PDF version
Saturday 25 April, we were at the airport of Accra at 6:30 in the morning. With a one hour difference, we arrived at Lagos (in Nigeria) at 10:30 AM. The national police security service immediately took care of Father General. I felt the disappointment of
being a jobless “bodyguard”. The same for Fr. Gerry Aman, the Socius of the ANW provincial, who waited for us outside. There was nothing else we could do but follow the protocol.
With the police car, we moved from the Murtala Mohammed international airport to the national airport where an 18-seater private Jet “Beech 1900 D” waited for us. It would be there for Father General’s use during his visit in Nigeria: on the 25th, it carried us from Lagos to Benin City, on Monday 27 from Benin City to Abuja and on Wednesday 29 from Abuja to Lagos.
After less than an hour of quiet flight in the Jet Beech 1900 D, we were welcomed to Benin City by Fr. Chuks Afiawari, the director of novices, and by his novices. In the afternoon, we celebrated Mass at 4:00 PM, and then Father General visited the novitiate, the spiritual center and the cemetery that counts 8 tombs of the deceased Jesuits of the province.
 At 6:00 PM, the 10 novices (2 being away) gave the official welcome to Father General by breaking the Kola (kolanut) and pouring the local wine (palm wine) in libation to the elders and the ancestors. After their song of welcome, fourteen young girls of the nearby Presentation High School came to sing and to dance as a greeting to Father General.
After supper, with an incredible energy, Father General still addressed the novices for an hour before taking their questions.
Sunday morning, 26 April, at the Saint Joseph parish in Benin City: the 2 Masses previous to ours (scheduled for 10:30 AM) contributed to reduce the number of participants. But nevertheless approximately 1500 faithful were waiting for the “Black Pope” in a cheerful atmosphere. All the different groups of the parish were well represented. Fr. Jude Odiaka, the superior and parish priest, presided at the Eucharist. In such a circumstance, he showed well his abilities to lead his immense flock. Father General gave the homily. The dance of “thanksgiving” was opened by Father General and his Assistant and lasted for 25 minutes.
After the Mass ended, Father General admitted that after 72 years he had danced in a church for the first time. Started at 10:40, the Mass ended at 13:20.
After Mass, a reception immediately followed and then lunch, with the ritual of breaking the “kola”, a sign of welcome. Then there were the words of welcome, the presentation of the work of the Jesuits in Benin City Liturgical dance, St. Joseph’s by the head of the parish council, the traditional dances, the offering of the special cake and gifts to Father General.
At the moment of thanksgiving, a strong but brief rain feel over us as a sign of blessing. Returning to the novitiate, we stopped twice to greet the sick parents of our companions from Benin City. At 6:00 PM, Mgr. Richard Burke, archbishop of Benin City, arrived with a car full of food in order to spend the evening with us.
After supper, Father General still had an encounter with all the Jesuits of Benin City from 9:00 to 10:30 PM. It is truly remarkable that everyone meeting Father General notices that his energy seems to be increasing.
On Monday morning, the daily 7:00 AM Mass of the novitiate with the neighbours was extraordinary, with the participation of many guests, especially the CLC members who came to greet Father General.
After Mass, Father General planted his third tree since arriving in Africa. In doing that, he declared to be participating in the reforestation of the African continent. Then, before leaving to the airport of Benin City for the trip to Abuja, Father General thanked the workers of the novitiate for their precious service during our stay.
After a 45 minutes flight with the 7-seater Jet Hawker 800 XP, we arrived at the national airport of Abuja, the federal capital of Nigeria. We were welcomed by the Ambassador of Spain, S.E. Angel Losado, the President of Loyola Jesuit College, Fr.
John-Okoria, and the superior of the Jesuit community of Abuja, Fr. Dominic Totaro. Preceded by a police car, we quickly made the distance from the airport to Loyola Jesuit College (LJC) where the arrival was spectacular and solemn: all the 639 students made a long procession from the College’s entrance until the Jesuit residence.
 After taking a snack, we began the Eucharistic celebration with all the students (even if not all are catholic). Students’ parents came also from other distant cities for the occasion. Father General presided at Mass and Fr. Maduabuchi Muoneme gave a vibrant homily. The intentions for prayer were presented by the students of Loyola Jesuit College in various local languages but also in English, French, Spanish, German, and even in Japanese considered as perfect by Father General. The choir with its dancers rendered the celebration even more joyful.
After Mass ended, several groups took a souvenir photo with General Father before going to the Picnic Ground for the reception during which presentations and songs were performed and gifts for the upcoming birthday of Father General were offered.
From 8:30 to 9:15 PM, Father General had an informal encounter with all the students
at the Memorial Hall. The Memorial Hall remembers the sad and painful airplane accident at Port Harcourt in which 60 students of this College, returning home for Christmas, died on 10 December 2006.
Requiescant in peace!
Tuesday 28 April began with the community Mass presided by Father General at 7:30 AM. It was followed by a visit of the College, which occupies 25 hectares.
At 10 AM, Father General had an encounter with the members of the community of Abuja and he spoke about the 5 new goals (objectives, priorities) of the Society before answering their questions on formation and education. Then, at noon, Father General met with a group of 40 students and 12 adults of the CLC for 45 minutes.
At 5 PM, preceded by a police car, we went to greet the apostolic nuncio, Mgr Renzo Fratini, before heading to the residence of the ambassador of Spain for a banquet that brought together approximately 40 persons among them:
1. The representatives of the parents that lost their children in the airplane accident
of December 2006, Dr. Loolo and Mr. Isaac Okemini.
2. Some distinguished persons like the president of the Senate, the Governor of Rivers State, the Minister of Education, the Ambassador of the United States, etc.
3. The benefactors, among whom those who have already committed themselves to contribute to the construction of the new College in Port Harcourt, as a memorial to the 60 deceased students:
• Chief Executive Officer of SHELL oil Company, Mr. and Mrs. Basil Omiyi. It is they who have the responsibility for collecting funds (Fund Raiser). They got in touch with the governor of Delta State who will build the Boy’s hostel and of Bayelsa State who
will build the Girl’s hostel.
• The same Mr. Basil has contacted the Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria who will build the Administrative Building.
• Dr. and Mrs. Wale Babalakin, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Legal Advisor to the President of Nigeria, will build at their own cost the Computer Centre and the Library.
• Col. Paul Obi, former Governor of Bayelsa State, now retired, will pay Mr. and Mrs. Walter Akpani have already paid for the generator of the future College of Port Harcourt.
• Senator and Mrs. Dagash, former Minister of Nigeria.
It should be emphasized that it was Dr. Babalakin, a generous Muslim benefactor, who put at the service of Father General his security service and his private Jet for all the travels of Father General inside the country all through his stay.
The atmosphere between the guests at this banquet was so friendly and warm that Father General refused to read the 3 pages speech that he had prepared beforehand.
Instead he chose to comment spontaneously on the essential points to the great satisfaction of all those present. We are profoundly grateful to His Excellency the Ambassador of Spain and spouse for the magnificent banquet offered.
On Wednesday morning, 29 April, while he was still at table taking breakfast, Father General received an urgent call to go and meet someone outside. To his huge surprise, he found himself surrounded by all the students of our College gathered outside to sing Happy Birthday to you. They offered him some gifts and asked him to cut the birthday cake. Among the students, two girls celebrated also their birthdays.
After breakfast, Father General planted his fourth tree in Africa in front of the Memorial Hall. After having done that, he asked to receive a certificate for his contribution to the reforestation of Africa. In order to reach the airport, we were again given a police escort and the ambassador of Spain came to say goodbye to Father General at the airport. The flight to Lagos, by private Jet took 70 minutes. With the traffic jams of Lagos, the police escort was well appreciated. Heading to Christ the King Church (CKC), we stopped at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) where Fr. Chioma Nwosu is chaplain with scholastic Celestine Asogwa.
Knowing that the Black Pope was coming to celebrate his 73rd birthday at Christ the
King Church, more than two thousand people were present although it was an ordinary day of work. For the second time in four days, Father General opened the thanksgiving dance that then lasted for more than half an hour.
After the greetings of several groups, among them the CLC, the Apostleship of Prayer, etc., we were offered a banquet during which the president of the parish council dressed Father General with the vestments of an Igbo chief. The day was concluded at very late hours with the encounter of the Jesuits of Lagos with General Father, who does not seem to feel the fatigue and always looks full of energy.
Deo gratias!
Even though counting on the police escort, we could not avoid the traffic jams of Lagos and spent several hours on the roads…
At 10 AM, we went to greet the cardinal Anthony Okogie, archbishop of Lagos. Then, at noon we arrived at Saint Francis parish. After visiting the College, that counts 1200 students, we began the Mass presided by Fr. Timothy Baghrmwin, the parish priest. Fr. Emmanuel Ugwejeh, the administrator of the College, baptized 6 students and Father General, who gave the homily, gave also the First Communion to a group of forty students.
After the Mass, the college offered a spectacular reception to Father General with
traditional dances, songs, gifts and another birthday cake that the illustrious guest had to cut.
We spent the last evening of this visit at the provincial house in Surulere with a small
group of friends and collaborators. The supper was simple but carefully prepared. The name of Jesus Christ be praised!
Jean Roger Ndombi, SJ
Back
|
