Rev. Father Simon Achanya
Sonorous Biblical songs conveying messages of God’s love
Rev. Father Micheal Ochola: Priest in charge, Mary Immaculate Mission, Ahor Ogbo
for all His people filled the air. Meticulously bitten drums emitting energetic power unto the legs and bodies of dancers on the floor and triumphant feelings of Biblical “Exit From Egypt” filled the grounds. The historical event was the Second Celebration of Mass by the first son of Ugbugbu Owukpa land to be ordained Catholic Priest, Rev Father Simon Achanya at the spacious grounds of Mary Immaculate Mission, Ipole Ugbugbu Owukpa, Sunday, 16th of September 2018.
When the main event of Mass Celebration came on stream, the homily, which was jointly delivered by Father Simon and Father Micheal Ochola, parish priest of Mary Immaculate Mission Ahor Owukpa, filed the people with a mixed grill of spiritual upliftment and laitical treepedation. Father Ochola enjoined the laity to look at their community’s celebration of the day from two perspectives. The first one is the fact that they now have a son whose spiritual intercessions between the community and their creator would amount to saving of souls and blessings, an expectation which brought about great sighs of relief from the multitude community dwellers. The second perspective, according to him, is the one that has everything to do with Father Simon’s present worldly identity as a “worker in the vineyards of God, a messenger of the Lord carrying His cross who would be despised by many and whose duties will henceforth be guided by the precepts of Christ and not of men. He told the congregation that the day’s event colloquially amounted a funeral ceremony for the simple reason that Father Simon Achanya from now onwards is no longer an Ugbugbu son but a son of God who would henceforth no longer sleep in his worldly father’s house but in God’s house even when his evangelical mission took him to his fatherland. This dispassionately frank revelation again drew deep vainly covered sighs of near-regret from the women segment of the congregation, but who quickly recovered their composures upon the realization the priest’s analogy about their son’s religious mission was only metaphorical in meaning.
Cross-section of celebrating congregation.
Cross-section of Celebrating congregation.
The grand reception organized for Father Simon to mark the historical event at which members of the community from far and near, including Ugbugbu National Development Association were adequately represented is a story for another day.
Cross-section of other celebrating crowd.
Ugbugbu Owukpa is a culturally unique community in Owukpa district, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State. Usually known for providing sociocultural leadership over the years amongst its surrounding communities, Ugbugbu land has recently experienced unacceptable share of evil inspired upheavals in the forms of alleged killings, robberies and resultant negative bad press.
Cross-section of dancers at the ceremony
Cross-section of dancers at the ceremony
Cross-section of dancers at the ceremony.
