Maris Lecture: Fr. Konyeke Who Is Always Around

Rev. Fr. John Konyeke, a Catholic Priest, will be Father of the Day at this year’s edition of Maris Annual Public Service Lecture, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo, Secretary, Maris Trust Council, MTC, organisers of the annual event has said.

Egugbo stated that Fr. Konyeke, as the Spiritual Father of MTC, attended all the previous Maris Lectures as Spiritual Father of the Day except the year 2022 edition when Bishop emeritus of the Asaba Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rev. Justus Mogekwu, was the Spiritual Father of the Day.

He stated that even though Rev. Fr. Konyeke is a student of the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, he has accepted to make the sacrifice to grace this year’s occasion as Spiritual Father of the Day.

Egugbo said, “from what we can see in the life of Rev. Fr. John Koneyeke, it is obvious that being a Catholic Priest is not for the lily-livered, it is for the brave men who are willing and ready to make the sacrifice for the society just the way Jesus did.

“We can confidently attribute the success story of Maris Annual Public Service Lecture series to God Almighty who has said, ‘do not be afraid, for I am with you’ – Isaiah 41:10, and Abraham’s statement in Genesis 22:14 ‘The Lord will provide,’ so because Rev. Fr. Konyeke and other well-meaning people across the world are praying and contributing to the organisation of Maris Lecture, we prepare for the lecture without fear and with confidence that the Lord will provide and evidently, the Lord is always providing.

“For the year 2023 edition of the lecture, the Lord has provided Sir Okenmor Fidelis Tilije as the Guest Lecturer, He has provided the topic, “Provision of Infrastructure As Catalyst For Growth Of Democratic Governments,” and He has also, provided Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie, OON, as the Chairman of occasion.

“A Priest is someone who does not have time to go to work as he can be called on at any time and if not called by parishioners or those who need his assistance, he is always in the mood of prayer for the people, so, he is on duty for twenty-four hours every day; in short, a Priest is a man of sacrifice and service because he is living the life of Christ.

“This is the season of Easter and when talking about the Priest, one can remember one admonition of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to His disciples, ‘What I have done for you, you must do for one another,’ John 13.

“We thank God for what He is using Rev. Fr. Konyeke to do for humanity as his activities were captured by Pope Francis when he said, ‘The ministers of the gospel must be people who can warm the hearts of the people, who walk through the night with them, who know how to dialogue and to descend themselves into their people’s night, into the darkness, but without getting lost.’

“Fr. Konyeke, can tell the story of Stella-Maris Chukwufunimnenya Egugbo, in whose memory the annual lecture series was instituted and he has always said, ‘don’t worry, God is aware and aka Chukwu dia (God’s hand is in what you are doing).’

“A Masters Degree holder in Pastoral Theology and avid tennis player, we thank Rev. Fr. Konyeke for accepting to be the Spiritual Father of the Day and for assuring us that he will be physically present on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, Delta State, venue of the lecture before the commencement of the lecture at 12 noon,” Egugbo said.