TESTIMONIALS OF GENEROSITY:REV. FR. DR. PETER OMOGO AS SEEN BY OTHERS

Who Is Fr Peter Omogo? Testimonials, Ministry and Humanitarian Work

TESTIMONIALS OF GENEROSITY:REV. FR. DR. PETER OMOGO AS SEEN BY OTHERS Okwocze. These interviews which were conducted close to a decade ago are exact opinions of friends, associates, classmates, brothers, sisters and beneficiaries of Fr Omogo’s many philanthropic gestures.

While many focused on his generosity, piety, and dedication to duty; others are impressed by how he can handle his priestly responsibilities perfectly well in a land that is miles apart from his own in terms of ideology, philosophy and general way of life. To this latter group belong John and Cindy McKinno of Michigan, USA who on Fr Peter’s 10th anniversary of priesthood said:

“Fr Peter Omogo has replenished and renewed our faith in God and the church. He has been there for us through major life-threatening surgeries, prayed with us, comforted us in our home, and has been a major source of inspiration. We have never known or met a priest with such dedication to his flock. He is truly of the Lord and he is genuine in his works and deeds. Fr Peter understands the human condition in such a realistic and meaningful way that it is always reflected in his homilies. He is an extraordinary man. We can honestly say with firm conviction that he made a difference in prayer during the most difficult health issues…. When he would visit the hospital and home, we truly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. His love and charismatic way is infectious”.

Going through the entire interview, the reader will savor delicacies of testimonies from contributors about Fr. Omogo’s impact on both their lives and those of others. The interview chronicles his life as a priest in the discharge of his ministerial assignments both within and outside Nigeria, especially in the U.S.A. It is the need to let people know more about him, other aspects of his life and what motivates him that are the driving force that led to conducting this interview.

It is hoped that this interview will not only inform the reader about Fr. Omogo but, if in reading it one gets influenced by his lifestyle and perhaps decides to assist humanity like Fr. Peter Omogo, the aim of embarking on the assignment may have been achieved.
God bless you.

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THE TESTIMONIALS OF REV. FR. DR. PETER OKWOEZE OMOGO AS GATHERED FROM THE INTERVIEW AND GOODWILL MESSAGE

Only a select few individuals were interviewed to share their remarkable testimonials about Rev. Fr. Dr Peter Okwocze Omogo. Among those who spoke, he was hailed as a dedicated philanthropist, a source of boundless joy, and a miraculous transformer of desolation into thriving forests. Others attributed the moniker of “life giver” to him, emphasizing how he provided the essential gift of life “water”, symbolizing life itself. His contributions to humanity were described as overwhelming, leaving some interviewees struggling to find adequate words to capture his profound impact.

It’s important to note that an extensive compilation of people’s testimonials regarding Fr. Peter would undoubtedly rival an encyclopedia in volume. However, due to space limitations, the editor has chosen to showcase the perspectives of just a handful of individuals, whose words encapsulate the sentiments of many others. It should be noted that the interviews were conducted in the year 2015, hence the designation of the respondents may not be the same in this 2023, eight years after.

A COMPASSIONATE AND SELFLESS PRIEST – Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Chukwu (Now Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese)

(Rev Fr Peter Chukwu is a priest of Abakaliki Diocese in Nigeria. He was ordained in 1993 and since then has served in many pastoral capacities both in his home diocese and in the United States of America. He has a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Marquette University, Wisconsin USA. He was a senior Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, at Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. He was appointed and concentrated the Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese in 2021).

Fr. Peter Chukwu (Now Bishop Peter Chukwu): Fr Peter Omogo is a friend; I have known for more than 22 years. I met him when I was newly ordained; while

I served at St John the Evangelist Parish, Abakaliki in 1994. We met when he came for his one-year apostolic work before going to the major seminary. I recall he came with another young man called Emmanuel who incidentally couldn’t make it to the priesthood. From the moment we met in St. John’s, we became friends. I took a liking for him and also, he liked my way of life. Later, I was posted out of St. John, but he kept the contact.

When he entered the major seminary, he could come during his vacations and spend some time with me. I think that someone one has known for 22 years, and one still kept the friendship going without issues, is a true friend; a friend in need whom they say is a friend indeed. As far as I am concerned, he has passed all the tests that would make someone graduate into a true friend.

Let me also say here that given how close we are, sometimes, I think that the word friendship isn’t strong enough to capture our relationship. It is better I rather describe him as a brother. I regard him as my younger brother in short.

Peter is very compassionate; he is always trying to make a positive difference in other people’s lives. He is dynamic. He knows how to conceive good projects and caring them out. He is responsible. If you ask Peter to do something for you, you can go to bed because he will certainly do it and do it to your satisfaction. While he does it, he will equally be giving you intermittent feedback at every stage of such a project until he accomplishes it. (I am talking about when Fr. Peter was still a seminarian while I was already a priest.) In general, I see him as a true brother with whom I have absolute confidence.

Let me point out here that because of my close relationship with Fr. Peter, other fellow priest noticed my closeness with other priests from Ngbo too. Some of these priests would tease me and say: “It seems all your friends are from Ngbo- Frs Odey, Joseph Eze, and the closest of them all Omogo”. Some even try to criticize me for that but I have no apologies for them because friendship is something that just happens. In friendship, there is that connection between you and the other. There is that ‘I-thou’ relationship in the words of Martin Buber.

Our relationship, I would say, embodies all those qualities enunciated by Martin Buber in his Philosophy of interpersonal relationship. There he makes a distinction between the “I-IT” relationship and the “I- THOU” relationship. In the “I-IT” relationship, one of the parties is solely interested in what he/she would gain out of the friendship while the I-THOU is friendship for the sake of friendship, true friendship. Here, if there is anything to be gained, it is just incidental, otherwise, you are just enjoying each other’s company; and each other’s personality. It is from that second perspective that I see our relationship. Often Peter chooses to call me boss and I don’t know why. I don’t know why he would choose to see me from that perspective. However, I think it might be because when we first met, I was already a priest while he was a seminarian. Even when I traveled to the U.S. and he was a senior seminarian (I think around his theology classes), he used to run most of my confidential errands. If I wanted to send any important information (including money) he was the person I trusted most to do that. He was never disappointed.

Sometimes he would obtain permission from the seminary authorities go for the message and bring back the feedback accordingly. Let me remark that when you are overseas and you send message down home here, what you crave for most is information. You could want to know the status of the errand you sent one on. In that respect, Fr. Peter as a seminarian was so responsible that he never failed in it. Another peculiar thing is that when he got ordained a priest, he never changed. While I thought he might change, he got even better. The relationship never ended with him as a seminarian. It became even stronger when he became a priest.

He did what continues to baffle me till date. Once, I returned to Nigeria when he was already a priest. He came and after asking if there was anything he could do for me as he usually did, he dropped one of his cars for me to use. He had two cars then: one, bigger and better, the other, smaller and in less good condition. He dropped the bigger and better one for me while he used the smaller and less efficient one. This particular gesture touched me so much. I don’t think he ever knew. All these were part of what informed my decision to see how he could come overseas and further his studies. However, I don’t want to take credit for that because it was the Bishop who approved of his going anyway and God made it possible. I don’t want to say I played any part there. My reasons are: If the Bishop refused to approve, he would not have gone. Similarly, even if the Bishop approved and the embassy refused to grant the visa, then he wouldn’t have also gone. That’s why I said I don’t want to take credit.

However, when eventually he went over there, I provided a platform that ameliorated the difficulties he would have had as a person in a foreign land. Maybe having put all those together, he chose to take me as his mentor or whatever. On my part, I don’t regard him as somebody I am bossing. I rather regard him as a brother. However, at the clerical level, I just take him as a colleague.

At this juncture, let me talk about this aspect of his personality. He is a friend both in good times and in bad. For instance, when we blessed the little house I built for my mom, I was still in the U.S. I wanted my mom to use that house so we needed to bless it. Realizing that I was not in Nigeria and so I could run into difficulties of asking people to do this or that for me, he came and took over the responsibility of providing the food and drinks for that function. It’s true I gave him the money, but he made the arrangement and made it even far better than I could have done. When I returned to see that building (because it was constructed in my absence), Fr Peter demonstrated another wonderful aspect of him. I was so surprised how he knew which one would be my room and how he got very beautifully designed plaques and portraits and hung at strategic positions in that room. I recall one that has the inscription “welcome home fada Peter”. All that made me feel at home. He literally took away the challenges of hosting that function from me.

At the time my mom died, he was already the US. As God would have it, he was serving in the Parish I had served over there. He took over directly from me. So, when she died, naturally he was among the first set of people I informed. I just wanted him to be aware of it and probably tell the parishioners so that they could remember her in their prayers. However, something surprising happened. He sent me some money which came from the people. He sent that together with a lot of condolence messages. One even came from the Parish Pastoral Council. That money came at a time when I had exhausted all I had on me in the course of arranging for the burial. Our friendship transcends both of us; our people know us very well. His people know me. I was at his place during the time his brother Samuel died. After the burial, I still visited the widow and I just wanted to ensure that her living arrangement was still on. All his other brothers equally know me and it’s like Peter exaggerated my personality that when they see me, they revere me. They take me as one special person. Any time they see me, they treat me with great respect, reverence, and great love.

Let me add this: in his condolence message to me when my mother died, he added what used to transpire between him and my mother each time he went on an errand to my family.

He said in that write up that after delivering my message to my mum, she would thank him and before he left, she would ask him to bless her. After he had blessed her, in turn, she would ask him to stretch out his two palms so that she could give him the old woman’s blessings. To do that, she would pray over and for him after which she would bless him the traditional way. She would blow some spittle into his palms and ask him to fold his palms and go.

Fr Peter recounted all that which shows you that my mother welcomed him also as a son. Don’t forget that in our traditional African society, there are even sons and daughters who don’t receive such blessings from their parents. But my mom gave much to him and he recalled it. That is to tell you how he was regarded in my family.

As regard working together officially, I would say that the time we worked together was in the United States. When he arrived, I was getting ready to return home. Let me a bit recall what happened before he came to the place I worked. Before he came, Bishop Water Huley who was the bishop of the diocese of Grand Rapids visited one of my parishes (that time I was covering two parishes: All Saint’s Parish Freemont and St Joseph’s Parish, White cloud, all in Michigan and made a request. He requested an extension of my stay. In response to that, I sought the permission of my home bishop who granted the extension by one year. After the one year, when Bishop Huley visited again, he requested further extension of my stay. According to him, the rapport between the parishioners and

I was exceptional and uncommon. Consequently, he asked for a further extension of my stay. Unfortunately, I turn down that request from the bishop because I had promised my home Bishop that I would return to contribute to my diocese once I was done with my studies.

Based on that, when after much persuasion, he found out that he would not convince me, he asked me a question. He asked: “could you recommend someone like yourself?” He continued ‘I want someone like you who could take over from you because my people now say they want another Nigeria priest like Fr. Peter”. Having asked me that question, I did not hesitate to answer him. I told him that I had somebody who is even better than me. When he went further to ask who the person was, I mentioned Fr. Peter Omogo’s name. The Bishop surprisingly told me that he receives up to 100 applications from priests all over the world every year but does not honor most of them. ‘However,’, he said, ‘if you say someone is good, I am going to welcome him’. He requested that I get across to him (Fr Peter) and ask him to come and see him (bishop) in his office so that he can interview him and also more importantly, ascertain whether he wanted to come. He said: ‘Tell him equally; when he comes, he should remember to mention that you Fr. Peter Chukwu were the one who recommended him”.

Following that, I called Fr. Peter who by then was still studying at Franciscan University of Stunbville in Ohio, while I was in Michigan. When he came, I picked him up at the airport and took him to the diocesan secretariat for the interview. After the interview, the Bishop was impressed and assigned him to a parish where he asked him to go and check to know if he liked. This whole arrangement coincided with the completion of his master’s program. Consequently, he moved over from Ohio to the dioceses of Grand Rapids. Though he wasn’t posted to my parish, he was posted to a place where we often met each other. Most times when we met, we shared experiences and as an elderly person who was there before him, I guided him to ensure he never made some of the mistakes we made when we arrived. By the time I was about to leave, he had stabilized. Let me remark that at the Parish he was posted, he was an assistant. He probably was sent there to get acclimatized with the U.S. apostolate. When I was leaving, he was then posted to take over from me. His coming gave me a very deep sense of relief. This is because, if it wasn’t someone like Peter, I am not sure the people would have wanted another Nigerian. At his coming, I told my parishioners not to bother because Fr Peter was going, and Fr Peter was coming in.

Having told you all this long story, you now realize that it was actually at the Diocese of Grand Rapids that we collaborated; that we worked together officially as priests.

My erstwhile parishioners never gave any negative reports about him. In its stead, I have got a lot of commendations. Don’t forget that Americans are even deeper in assessing somebody’s personality and character. All I have got is Fr. Peter is compassionate, he is selfless, and he can combine a lot of things because even though he is pursuing his doctorate program he is also doing full-time pastoral work. He distinguished himself so well in the parish he took over from me that the Bishop posted him to even a bigger Parish- a parish in a bigger city. So, because he did well, he was, in the Nigeria parlance, promoted. At this juncture, it is important to mention this: Fr. Peter is just an entirely unique kind of person. When he lost his brother- Samuel, it naturally touched him. However, given his kind of personality, I think it even touched his parishioners more. His parishioners and friends there didn’t need to see him cry before they could know he had not someone very dear to him. They just noticed it. Consequently, they decided to console him. They did this by instituting a foundation in honor of his brother Samuel. The foundation was aimed at addressing some of the peculiar problems we have in Nigeria. Through it, Fr. Peter, together with his friends, have sunk over three hundred (and still counting) boreholes in all parts of Ebonyi State and beyond. They are also doing other projects which are human capital development oriented.

In line with that project, he called me from the U.S. a couple of weeks ago and informed me that he has sent his team to come and sink two boreholes in my parish outstation where we were doing a building project. Prior to that, he had also sunk a borehole in my family house which really served me, my family and the entire village very well. Remember I didn’t request this from him. He, out of his usual quest to assist other people, gave me those boreholes and indeed, I am grateful. Many priests go outside to study, and they just think about themselves. They are always faced with the challenges and temptation of not returning or not thinking home. If one finishes studies and gets a job there, where there is security, health insurance, car insurance, good roads, and everything that would make life worth living, one will ordinarily not think of leaving such comfort. Such a person most often is tempted to just be self-centered. He, at most, considers the welfare of his immediate family members.

In the case of Fr. Peter, however, he has just put such people to shame because since he began this NGO, this foundation, people have seen that priests can be philanthropists.

I remember during his 10th anniversary of the priesthood, his people conferred a chieftaincy title on him in recognition of his contribution, not just to Ngbo people but to the entire human society.

Finally, my wish for him is that he accomplishes all his goals in the U.S. I want him to come back richer in experience, spirituality, and material wealth so that together we can help more in developing our home diocese. I would like to work with people like him in our home front; people who have creative ingenuity. We need more of such people to make our parishes more self-reliant.

HE CAN TURN A DESERT TO A FOREST – Rev. Fr. Godwin Onuorah

(Rev Fr Godwin Onuorah was Fr Peter’s classmate, close friend and ally. He was ordained for the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki on 10th July 2004. He has served in many parishes including taking over from Fr Peter as the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Parish, Ngbo. He was also the principal who succeeded Fr Peter at Holy Trinity College, a school founded by Rev Fr Peter Omogo as earlier mentioned in this book. He is, as at the time of conducting this interview, the Parish Priest of St Theresa’s Parish, Echi-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.)

Rev Fr Godwin Onuorah: Fr Peter Omogo is my friend, my schoolmate, my age mate, my townsman; we grew up together. I would just simply say he is a folk. Without going into specifics, I know we first met in the junior seminary. I got admitted to the junior seminary in 1989 although before then, he was already there. He was two years ahead of me (while I was in JSS1, he was in JSS3). We continued to study till we graduated. Though he graduated before me, he had some issues that delayed him a little from proceeding directly to the major seminary. The delay consequently made us exact classmates in the Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu, Nigeria where we trained for the Priesthood proper from October 1995 till July 2004 when we got ordained Priests.

At the Bigard, Omogo as he was fondly called, was problem-free. He never looked for trouble; he was very obedient. He actually ran away from trouble. He had a lot of qualifications, but disobedience was never among them. He wanted virtually everybody in his life. He wanted to be close to and friendly with everybody including all the lecturers and Bigard staff alike. He summarily didn’t receive a lot of punishment in the seminary. He had a peculiar quality that I think equally aided him to run away from trouble. Take for instance, if he comes late to activities, he could just use a smile or exchange of pleasantries or even because of extension of generosity earlier than the time of coming late to free himself. He simply knows how to get out of trouble and actually, he didn’t enter many.

Peter was gifted in terms of handling responsibilities. While I affirm that he was intellectually not an “A” student, I can categorically tell you without fear of contradiction that he handled and still handles responsibilities more perfectly than any “A” student anywhere. I think he could do this because he is hard-working, he has a vision, and he can pursue anything he wants to achieve with all his strength and vigor. A particular incident that attracted my maximum respect for Omogo was when I was the class prefect in Bigard. Some of my classmates were lazy; the attitude of some was generally irritating so I couldn’t carry everybody along. However, after me, Omogo came in. When he became the class prefect, everything changed for the better. He was a man capable of changing everything. It was like he had a magic wand and when he assumed duties, our classmates all became “well behaved” and cooperating. How he achieved it, I didn’t know. He simply became the best class prefect ever in the history of our set in the Bigard. I recall everybody commenting that he was the best Primus, best prefect, etc. He just ‘mysteriously’ handled it perfectly well.

He was equally a Canteen Manager in the Bigard. To be honest with you, Omogo turned out to be the best Canteen Manager in the recent history of the school. He upgraded the Bigard canteen to another level. His innovative ingenuity made it possible for him to introduce things that hitherto weren’t in the canteen. Students and staff alike loved it. He has a unique way of stepping things up. He could sacrifice even personal resources and time to ensure that things worked out well for the common good, especially when it has to do with discharging his official responsibilities.

He worked in the office of the Dean of Theology. During his regime, he upgraded the office to a very modern status. He introduced computers to replace typewriters; he got fridges for the office and a lot of other innovations. He changed virtually everything in that office and some of us (his classmates) were wondering how he achieved such a feat. When he was leaving the office, everybody there, including the lay staff was all clamoring for him to stay longer.

His attitude to duties while in the Bigard resulted to what had not been happening in the Bigard history. What was it? All the lay staff that worked with him both at the canteen and in the Dean’s Office organized themselves and attended his priestly ordination. Generally, Omogo has a unique and rare talent for making his way. That’s the talent you can’t remove from whoever God has endowed it with. Simply put, Omogo can break through difficult roads; he could convert a desert into a forest. He can penetrate difficult people and get from them what ordinarily would be very difficult to get. He can penetrate the leaders in power and through his rare qualities make them alive to their responsibilities.

All these are because of his special qualities in life. I am not jealous of him about that though.

Academically, he was not naturally super-gifted. He was average. I wouldn’t say he was above average. However, he was superlatively hard working. The same zeal, the same degree of hard work he applied in other areas of life that made him excel exceptionally was what he applied to his studies. I recall vividly as a canteen manager with lots of responsibilities, he never failed to wake up around 2…

…a.m. every day to do his studies in the Bigard. To ward off sleep while studying, he could put water in basin and dip his feet; then study from 2am till daybreak. That was the extent he went to ensure he passed his exams. He knew his strengths and weaknesses and then balanced it up to ensure that he came out with a finished product – he indeed came out well refined, super!

Sports-wise, he was gifted right from his tender age. In the junior seminary he was very good in athletics. He was, I think, the best in discus, shot put, javelin, etc. He knew athletics very well in the junior seminary. He played volleyball very well in the Bigard because there were no field events there. I think he represented the school either twice or thrice in all major seminaries’ games (can’t recall the exact years).

Socially, Omogo could amazingly organize functions. He could entertain people so well that he would take them to another realm. As far as organizing things was concerned, leave it for him because he would give more than you ever expected. When we entered the priesthood, his Bazaars, Launchings, and other social functions formed models that others copied. He never had low-key functions; it was always ‘high key’.

In our theology years in the Bigard (when we became ‘Senior Theologians’), he never showed the younger seminarian the I-have-arrived-attitude. He accommodated everybody and people flocked around him. At one point, I began to think that he was influenced by the polygamous family he came from. He never wanted to be alone, and people and students always came around him. I recall too that even in our junior seminary days, he was the president of the Ngbo Seminarians’ Association. At that time, the junior seminarians always saw him as a leader and came around him. In the Bigard, both those from our diocese and beyond were always going to him for one thing or another. I must confess at this point that, though we were friends, I was not like Omogo. I was an introvert while he was sort of an extrovert. Many people didn’t come around me like they did Omogo. One other startling quality of his in this area is that he was never uncomfortable with the presence of many people around him.

During our ordination, something played out. Peter got over 60 percent of all the people that came for the ordination of the twelve (12) of us. I am not exaggerating. That is the extent to which people came around him and appreciated his kind gestures. Part of why people came around him, I think, (a personal opinion though) is because he had things to distribute. He is, simply put, generous to a fault…

Nobody goes to him and returns empty handed. While many people could be materially wealthy, yet stingy, Omogo had and was always giving at every moment. Another area of his life I would like to mention is that he was a chorister in our philosophy days at Bigard. However, when things toughened due to responsibility demands, I think he left the choir. Morally, I would describe Fr Peter as being prudent. He knew the boundaries to everything. Though as humans, we would say less about the moral life of our fellow humans, I would say that he wasn’t morally depraved. You could see his aversion to immorality displayed when people do negative things. On such occasions, he could just pass comments like “see this person, he wouldn’t just respect himself”.

I must remark at this juncture that I have personally benefited so much from Omogo. I can’t forget that when I have problems, I would always run to him for assistance and he never said no. I did this both now as priests and then as seminarians, he always assisted me. If anybody helped me out in difficult situations (especially financially), it was Omogo because he was always ready to help. Even recently, he bought a powerful Samsung cellphone for me from the United States. He equally told me not long ago that he was going to drill a borehole for my school. He has simply done so much for me, and I can’t forget them in a hurry. He does same to other people.

Summarily, the story of Rev. Fr. Peter Omogo is both a long and short one. The short aspect is that he is a catholic Priest. The long one is that he is not just a catholic priest, he is a versatile one. He is somebody who wants to be something for everyone. He is all things to all men as the scriptures say. God endowed him with gifts, and he is maximally utilizing those gifts.

Peter is not somebody that could be kept just in one place, and he would fold his hands and do one particular thing. He would always widen the horizon. Put him in a parish and he would go beyond that parish to do many other things. You can never catch up with Omogo in terms of competing with him. He is always ahead. He would plan and execute what you never imagined could be possible at such particular times. Take, for instance, it was just five (5) years after our ordination, and he has traveled for further studies. I never dreamt of such at that time. Just one year after our ordination, he had begun secondary school when many of us were still basking in the euphoria of the priesthood and managing to sustain ourselves and discharge our duties in our parish. At that time, I was personally still struggling to maintain my car; managing to eat. It was by then that he already had a school. In sum, he was always ahead.

His work as a priest was not just limited to a religious angle. He did social, political, civil, and other works. He did not just confide himself to one thing. He doesn’t get satisfied if he has not done what will make people happy. In all the places he worked, he left legacies. It is in fact part of his policy that one who doesn’t keep legacies doesn’t fulfill anything.

Sometimes I would make a joke to him and say: “Omogo you are a politician o”. This is because he not only does the priestly duties – celebrate the sacraments – but he also goes out of his way to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of the villagers in his parishes, even the less privileged in the society. On such occasions, those people would ask: “why are you not senator or governor or in politics to represent our people?”

Omogo, in a nutshell, is multifaceted because he has a smooth way of approaching people. He exploited that strength to do good for them. He could approach the unapproachable and in a matter of time he changes the person to become a friend.

Now let me state here that those qualities are rare gifts in him. If another person tries those things he does, such a person will fail woefully. I know what assisted him develop those gifts:

He read a lot of inspirational books while we were in school. Often, I recall, I would ask him “Why are you reading all these books?” He would just laugh.
He grew up in a happy environment. His brothers were loving and caring.

In recent times people who went to America didn’t succeed in putting up foundations to render humanitarian services. He did his own and it is putting smiles on the faces of people. He has drilled an uncountable number of boreholes through that foundation, and he is still prepared to do more (from which I am sure I will directly benefit).

On a scale of 100 percent, Omogo could laugh or smile about 98 percent in a day. That doesn’t mean he would not be mean or serious anyway, but he knows when and where to draw the boundary. He was just balanced.

Finally, I wish him a long life, good health, and his heart desires. Since one of the things he desires is to make people happy, I wish him happiness too. Ultimately, I wish him heaven.

HE HAS BROUGHT SMILES TO THE FACES OF THE DOWNTRODDEN -Rev Fr Isaac Ogba

(Rev Fr Isaac Ogba is a priest of Abkaliki Catholic Diocese. He was Ordained in

2003 and has served in many capacities including as an Assistant Cathedral Administrator as well as the Parish Priest of St Vincent’s Parish Ndubia. He was also the Hospital Administrator, of St Vincents’s Hospital, Ndibia where he performed creditably well. He is currently on further studies in the United States of America).

Rev Fr Isaac Ogba: Fr. Peter is really a very close friend and a brother priest. The closeness is such that I take him as a blood brother, and he takes me that way too. Back in the late 1980’s we both first met in the junior seminary- St Augustine’s Seminary, Ezzangbo, Ohaukwu LGA, Ebonyi State- as junior seminarians. Though as junior seminarians we both had interactions, especially during Ngboliziah Seminarians’ Association meetings, our coming together as best of friends was not until after our ordination into the catholic priesthood in the earlier part of the year 2000. I was ordained in 2003 and he followed suit the next year, 2004.

My relationship with Fr. Peter Omogo, “Nwa Omogo Ogba” as I always call him, is a very close and personal one. We are people of like minds and aspirations; not only to serve worthily as “alter Christus” but to serve him to the best of our abilities in others. In so doing, we sacrifice our comforts to ensure that others are taken care of. Fr. Peter is always eager to share ideas that will benefit others as he does the same with his resources. He doesn’t just stop at that; he often goes out of his way to help others realize their prospects and potential. In the areas of discharge of official responsibilities, aside from some of the pockets of assignments we did together both as Junior and Senior seminarians and then as priests- all of which I can testify to that he handled so creditably well- we have also worked together in the activities of Samuel Omogo Foundation (SOF).

Let me remark here that the SOF is a project he conceived, and he is amazingly executing it with the help of his foreign friends. He is using the foundation to immortalize his brother Samuel, another generous good man who passed on some years back. Through this project, Fr. Peter has brought smiles to the faces of the downtrodden, predominantly by providing drinking water to the thirsty and less obviously through other humanitarian assistance he secretly renders. I am testifying without fear of contradiction that he is a priest with dedication and diligence. He works very hard to get things done the right way and to leave legacies for humanity. His motivation philosophy is that “a life without legacies is fruitless.” I have visited him in Michigan, USA where he tirelessly runs three parishes effectively to the point that he has gained the admiration and love of the Bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids as well as of the parishioners.

I am fascinated most by Fr. Omogo’s spirit of generosity and concern for others. It is indeed worthy of emulation. His strong commitment and determination to achieve his set of goals without giving into obstacles attracts my admiration of him as well. On a personal note, I have enjoyed numerous assistance morally and financially from nwunne m nwa Omogo Ogba right from the time I was an assistant priest in the Cathedral till date. The details of such assistance are not what I can share here. Assisting one another is our top priority and when occasion calls for it, everything else becomes secondary. When you hear us say “anyibohuu”, then you must realize that we are stopping at nothing in assisting each other. Objectively I must say that Fr. Peter is a “bonus pastor”. Interaction with those he worked with in Umuogudu and now in Michigan will throw more light. He has time with others and the welfare of others is his top priority.

Back in the days of formation, he was an obedient seminarian. He was never found truant about seminary rules and regulations. As the Canteen Manager in the Bigard, his excellent services remain unrivaled and a big challenge for all those who served in that capacity to date. Fr. Peter believes in touching lives and his generosity, as I had earlier said, is amazing. His love for the priesthood of Christ makes him pour his life daily for the love of his brother and sisters in Christ. I am very proud to have him as my brother.

I wish him more grace and blessings as he lives out his priesthood which in the words of St. Paul is a life poured out like a libation for the sake of others.

SUNDAY TAKES DELIGHT IN ASSISTING OTHERS.-Mr Kenneth Ekpa

(Mr Kenneth Ekpawho hails from Fr Omogo’s village is a seasoned civil servant and a reputable technocrat. He has served in many places including Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board. Presently, he is the Accountant, Abakaliki Capital Territory Development Board.)

(A life story of Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Omogo)

Mr. Kenneth Ekpa: Rev. Fr. Peter Omogo is a brother though from another mother. We grew up together in the same village, our village. We are childhood friends. Since 1970’s we have known each other and that is considerably a long time ago. We are age mates, schoolmates and peers. We attended the same Abarigwe Umuogudu-Oshia Primary School, Ngbo.

Right from our childhood days, we noticed something spectacular about Fr. Omogo; then we more popularly called him Sunday. Those days we discovered the quality and virtue of GENEROSITY in him. He took so much delight in assisting others. He was happy whenever he rendered help to someone. The magnanimity he is demonstrating now is inborn in him because as childhood friends we spotted that in him a long time ago. It is worthy to note that a startling aspect of Sunday’s generosity lies in the fact that you can never hear it from his mouth. He renders the help in silence. It is only the beneficiary who will publicize it; not Sunday himself. By so doing, he practices what the bible says

about almsgiving in Mathew 6:1-4:

“Becareful not to parade yourgood deedsin public to attract the attention of men otherwise you will lose all reward from your father in heaven. So, when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before men; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win human administration. In truth, I tell you, when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing, your almsgiving must be in secret.” The above scriptural passage, I think, is Fr. Omogo’s guiding dictum.

This confirms my earlier proposition that giving is inborn in Fr. Omogo. As a primary school pupil, he may not have had the knowledge about this position of the scriptures in respect to almsgiving; yet he instinctively practiced and still practices it. He gave and never broadcasted it as is characteristic of other children especially when they were annoyed by the beneficiary. As an adult (and now a Priest), Fr. Omogo is a point of reference both within and outside our locality in terms of community development services. He is not a politician who controls government funds, yet he assists the public, the masses and especially the downtrodden more than the politicians do. From the perspective of his present- day projects, he is simply the messiah. Through the SAMUEL OMOGO FOUNDATION, he has impacted lives more than any other person around; more than all politicians put together.

Water-borne diseases that have been ravaging villages in Ebonyi state are now being drastically reduced courtesy of his borehole projects. That project has so impacted lives, especially of the rural people, that I had to state it in the address read on the commissioning of one of the boreholes in my place. In that address I said:

“Today marks a memorable day in the history of my village in general and the family of Ogayi Ekpa in particular. The people of this locality have been praying for a day like this to come. The issue of clean portable water for human use in this locality has been an age-long

“Today marks a memorable day in the history of my village in general and the family of Ogayi Ekpa in particular. The people of this locality have been praying for a day like this to come. The issue of clean portable water for human use in this locality has been an age-long

In a nutshell, everything about Fr. Omogo revolves around his magnanimous nature. He is ever ready to give. My wish for him therefore is God’s continuous providence, protection, and guidance throughout his lifetime. I equally wish him more open doors for him to continue in his selfless services to humanity to the glory of God.

HE IS A DESTINED CHILD-Mr. Hyginus Omogo

(Mr. Hyginus Omogo is an elder brother of Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Okwoeze Omogo and the second son of the family. Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Okwoeze lived with him in his childhood days.)

Mr Hyginus Omogo: Rev. Fr. Peter Omogo is from Ogeneeze village. He was born at Ogene Eze in Umogudu Oshia Ngbo when our father lived at his maternal home. His maternal kindred is Amaezoke. Ordinarily, we are of Umuoboke kindred; so, if our father had lived at his paternal home, we may not have been born at Ogene Eze.

He was born when our mother didn’t know she would conceive again. That accounts for the wide gap between his age and that of his immediate elder brother – the late Bro. Samuel Omogo. As a child, he lived with his parents at home obeying them and diligently carrying out his domestic chores. He was with them until around the age of primary school when he joined me at Ndiulo where I was already living and doing some business. Specifically, I was dealing on provisions then. So he started living with me before age 7. He started his primary education at Ukpeshi Primary School, Umuogudu Oshia. At that time too, as a small boy, he, in the company of all of us, was attending church at St. Peters Catholic church, Ukpeshi.

While he lived with me and went to school, he also assisted me in my business when he returned from school. He would carry soft drink crates on his head and go round the market selling them. Those days, there was no electricity around

Ngbo so what we did was to get ice blocks from those who got from town. We would put the ice block in sack bags and use it to cool the soft drinks. Then when he returned from school, he would sell them for me.

Let me point out here that before Fr. Peter started primary school, he wasn’t eating any food whose balls could be swallowed. He was only eating things that could be chewed: things like biscuits, yam, and other snacks but never ate garri, or yam fufu, or any other thing that could be swallowed directly.

It was just one fateful day that one man called Mr. James Okeh made him eat swallow-able food. To make that event memorable for all of us, we sewed a cloth for him. Because he wasn’t eating swallow-able food, he would always stock his pocket with biscuits even while attending school. That led to his classmates giving him a certain name I can’t remember now but denoting that he ate only biscuits in place of food. In those days, while he was in primary school, he led his group in the band and match past regardless of his little stature, size, and age. He would be in front of his mates matching so well even at the old Ishielu Local Government headquarters those days. In line with that, their headmaster, one Mr. Agbai loved him so much because of his performance. The man insisted that we must buy the brand of shoe called Cortina for him. To ensure he led his group, we had to get it for him.

Also, in those days as a primary school pupil, he would go to one local dam called Barabara or another stream called Oshisha to fetch water after school. He did this always but more specifically on days before Okwo market days. His intention, he would later confess, was to ensure that there was water for his mother and father to drink when they come to Okwo market.

Coming to his religious life as a child, he was outstanding in the church. In those days, Ngbo people were still predominately traditional religious adherents. During the local traditional festivals, children would enjoy themselves. However, he was never enticed by any of those things. He would attend church services and even catechism classes. He did this quite regularly. He got baptized at quite a tender age. I am sure that among all those who were baptized with him, he was both the smallest and the youngest. He was baptized by the late Rev. Fr. Patrick Kitterick (SPS). That was the very year he was posted to our parish, Holy Trinity Parish, Ngbo. By the time he finished primary school, he wrote an entrance examination to enter the junior seminary. This was very uncommon among young boys then. Others wanted to write the general State Entrance Examinations, but he opted to write just the seminary exam. At that time, because of his age and size, people doubted whether he would survive in a boarding secondary school. Still in line with fear of his survival at a boarding school, I took him home for us to deliberate on it as a family. During the discussion, our eldest brother Hon. Stephen Omogo suggested that, because of his age, he should be sent to live with somebody and learn trade pending when he would have grown up or carpentry work.

My late dad vehemently opposed that idea and insisted that Peter must go to that school since he had passed the exam. He said whether he had money or not; whether Sunday was big or small, that he must go to the junior seminary because he has passed the exam.

I am not sure our father knew it was a school for training of priests. His concern, I think, was that since he had passed the exam, he would go there. He said two things are involved in everything one does. It is either one starts something and finishes it or starts and stops halfway. If in the former case, he would glorify God. If in the later, at least, people would say the person tried as much as he could, but nature couldn’t allow him finish. Convinced by that argument and his assurance, we all agreed that he should move on.

I may not recall all that happened while he was at the junior seminary. I think his friends may know those ones better. What I remember is that during holidays, when he returned, he behaved himself. The conducted himself so well that people were admiring him and telling their children to emulate him. He would always do all his chores and attend church activities while on holidays. When he finished his WAEC at the junior seminary he was posted on an Apostolic work at St. Michael’s Secondary School, Oshiri. He taught there as a teacher before proceeding to the major seminary at Bigard Enugu.

While he was at the Senior Seminary, we all were under our elder brother Hon. Stephen who was then a teacher at Nkalagu. Then, our late brother Sam had not stabilized financially but we were all trying our best to ensure he continued with his schooling. Later in his seminary days too, Bro. Sam got a bit more financially buoyant and he equally assisted much. All these continued till he graduated and by the grace of God, was ordained a priest. As a priest, he continued with his normal way of uniting everybody, carrying everybody along. Surprisingly, after ordination, he was posted to become our parish priest at Holy Trinity Parish Ngbo. That time, the two communities of Umuogudu Osha and Umuodugu Akpu were still under one parish because they had not carved out Mater Dei Parish which is now our own parish. When he was posted to Holy Trinity, the parish was chaotic. This was because after the exit of the expatriate missionary priests, our people seemed not to have understood how the church worked. This seeming ignorance was then resulting in regular squabbles between and among parishioners as well as their priests. It was at the time of this kind of situation that he was posted to our parish.

As a young priest than, he handled the whole issues so maturely that he brought peace, harmony, sanity and unity to the entire parish. With that substructure foundation of mending psychologically broke walls set, he swung into the superstructure development of the parish. He renovated the rectory, fenced the parish with local fence, did a field for sports and established a secondary school. A chapel of Adoration was equally built during his Administration.

All these were done within a very short space of time. It is noteworthy to say that before we moved, he also initiated the idea of making parishioners who have reached the stage age of celebrating their silver jubilee marriage anniversary to do so. He equally gave such people certificates and plaques. All these endeared him to the parishioners. When our present parish Mater Dei was eventually carved out, we moved away from Holy Trinity. Then he continued pastoring at Holy Trinity and from there he traveled for his further studies.

Now, coming down to our family, he had always been a bridge of unity and peace although we don’t have issues in our family even though it is a polygamous one. From our mother, we are four (4) males and one (1) female viz: Hon Stephen Omogo, Mr Hyginus Omogo, Mr. Samuel Omogo (of blessed memory), and Rev. Fr. Peter Omogo. Our only sister is Mrs. Ngozi Ogba Onwe (nee Omogo). We never had problems among ourselves. There was always love flourishing amongst us. Our stepmothers and brothers too were all carried along. There is no single discrimination among us, and he champions it. Members of our extended families are not left out. The same goes for the entire kindred and village, then community and town, then state and nation, and even beyond. May it be pointed out here that though he is the last child in the family, we so much respect him because he is a priest. He too reciprocates the respect so very much by honoring us as his elder brothers and sisters. So I would say we have mutual respect and love existing among us. I recall the bad moment he had once. The day my father died. He returned from Bigard Seminary very late. There was no phone then, and he got the message very late, before he could return, my father had been buried.

A little away from our family:

When he returned from the USA with this vision of a water project under the SOUL foundation, he told me something remarkable that he had carried out successfully. He told me that since he passed through Ukpeshi Primary School and attended at St. Peters Catholic Church all in Umuogudu Oshia, he was going to give them water boreholes. He also recalled all he suffered to get water while we lived in Okwo. He then decided to sink the largest water well (Sumo motorized borehole) with an overhead tank to relieve the suffering of people seeking to get water. He also gave 8 boreholes to the entire village housing the school and the church.

He also did another beautifully surprising thing. He gave a borehole to one compound where the owner is a local orthopedist. He did that to ameliorate the sufferings of both the patients and their caregivers who travel miles in search of water.

seeking to get water. He also gave 8 boreholes to the entire village housing the school and the church.

Fr. generally relates well with everybody. He also hardly forgets people. There was one man called Ogwu legbu Ogwu from Ndiagu Udu in Umugudu Oshia. That man used to visit us while I lived with him (Fr) at Ndulo. That man had a big bicycle and when he came with it, he would allow Peter to ride on it. Now that is doing this water project, he once asked me to find a way to locate that man’s house so that he could give him water. Now he has given water to that man’s compound.

Because he does not forget people, he also remembered his parish priest when he was ordained a priest- Rev. Fr. Mathew Isukpa. Fr. Isukpa, though he had been transferred to a very far place, still went and gave him a water borehole. On the day of the commissioning of that borehole, the villagers requested more wells and he gave them a lot more. Similarly, he still gave water to the compound of one Mr. Mathias Ebenyi who sponsored him in baptism.

He has a very high retentive memory. I think that part of why he chose to do the water project is because he suffered with my mother fetching water from very far-distance streams. He would carry a calabash of water on his head and walk barefooted and would cry when the sand got so hot to burn his feet. My mother would collect the calabash from him and add it to her own. So in conclusion, Fr. is a very selfless priest. He thinks even more about other people than of himself. The evidence is everywhere.

My wish for him is the best in life. God will grant him all his heart desires.

HE IS MY PRAYER PARTNER: Rev. Fr. Samuel Ituma

(Rev Fr. Samuel Ituma is a Catholic Priest of Abakaliki Diocese. Ordained since

2003 Fr. Sam has served in many capacities including but not limited to Parish Priest, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Azuebonyi, Idembia. He was also a Principal of Our Lady’s College, Azuebonyi. At the time of this interview, he is the pastor in charge of St Patrick’s Catholic Parish, Ezzaophu in Abakaliki Diocese.He is a very close friend of Rev Fr. Peter Omogo).

Rev Fr Samuel Ituma: Rev Fr. Peter Omogo means many things to me. I cannot enumerate who he is to me in one single write-up. However, for this work, let me say that he is the following to me:

He is to me a brother, a friend, and my monthly prayer partner.
We are brothers in that we are from the same hometown, Ngbo.
He is my friend for we share life experiences. We are confined in each other, and we trust each other.
He was my monthly prayer partner while he was in Nigeria for we often met once a month to pray together.

I first came in contact with him during the late 80s and early 90s when we were minor seminarians at St Augustine’s Seminary, Ezzangbo.

During those days he made a lasting impression on me. As children we were then, he kept “preaching” or rather advising me to consider the vocation to the priesthood more seriously. Though it is not the man who calls but God, I still consider that his advice awakened the latent idea in me. It would therefore not be completely wrong to say that he contributed to reviving the vocational urge in me.

Back then, he didn’t stop at advising me; he lived out the life of a “small priest” which served as a source of encouragement and inspiration to me in particular and I believe it did so to many of our other schoolmates too. Aside from taking his academics seriously, I also observed that he took his spiritual activities very seriously. All these put together made a very lasting impact on me as a young man. Our friendship has spanned over three decades. Such a lasting friendship must have been sustained by many factors. It may not be exhaustive to enumerate them all here. Nevertheless, it would be pertinent to mention that among other virtues, Fr Peter possesses the following:

He is honest – He is caring
He is hardworking – He is focused
He is kind – He is good at counseling people
He is humble – He is charitable
He is selfless – He is easily accessible
He speaks for the poor and the less privileged and cares for them.

In the course of our formation and training for the priesthood as well as when we have become priests, I have been privileged to handle many official responsibilities with him. In that respect, therefore, I can give a firsthand testimony of him using several areas we worked together as cases in point. In our senior seminary days, he was the Chairman of the Committee that hosted the Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS) at Bigard Memorial Seminary. NFCS is an umbrella body that houses all Catholic Nigerian Students in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria. I was one of the executives of that body at Bigard Chapter. He piloted the affairs of that Association so well to the extent that he received an award from the Rector of the Seminary. As a priest, I was also privileged to have worked with him on the committee that hosted the National Block Rosary Convention in our Diocese. He chaired the committee while I served as the treasurer. His leadership ingenuity which he once more brought to bear made the entire diocese impressed. Outside these areas I have mentioned, I can still say that Fr. Peter is a master planner. He can plan things so well that if you give him something to plan for you, you may not fault his plans and contributions.

Aside from the gift or skills of planning, he also believes in hard work. He believes that hard work pays off and that it is better to be busy than to be idle. He does not have the word failure in his lexicon.

Many aspects of Fr Omogo’s life fascinate me so much. Some of them include:

His Compassion for the poor, – His Sensitivity to the plights of people,

His Charitable Apostolate

The name Peter Omogo is synonymous with assistance, help, aid, charity, care compassion, etc. I say this because times without number I have been a very serious beneficiary of his benevolence. Going into specifics, I would mention that he has assisted me in changing the engine of my car when it was faulty. Being a careful friend and brother, he understood the importance of having a functional car and the daring consequences of the contrary in the discharge of the priestly assignments. Aware of these needs, he voluntarily assisted me in changing the engine of my vehicle when it developed a fault. Father didn’t stop there. He went ahead, on innumerable occasions, and assisted my poor parishioners. This he did in a variety of ways.

Knowing the importance of water and believing that water is life, he drilled a borehole for me and my parishioners at my parish.

In the area of pastoral ministry, I can objectively assess Fr as follows:

He is a good priest – He is charitable

He is a devoted priest – He is a humble priest

He is another Christ to the people He is loved by many – He is an obedient priest

He is a balanced priest and mature priest – He is a caring priest

We were first seminarians before we became priests. Let me also objectively assess him as a seminarian:

He was a very good seminarian in all sense of the word. He related well with his fellow seminarians.

He was a gentle and humble seminarian.

He was an honest seminarian.

He remained focused on his call.

The following can still be said of Fr Omogo:

He is a multitalented priest and has many special apostolates which include:

His care for the aged He is a good counselor

– His care for the sick

– A good format for young and aged people

Talented in school administration – Providing social amenities to his people

A preist who is loved by all: Rev Fr Peter Azi:

(Rev Fr Peter Azi is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki. He was ordained in 2007 and has worked as the Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Parish, Ndibe, Afikpo. He is, as at the time of the writing, the parish priest of Holy Trinity Parish Ngbo and the founder and pioneer principal of College of the Assumption, Ndaburu Ebenyi, Umuogudu Oshia Ngbo).

Fr Peter Azi: Fr. Peter Omogo is my brother; a mentor and a fellow catholic priest. We came from the same town- Ngbo. We first met in 1997 during the time we began our journey to the priesthood. It was specifically at the seminary when he was the president of Ngbo Vocations Association. I think he was the brain behind the formation of that Association. After that time, he took all of us (all seminarians from Ngbo) as his brothers. He made us visit his home at the village and in short, he continued to demonstrate his preparedness to play the role of a brother to all of us.

When we entered the major seminary, we were posted to the Awka Campus of Bigard Memorial Seminary while Omogo was at Enugu Campus. Occasionally we came to Bigard Enugu for one event or another. Each time we came, he demonstrated an uncommon care for all of us Abakaliki Seminarians in general and Ngboejeogu Seminarians in particular. He would welcome all of us and arrange for our welfare. Each time we came to Bigard, we saw in Fr. Omogo, a father. He gathered us and gave us food, drinks and more importantly advice. He did all these from his own resources. Every time one comes from Awka to Enugu, one always encountered Omogo. Those days there was no phone, so communication was not that frequent but whenever one encountered him, he left lasting impression and memory in the person. When eventually we finished our four-year Philosophical Studies and went back to do Theology, it was at Bigard Enugu. We saw the fullness of him. He was such a mentor. We noticed that he was not just good to us as his own brothers, he was generally good to all seminarians of Bigard irrespective of Diocese or place of origin.

He had a title “Onwa” given to him by the students. Onwa means the moon, and we know that the moon shines for all. He was just virtually good to all people. Everybody in Bigard then benefited from him in either a personal or collective way.

Omogo is somebody one can emulate. He is forward-looking. You can never sense any obstacle around him. He is just somebody one can look up to. Take for instance, the idea of studies: he was the person who planted the desire in us. Not just in us as his brothers but in other people too. When he was leaving for the USA, I succeeded him as the Diocesan Chaplain of the Block Rosary Crusade, and I have held that position for 10 years now to the glory of God. I think he must have been the one who recommended me to the Bishop for the appointment. Each time he came back to Nigeria, because of the way he loves people, it became inevitable that I must go to visit him. Of course, nobody ever visited him and returned empty handed.

As priests, I have not directly worked together with Fr. Omogo in official capacity, but I have often interacted with people who have worked with him directly. Fr. Peter Chukwu (now the current bishop of Abakaliki Diocese) is the current President of the Diocesan Priests’ Association. He had on several occasions and in various fora worked with him both in Nigeria and the USA Fr. Chukwu never gave any negative opinion about Fr Omogo. I believe Fr. Peter

Fr. Chukwu being the president of the Association while I am an officer there and Omogo is a member. Once, I remember specifically asking Fr. Chukwu about Fr. Omogo. He described him in such a way that I took more interest in him too. He lauded him so much. Then I recall also that in that Vocations Association I mentioned earlier, he was the president while I was the secretary. Those days we were seminarians. Then I know that while working with him officially, he always made the job easier. He would inform you early enough and you get things ready. He would clear the way for you while you work with him. His smiling face and good attitude has a way of energizing one who works with him.

When we became priests in 2007, he didn’t stay long with us and then he traveled to the USA. However, when he brought back the corpse of one our priests who passed on in the USA- Monsignor Nnanna Egwu, he still demonstrated his usual kindness to me. Aside the stress of flying down from the States, the burial arrangements and all the inconveniences involved made him to be very weak at that time because fathers Peter Omogo and Edward Inyanwachi were the ones that brought back the monsignor’s body to Nigeria. Nevertheless, I recall that that day we slept very late around 3 a.m. and the following morning after mass, in the midst of all those stresses, he still took the trouble of going to my house in the village.

Out of his goodwill, he encouraged me to put up structure in my father’s compound which was then over by weed. Omogo’s very positive attitude to life fascinates me most. He puts on a smiling face. Each time I see him I recall this book from J. Marus – It’s Human Relations that Counts. Fr. Omogo has 100% in human relations. He relates very well with everybody. Though I don’t know, I don’t think he has any enemy. Fr. Peter has assisted me in very significant ways. The danger here is that once assistance is mentioned, people think it must be material assistance alone that is to be regarded as assistance. That is not to say he has not assisted me materially; no, he has in a number of ways too.

In fact, I will begin with material assistance:

He dug a borehole for me in my father’s compound. That was too much for me. Yes, I say so not just because the expenses in digging the borehole. It is so because when I recall that my mother lived and died sleeping night and day at the streams just to fetch water. When I recall that, I understand more what Fr. Omogo has done for me. When the borehole was dug, I felt like if there was any act to wake my mother from the dead, I would have done so for her to see what Fr. Omogo did for us. The encouragement he gives to me also is worth millions. Each time he returns

I go to him, and he encourages me a lot. It doesn’t just stop there; he will also give

one material gift once he is around. You can be sure of a gift from him once he is around.

Let me also mention that when he returned last December (2016), he gave all of us (priest in this denary) chasubles. Each priest got one chasuble from him. He also gave us clothes and other gifts. That is a very wonderful thing I love about him. Whenever he returned, the rich and the poor; the young and the old all got something from him.

In the area of pastoral ministry, Omogo is one of those gifted priests. He has a way of making his church so lively. I succeeded him at home parish here though not directly. I noticed that his impact is still very much felt here. When he returned also, I saw videos of how he celebrated the sacraments in the US. It was so wonderful. I saw even the white man being amused by how he does his things. Don’t forget that white men hardly laugh but he has a way of getting them like his celebration of the sacraments and making them happy. I can just say his Eucharistic celebration is always a joyful one. As a seminarian, like I said earlier, he was the darling of most seminarians. His name Peter Omogo was tactically changed to “Ome-ogo” which translates to “doer of favour”. Because of his kindness, seminarian saw him as a doer of favour. I say this authoritatively because as a seminarian we were close enough. He was just 3 years ahead of me. At his ordination I played a lot of roles. Our closeness made him give me the opportunity to chronicle his biography at ordination.

I will say it is wonderful to have Fr. Omogo as a brother. If going to America is that easy without the hurdles of the embassy, I would have been visiting him as often as possible so as to tap a little of the resources I see in him especially in the area of human relationship.

My wish for him is all that is good: I wish him promotion. I also wish him that if it is God’s desire, one day he will wear the red cap. Yes, we need people like that to give some human face to certain dogmatic approaches we find from ecclesiastical men. In fact, when he finishes his studies and comes back, he is one of those we are looking forward to. In fact, I know that the priest of the Diocese love him. He is not the first to go to the US. But how often he has sent gifts to every priests of the diocese. These gifts are distributed by the Bishop himself. He sent books, sacramental, etc to all priests. How he remembers everybody I don’t know. Though the Bishop didn’t authoritatively say in specific terms how he has contributed to the growth of the diocese, I am sure he has contributed so much to the growth of the diocese. No other priest outside the country has ever been that generous to the entire presbyterium at least in the past 10 years that I have been a priest.

When he is around in Nigeria, he often visited all the priests in their meetings. As the Association’s Financial Secretary, I recall (can’t remember the exact year) he once visited and attended our meeting at St. Thomas Unwana and gave us 100 dollars to support the Association. I personally collected and changed the money for our use.

Other priests who have travelled out like him have never been that generous. Summarily, Fr. Peter Omogo is a priest that is loved by all.

A CARING AND LOVING PRIEST – Dr. Rosemary Ozioma Igwe

(Dr. Rosemary Ozioma Igwe is a senior Lecturer at Ebonyi State University in the department of Animal Science Faculty of Agricultural and Natural Resources Management.)

Dr. Rosemary: Caring and loving Priest: It is truly heartening to share my impressions of Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Okwoeze Omogo based on my personal experiences with him. I had the privilege of meeting him in 2004, just days before his priestly ordination, and the encounter left an indelible mark on me.

From our first interaction, it became evident that Rev. Fr. Peter is a caring and compassionate priest. I vividly remember the moments leading up to his ordination when I, as a cook for Rev. Fr. Samuel Ituma, had the opportunity to go to his school- Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu to bring his loads down to Abakalik. During our journey and the subsequent preparations for the celebration, Rev. Fr. Peter’s concern for my well-being stood out.

His caring nature manifested when he insisted that Rev. Fr. Samuel Ituma find a place for me to eat during our time in Enugu. Despite my initial objections, stemming from fear of my master’s disapproval, Rev. Peter was adamant about ensuring my comfort and well-being. This act of kindness and consideration was a clear indication of his compassionate character.

As we return ed to Ngbo late in the night that same day, Rev. Fr. Peter continued to prioritize our welfare, making sure we were properly taken care of despite the late hour. His commitment to the comfort of those around him showcased not only his caring nature but also his dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive environment.

In my opinion, Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Okwoeze Omogo’s caring and passionate approach to his role as a priest reflects not only his commitment to his vocation but also his genuine concern for the people he encounters. It is heartening to witness such qualities in a religious leader, and I am grateful for the positive

impact he has had on my own experiences.

An Industrious Priest: Furthermore, after his priestly ordination, our visits to him at Holy Trinity Parish revealed another dimension of his character—he is an industrious individual. From the early morning Mass, he rarely returned home immediately. Instead, he tirelessly dedicated himself to various responsibilities, ranging from overseeing the new school HTCN that he initiated to monitoring the progress of his parish and the new parish he was preparing to cre ate

A goal Getter/ Pathfinder: Rev. Fr. Peter’s reputation as a goal achiever is well-

deserved. His unwavering determ ination and resilience in the face of challenges

are truly admirable. Once he sets his mind on a goal, he works tirelessly to achieve it, showcasing his strong work ethic and commitment to success.

As a parish priest responsible for multiple parishes both in Nigeria and in the United State of America, Rev. Fr. Peter has proven himself to be an exceptional manager. In the ministry work some ministers of pastors can be in a parish for years without any meaningful positive change while some can make tremendous positive change within a short period of time. Fr. Peter falls in the second group. This makes his parishioners love and cherish him. His parishioners recognize him as a great achiever, as he efficiently manages every sector to yield positive and impact results.

In essence, Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Okwoeze Omogo is not only a caring priest but an industrious, goal-oriented achiever and an excellent manager. His multifaceted qualities extend beyond his priestly duties, making him a valuable friend and confidant to those fortunate enough to know him.

Renowned Philanthropist: Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Omogo stands out as an exemplary philanthropist, and his benevolence knows no bounds. He wholeheartedly embraces the philosophy of living a life dedicated to giving. Rev. Fr. Peter firmly believes that bringing smiles to people’s faces brings immeasurable joy to his own heart.

During my participation in the borehole commissioning event just a few days after joining him, I had the privilege of witnessing his remarkable acts of generosity. It became apparent that almost everyone in his presence departed with fuller pockets and hearts lifted by his kindness. His commitment to giving is further highlighted during his annual Thanksgiving celebrations, where the sheer volume of attendees trekking to his residence is matched only by the numerous individuals driving home in cars or on motorcycles, courtesy of his generosity.

The extent of his charitable endeavors goes beyond monetary gifts. The array of presents, including computers, school backpacks, shoes, and sandals, is truly countless. This facet of his life is encapsulated in his life motto: “Life without Legacy is a fruitless life.”

Remarkable Fr Peter Omogo | SOF Empowerment Projects Transforming Communities

Rev Fr Peter Omogo Annual Thanksgivings and Empowerments