MSGR. BRIGADIER PAUL EMONYON, A FATHER INDEED! ADIEU!
Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria,
Abuja.
Dear Monsignor and Father Paul Emonyon,
On Friday the 27th of
July 2018, I heard that you have passed on. That you did not speak to me as
usual meant that you could have been in pains. I recalled when you called me
from abroad that I should begin to write a homily for your funeral because you
were going to have a heart surgery. I prayed against it and you called later to
say that the doctors said that the surgery was no longer necessary. The last
time I visited you was adorned with serious discussions of how we lived in Holy
Cross Cathedral from 1990 to 1993. We talked about our Holy Cross Cathedral
Community of Frs. Ambrose Alumiansunya, Augustine Ehigie, Cornelius Omonokhua
and late Fr. Raphael Amansowoman with you as our House Superior. You were so
delighted that I captured how we lived in Holy Cross Cathedral in my book, “Dreams
of My Parents: My life.” I shared with you this reflection on pages 22-23:
We were six
priests ordained for the diocese of Benin City on the 8th of September,
1990. My first posting was to be a curate in Holy Cross Cathedral to assist
Msgr. Paul Emonyon who took care of me as a real father. I realized that all my
studies in the seminary were not enough to equip me for the pastoral work in
the Parish. Whatever was lacking in terms of experience was supplied by Msgr.
Paul Emonyon. We were five priests in the Cathedral. Monsignor ensured that we
prayed together, eat together and distribute functions. He ensured that each
one of us was dedicated to duty. We lived with one heart and soul. We discussed
the affairs of the Cathedral at meals aside the statutory meetings. I
appreciated the unity as we took life as fun. (Dreams of My Parents, Abuja, Mac-Pama Press).
Dear Monsignor, here was your
response to this passage: “This my son will never stop writing about me. I even
memorized the poem, “Msgr. Emonyon, A Noble Administrator” in your first book, “Love
from the Desert”. I told you that if you don’t mine I will write an
encyclopedia about you. You laughed and said, keep writing! Then I greeted you
with our Holy Cross Community slogan: “All correct Sir” and you did not forget
your usual response, “Bloody civilians”! Oh, My Monsignor and father, we saw in
you a leader who was truly a servant akin to Jesus Christ whom you served so
well. You gave us the first practical training on how to live the Priesthood. You
taught us that diocesan Priests can be happier when they live as a community. You
were indeed a living Saint. You never called me by name. You called me: MY SON.
You ensured that my mother lived with us in the Cathedral and requested that Salami
Stanley Imhomoh, my nephew stayed with her. You paid the hospital bills saying
that “it is better to take care of mama now than to celebrate her after death.”
Thanks for baptizing my mother! Thanks for never treating us like curates. Even
with your military training, you never pointed a gun at us. May God our father
and our Lord Jesus Christ open the gates of paradise for you.
I recall again my last visit to
you in the priests’ retirement home in Benin City. You took again another copy
of one my books, “THE JOY OF SERVICE. You asked me to listen why you personally
read aloud Pages 150-151 to show me that you were also a father who did not spare
the rod to spoil the child in the process of peacebuilding, conflict management
and resolution:
While in Holy
Cross Cathedral, Benin City (1990-1993), Monsignor Paul Emonyon loved me so
much. Each time he wanted to address me, he would call me “my son.” One day the
Governor sent a letter to the Cathedral Administrator. I signed on his behalf
and collected it as Msgr. Paul Emonyon, who was the Cathedral Administrator had
travelled. When he came back, I did not know what he was told. He was very
angry with me for signing for the letter. In the course of his anger, I
remained silent because there was no space for a word to defend myself or
explain the reason for my action. What was going through my mind was that this
man was ordained a priest when I was only three years old, so I should not talk
when he was angry. Secondly, I was thinking of telling him that I would never
receive a message for him again. On the other hand, I thought this would be
rude, so I remained silent. We had evening prayers and supper together as
usual, and he entered his room. At 10.00pm, I went to knock at his door, and he
responded, “Yes, come in.” I entered and sat down. Then I said, “Monsignor, I
am sorry for getting you so angry this evening.” Before I could finish, he
said, “my son, I have discovered the truth, you did well but I am an old man, I
cannot tell you sorry, open the fridge and bring out a bottle of wine.”
Before this
incident, I had just been appointed chaplain to reorganize the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal that had been on suspension for some time because of the
crisis in the “Corner Stone Charismatic
Renewal” in the Archdiocese. Monsignor had also suspended all activities of
the Charismatic Renewal in Holy Cross Cathedral. I really did not know how to
begin to gather the members and form them in accordance with the Catholic
tradition. They had been accused of not praying the Holy Rosary and preaching
against the beliefs of the Catholic Church. I was surprised when Monsignor
said, “I did not want to accept the Charismatic in this Cathedral but because
of your respect, I will celebrate the inauguration Mass to let them know that
you have my support to work with them as their chaplain.” With Monsignor’s support, I was able to
resolve the conflict not only in the Charismatic renewal but also the conflict
between the Edo choir and the Charismatic choir in the Cathedral. A good number
of family conflicts were resolved through our dialogue initiatives. I made sure
that Monsignor and I were on the same page in all my activities. I did not hide
anything from him. That gave me his full cooperation, support and protection (Confer:
Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, The Joy of Service; Dialogue of Action. Kaduna,
Virtual Insignia, 2015, Pages 150-151)
Akin to Jesus after reading
Isaiah 61:1 as recorded in Luke 4:18, you took a deep breath, hug me and said:
“My son, having written so much about me in your various books and articles, I
repeat: “Prepare a homily for my funeral.” I said, Monsignor, I am not worthy,
you have Bishops as class mates, they know you better. I will however write a
brief dirge and eulogy to lead you to your eternal home as my tribute to you in
your funeral if I am alive then. You prayed that I must live to bury you akin
to a good African father. This tribute is a fulfilment of that promise to you my
dear Monsignor Paul Emonyon. I will continue to ponder the memories of your
love and life in my heart like Mother Mary.
My nostalgia for our love in Holy
Cross will last till the dusk of my life. Thanks for your visits to my mother
at Irekpai, your visits to me at Udaba, Agenebode and Afuze where you joined
Bishop Michael Fagun, the Great Emeritus of Ekiti Diocese and others to
celebrate the 15th anniversary of my priesthood. These will remain
forever in my thoughts and prayers. The news of your death is a confirmation
that good fathers prepare for their funerals ahead of time.
Dear father, my love for you is unconditional.
Greet my mother Veronica, Late Fr. Raphael Amansowoman, our community member in
Holy Cross Cathedral and our grandmother (your mother) when you meet them in
heaven. Dear Monsignor, I must stop now for
all the men and women you inspired in life to have a space to pour out their
eulogies for you. Ride on then noble Soldier of Christ! Ride on gallant Soldier
of the Nigerian Army! Ride on Soldier among the Legion of Mother Mary! Ride on
father of young priests! Ride on father of widows! Ride on father of Orphans!
Ride on, man of integrity! Ride on man of contradiction akin to Jesus Christ!
Yes, ride on and ascend to the heavenly throne with the blasts of trumpets!
Ride on with the assurance of Jesus! Do not let your heart be troubled! Jesus
has gone to prepare a place for you so that where he is you also shall be (John
14)! Yes, ride on for nothing can ever stop you! Father, ride on and rest in
peace now! Good night good man! Adieu!
Love and Peace from your son
Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua.
Director, Department of Mission
and Dialogue
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria,
Abuja.
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