Adopt Rev Fr McGlade’s Missionary Legacy for Addressing Contemporary Challenges – Prof Agbedo charges Enugu-Ezike Clergy, Laity

A Professor of Linguistics and Director of Centre for Igbo Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Chris Uchenna Agbedo has urged Enugu-Ezike Clergy and the Laity to adopt Rev Fr McGlade’s missionary legacy for addressing contemporary challenges.

Professor Agbedo gave the advice while speaking recently at the 4th Fr MacGlade Annual Lecture Series held at St. Peter Catholic Church, Umachi, Enugu-Ezike in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The Lecture Series was organized by the Enugu-Ezike Clergy and Religious Aspirants Association (ECRAA).

In his lecture entitled, ‘Rev Fr McGlade’s Missionary Legacy as a Model for Addressing Social Vices in Contemporary Ezikeọba Society,’ the Guest Lecturer, Professor Agbedo charged the clergy and laity to leverage the timeless principles and transformative vision laid down by Fr. McGlade as a compass for addressing the contemporary challenges of Ezikeoba society.

Professor Agbedo explored ways by which contemporary Ezikeọba community could sustain Fr McGlade’s missionary legacy in the context of contemporary social vices in Elugwu-Ezike.

Agbedo kicked off his lecture by seeking to understand the ‘happenstances’ in Elugwu-Ezike that tend to roll back the gains of McGlade legacy.

He addressed issues bordering on the “complexities of the unique interplay between tradition, Christianity, and modernity; how to commence the journey of navigating spiritual crossroads in Ezikeọba, where the rich tradition intersects with the transformative forces of Catholicism and the demands of a rapidly changing world; and how we can unpack the intricacies of charting the way forward.”

The lecture segments dwelt on the realities of contemporary Ezikeoba society, the challenges of confronting and speaking out against the current happenstances, adapting Fr McGlade model for addressing the challenges of contemporary times, Rev Fathers Cornelius Obe and Leonard Odumegwu as exemplars of McGlade’s visionary impacts, significance of McGlade Annual Lecture in Elugwu-Ezike, lessons for African Christendom, and measures for sustaining the McGlade flame.

According to the University teacher, “the echoes of Fr McGlade (a. k. a. McGlade Nwugwuanyị) missionary strides in such areas as education as a catalyst for positive societal change, social responsibility and outreach, interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding, and environmental stewardship, among others still resonate so glowingly.

Sadly, he said, “the realities of contemporary times suggest that Elugwu-Ezike, a community nestled in the embrace of tradition and transformation, finds itself at a crossroads where the echoes of missionary endeavours collide with the currents of contemporary challenges.

“The very fabric woven by Fr McGlade and vigorously sustained by the direct offshoots of his forestry is experiencing strains as current happenings threaten to unravel the gains made over decades.”

“These include but not limited to such nagging issues as syncretic practices, duality of beliefs, cultism, Yahoo+, rising tide of neo-paganism and resurgence of idolatry among youths, ritual killings, drug abuse, politically-motivated killings, Monday sit-at-home protest, support for anti-Christian traditional practices by some Catholic lay faithful, and involvement of some members of the clergy in partisan politics, etc”, he added.

The guest lecturer sought to know what could have been the response of Fr McGlade to such unusual happenstances if he were to be around today.

According to him, “the task of confronting head-on and speaking out against the unwholesome developments in Elugwu-Ezike discussed in the foregoing, should have naturally fallen on the shoulders of the sturdy and tall trees of McGlade forestry.

In the sacred space of the pulpit,” noted Prof Agbedo, “the Catholic clergy of Elugwu-Ezike holds a unique vocation—one that transcends the confines of religious rituals and extends into the realm of social responsibility.

His words: “The inherent power vested in the clergy’s vocation, a license to utilise the pulpit as a potent tool for confronting and speaking out against the social vices that seep through the cherished value system of Elugwu-Ezike in contemporary times is incontestable. When confronting social vices such as drug abuse, cultism, and syncretism, the pulpit becomes a powerful space for delivering messages that resonate with both spiritual teachings and the urgent need for societal change.

“Therefore, in the vocation of the pulpit, the Catholic clergy of Elugwu-Ezike finds a sacred license to confront and speak out against the social vices that threaten the community’s well-being. In collaboration with the laity, the clergy plays a pivotal role in ensuring that missionary legacies endure and thrive in the face of the evolving dynamics of contemporary Ezikeọba community.”

From the tenor of the discussion, continues Professor Agbedo, “it has been clearly evident that the rich gains of Fr McGlade’s 10-year apostolate in Elugwu-Ezike are daily gnawed away and threatened by contending forces of tradition and modernity. The fading gains of Fr McGlade’s missionary works in Elugwu-Ezike underscore the need for adaptive strategies that acknowledge the complexities of navigating tradition and modernity.

“The resilience of the missionary legacy of Fr McGlade and its sustenance in contemporary Ezikeoba community lies in its ability to evolve, recognizing that the spiritual crossroads are not a divergence but a convergence – an opportunity to weave a narrative that honours tradition while embracing the transformative power of modernity and Christianity.”

“The onus falls squarely on the clergy and laity to ensure that the missionary legacy of Fr McGlade remains a guiding light, illuminating the path forward as Ezikeoba community continues its journey at the crossroads of spirituality. The success of navigating spiritual crossroads in Elugwu-Ezike, where traditional practices intersect with the transformative forces of Christianity and modernity, requires a proactive response of the Church by way of reinventing Fr McGlade’s model.

“This impels the Church to embrace adaptive strategies that acknowledge the complexities of navigating tradition, modernity, and Christianity. Beyond engaging in a dialogue that transcends doctrinal teachings and addressing the root causes of contemporary social vices, educational initiatives should foster an understanding of the evolving needs of Elugwu-Ezike people, promoting a shared narrative that embraces tradition and modernity, and advocate a renewed commitment to core Christian principles.”

As a guiding light in his lifetime, the guest lecturer further noted that “Fr McGlade would have easily leveraged his famed high spirituality in navigating Elugwu-Ezike through societal turbulence and moral quagmires.

“It is almost certain that he would have responded to the community’s challenges – syncretism, cultism, substance abuse, neo-paganism, cultural revisionism, instances of ritual killings, the ominous presence of Yahoo Plus, the disruptive Sit-at-Home protests, politically-motivated killings, and other social vices that sought to cast shadows over the community – with a unique blend of spiritual fortitude, compassion, and pragmatic action.

“In confronting the heinous crime of ritual killings and mindless blood-letting within Elugwu-Ezike for instance, Fr. McGlade would not retreat into the sanctuary but step into the forefront.

“His condemnations from the pulpit would be followed up with practical measures—collaborating with law enforcement, fostering community vigilance, and initiating counseling programmes for traumatized families.

“His anticipated response would have been one of a resolute stand against the smothering darkness that threatens the community’s soul.

“As the insidious wave of Yahoo Plus rituals sweeps through Elugwu-Ezike, Fr. McGlade would have become a voice of moral clarity. His sermons would have dissected the moral implications of such practices, urging the youth to resist the allure of quick wealth tainted with spiritual compromise.

“He would have taken a step further in this regard by initiating community dialogues aimed at dismantling the societal pressures driving young individuals toward these perilous paths.