastery is located in Ghassanieh, a predominantly Christian village that is near the border with Turkey. Regarding Fr. Mourad’s…

Sunday Readings: THIRTEEN SUNDAY OF THE YEAR (30/6/2013)

THIRTEEN SUNDAY OF THE YEAR (30/6/2013) OPENING PRAYER Father, you call your children to walk in the light of Christ. Free us from darkness and keep us in the radiance of your truth   FIRST READING A reading from the first book of the Kings 19:16. 19-21 Elisha rose and followed Elijah The Lord said to Elijah: “Go, you are to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel Meholah, as prophet to succeed you.” Leaving there, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran…

House of horror: Silence grips home of Ngor Okpala poison victims

The house of the victims of the food poison in Egbelu, Nguru Umuowa community in Ngor Okpala was almost scary; the silence around the house was frightening as even fowls in the compound felt the impact of the cold hands of death.  Our reporter,  who visited the deserted house said that it took the courage of a journalist to come close to the house where the meal that wiped out the family of eight stood above. Few villagers who walked across the compound took a conscious glance at the home of the Nwosus as if to say, “Woe betides this house”.  Only the bush and the flowers in front gave a sign of life as…

Exclusive Interview: Why I converted to Catholic faith

-          Former Anglican  Knight, Sir Abel Ikenyiri   Chief Sir Abel Ezeala Ikenyiri, native of Umuemeke-Ama Ibeowere Agbaja, Ehime Mbano LGA, Imo State, born into a family of Anglican ancestry, rose to the ranks of a knight of the Anglican Church and lay pay-master narrates verbatim how he was caught up in the “whirlwind” of Catholic faith and the “mountain” moved over. Our Okigwe reporter, PeterClaver Ubochi, traced the former Anglican ‘Big Oga’ to his tranquil Umuemekeama (Agbaja) village, had a field day with the man of faith as he speaks on the circumstances of his conversion, its aftermath, an assessment of his family life then as an Anglican, and now as a Catholic.  Welcome on…

Dr Joe Obi-Njoku : Rising from the Grassroots

Imagine him chopping wood with an axe.  Imagine him also shirtless, barefoot, a climbing robe “akpi” on his left shoulder and a machete in his right hand, dividing the bush and heading for the nearest palm tree to cut down the ripe fruits for sale, so he and his family could eat.   Imagine him again taking bamboos from the raffia palm and carefully weaving the traditional bamboo bed – “okpukpo,” (agada in some dialet)  also to make a living. Finally, see him riding an old bicycle from his home at Umueme, Uzagba, in Ikeduru local government, to Mbaise to go to college.   That’s the life of Dr Joe Obi-Njoku, as a young man,…