From Judex Okoro, Calabar

Eighty years after Catholicism entered Etung community, the Nsofam Catholic faithful have inaugurated a multimillion-naira parish building. The ultra-modern edifice, courtesy of Prof. Sandy Onor, is called the St. Daniel’s Quasi Parish, Nsofang, under the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja.

Checks by Daily Sun revealed that Catholicism entered Southern Etung in the 1930s.  Southern Etung was made up of Nsofam, Mkpot, Itaka, Abijang, Acarum and Okoroba , with Peter Abang Okpa of Nsofam village as one of the first converts.

Since then, the Nsofang Catholic community continued to agitate for parish autonomy, until February 20, 2015, when it was carved out from Ajassor Parish and named RCM Nsofang by Bishop John Ebebe Ayah, the then bishop of Ogoja Diocese, with Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Eneji Idu as the pioneer parish priest.

Committed to growth of the parish and to ensure there was a permanent house of worship for God, Fr. Emmanuel Idu, on November 19, 2015, barley eight months into office, laid the foundation stone for the edifice.

Dedicating the church and inaugurating the parish, Most Rev. Dr. Donatus Edet Akpan, the Bishop of Ogoja Diocese, in his sermon, said he who builds for God builds for himself. He would be delighted that we have remembered Him at the waterside passing through the forest.

Bishop Edet said: “My house shall be house of prayers for all people and anybody that does what is good and conscious of justice he God would bless. We are gathered here so that God would speak to us of justice and the glory would be revealed to us.

“The house of God is not for business and those who turn God’s house into physical business have destroyed the temple of God. House of God is for prayers in times of need and prosperity. So, we are only dedicating the physical temple.”

Commending Onor for helping to build a house for God as Solomon did centuries ago, Bishop Akpan said: “Prof. Sandy saw the state of his people and, having been blessed by God, took the initiative to build a house for God. I call on all parishioners to continue to maintain and support the church so that it would not be an abandoned house.”

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Similarly, Joseph Effiom Ekuwem, the Archbishop of Calabar, who was represented by Charles Erin, extolled Onor for listening to the prompting of God’s spirit to build a house for him, adding: “Like Solomon, you listened to God and built a house for him,” and “My prayer is that the light of God will shine night and day, and also listen to the petition of his people here and answer them.”

On his part, the host priest, Rev. Fr. Matthew Abang, thanked God for sustaining the people, the Catholic community of Nsofang and indeed the entire community to witness the day, saying: “For embarking on this project, God who rewards good deeds will reward Onor beyond human expectations.”

A brief history of the parish as compiled by Terence Ndifon Okey, the church secretary, said: “Onor has Catholic blood and is of the lineage of the late Pa Daniel Okey Ori (1914) of Nchofang who was one of the pioneer Catholics of Nsofang area. He is a man who has seen his position as his ‘ministry’ to serve God and humanity in his own way.”

In his response, Onor, who, is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming election, thanked God for giving him the ability to help in seeing the project through. He explained that the project was a product of a covenant he made with God years ago and thanked God for the love and protection he has showered on his family.

In their various goodwill messages, the Nsofang Traditional Rulers Council and Nsofang Town Council hailed the church for its steadfastness and commitment to evangelism.

The clan head of Nsofang, Ntufam Augustine Achombo, said: “The church building is designed by God and administered by a humble servant of God like Nehemiah.”

In his message, the chairman of Nsofang Town Council, Pst. Emmanuel Ojisi, said the event marked an epochal day in the history of Catholicism in Southern Etung.

The events witnessed rendition of religious songs by different choir groups, homily messages by priests from other parish and presentation of gifts by parishioners.  Present at the epoch-making event were party stalwarts across political parties including Hon. Alex Egbona, representing Abi/Yakurr federal constituency, Vena Ikem, Cross River PDP chairman, House of Assembly members, party officials, traditional and community leaders.