Early Beginnings
This history begins with the arrival of the early Catholic Missionaries in Onitsha on the 5th of December 1885, led by Rev. Fr Lutz and Rev. Fr Home. On arrival, the Missionaries established contact with the King of Onitsha, which yielded good fruit and enabled them to set up stations in Onitsha, quickly to be extended to the hinterland. Within a few years, there were stations in Nsugbe, Aguleri, Neje, Nkwelle Ezunaka and Obosi. They also made contact with Bishop Crowther of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) who had earlier established at Onitsha.
In 1906, Chief Okika of Umuazu Neje helped Brother Hermas to set up a school at Umuazu Neje which was officially opened by Bishop Shanahan on 24th March 1906. This school and church attracted people from Awkuzu and other neighbouring towns, especially boys seeking education. The school children from Awkuzu included Thomas Emeh, Philip Obiakor from Umobi and Patrick Igwebulke from Ifite. Some became mission boys and went with the priests whenever they went to open schools and churches. However, Awkuzu had been at war with Neje since 1891. It appears that this war had periods of low and periods of high intensity, but it negatively affected the spread of the work of the missionaries in the area. The Awkuzu people enlisted the help of the Ada warriors from Abrina to fight on their behalf. These extended their onslaught to Aguileri and environs, further destabilizing the work of the missionaries. The Nteje people, for their own part enlisted the soldiers of the Royal Niger Company who eventually brokered peace between Awkuzu and Nteje in 1912. The Catholic missionaries had stayed on through these hostilities and Catholicism was taking root in Nteje; although it was not established firmly enough to act as a springboard for extension to other communities.
In 1924, a serious disagreement broke out between the Nteje converts and the Priests on account of traditional/cultural practices the natives were getting involved in against the instruction of the missionaries. Efforts by Rev. F. Bubendorflo win them back proved abortive. The situation got so bad that the Priests had to leave Nteje that year. They transferred to Adazi. The church station and school buildings were demolished. The mission boys from Awkuzu – Thomas Emeh, Philip Obiakor, Patrick Igwebuike and others moved to Adazi with the missionaries. It was these mission boys that persuaded Father Bubendorflo open a church and school in Awkuzu. This was done in 1928. During this time, Awkuzu government was under the age grade system of leadership. Chief Obişeve Enwenche of Nkwelle Awkuzu whose age grade was in charge, was approached by the mission boys from Nkwelle and Umuobi – i.e. Thomas Emeh and Philip Obiakor and were able to convince Chief Obişeve to help them acquire a piece of land at the present site of Awkuzu Health Centre and Maternity which was at the time an Ajio-Agu reserve. The site was accepted and was quickly cleared and a mud house was set up as a church and school; hence the establishment was called Uno Oto. This marked the beginning of the Catholic Church in Awkuzu. Basic prayers and songs were taught by Joseph Echibe. Along the same line, Chief Patrick Igwebike succeeded in setting up a church and school at Ifite Awkuzu. The teachers in these church-schools were the mission boys and each centre remained autonomous until problems of funding, pressure from traditional society, and antagonism from the Church Missionary Society which had been in existence in Awkuzu and more firmly established before the Catholic church-schools made it difficult for the latter to operate successfully.
At Ezi Awkuzu, Okonkwo Okenwe, Menankiti and others took up the challenge and succeeded in getting some people to join the Catholic Church. Land was acquired at Afor Akose village market called Umuochu which was an Ajo-Agu reserve belonging originally to Ozzu. As soon as the Catholics took over the land, they cleared it and set up a school. St Catherine’s Church and school were set up. But the Anglicans promptly took up station at the other end of the land, thereby causing a lot of strife resulting in partitioning of the land. Across from St Catherine’s, at Igbu Awkuzu, south-west end of the town, one Simeon Ekweozor succeeded in getting the Igbu elders to agree to a school being set up right at the village square called Ebe Igbu. The school was relocated in 1955 to its present site through the effort of Reuben Nwasike and called St Patrick’s Catholic Church.
The Catholic church-schools were attracting people from all parts of Awkuzu, but opposition from traditional society and hostility from the CMS church-school which had taken root earlier were growing in intensity. The mission boys had through the influence of Chief Obigwe Enweuche of Nkwelle Awkuzu succeeded in mobilizing young boys from all parts of Awkuzu to attend the churches and schools. On account of the low standard of the schools at Awkuzu, some mission boys like Albert Obidike, Patrick Ifensoh and others continued attending school at Nimo where the church had been fully established. Later, these mission boys came back to teach in the Awkuzu schools. Misunderstandings also developed at both Ifite and Nkwelle church-schools and it was decided to merge the two schools and move it to a more central place. Eke Ata was chosen – Eke-Ata being a market square and a public square used for masquerade and other cultural displays and easily accessible to all Awkuzu people. A market shed which was also used as a meeting place by elders was then used as a church and school and popularly called “Nwi-class”. From these humble beginnings the church-school that was to become St Raphael began to grow very rapidly. The larger part of the adjoining parcel of land belonged to Ichiona Dusogu and the smaller portion to Iruogbo Dusogu. Consultations began between the teachers and catechists – the former mission boys, and the owners: Nso Uyalor of Ichiona Dusogu, the Obiesilis and others of Ichiona and Nweke Akasi, an influential leader of Iruogbo Dusogu. The release of land on which St. Raphael’s Catholic Church presently stands was negotiated. The last Ichiona man to move out of the site did so in the 1950’s; that was Mr. Peter Obiesili, whose mud block and zinc-topped building was acquired. He transferred to a site close to Dominic Ibegbunam prayer house. Major players in the acquisition of land for St. Raphael Centre were Samuel Aghadinuno, Willy Ekweali, Joseph Echibe, Bernard Okonkwo, and Chief Nweke Akasi Ilozue. Efforts to get the late Louis Okonkwo Akelu to relocate hit the rocks despite interventions by his best friends, late Mr. Anthony Hodibia and Mr. Joseph Echibe from Ukpomachi for he was an Anglican. However, more land area was acquired through the influence of Chief Nweke Akasi Ilozue with a promise of free primary education for his son, Onuorah Nweke Akasi.
Unlike the oldest church-schools in the town which were built on Ajo-Agu reserves, the land on which St. Raphael’s Catholic Church, Awkuzu now stands had been settled as individual properties. People had to move to make way for the Church. One family alone refused to move out, rejecting offers of lands available elsewhere in exchange. So it was no small sacrifice on the part of the families that did move; and the church community continues to pray that God may reward them everlastingly. It is noted with deep appreciation that the history of Christianity in Awkuzu would have been entirely different without the pioneering role played by the early mission boys who went on to become teachers and catechists, as well as the early converts and other people of good will. In places along the waterways and other ancient routes, the missionaries themselves made the initial contacts when they came, secured land, and set up schools and church stations. In Awkuzu, by divine grace, the initiative was mostly from these citizens in a spirit of self-help and in the best interests of their town community. Their pioneering role will ever be recognized and applauded, with invocations that God may reward them and their families everlastingly.
In the case of the church-school at Eke-Ata, the Priests also played a motivating role. It was fully functioning by 1940, and had been Christened St Raphael’s School, Awkuzu, under the supervision of Father Leyddane at Nimo. But it was included in the territory covered by Dunukofia when that Parish was created in 1940, with Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi as Parish Priest. It continued to be built up throughout the 1950s and early 1960s by the Parish Priest of Dunukofia, Rev. Fr P. Dunne, assisted by his local committee, with people like Chief Patrick Igwebuike, Mr John Tagbo, Mr Christian Akwanya (Umuobi), Mr Peter Onyeaka, Mr Robert Akwanya (Dusagu), Mr Julius Agulobi, Mr Joseph Echibe, Mr Samuel Aghadimuno, Chief Ananti, Mr Reuben Nwalieji, and Mr Ifekwu as members. Other members who played an active role, although resident in nearby and faraway cities were Chief L.N. Ezeani, Mr Julius Okonkwo, Mr Lawrence Okeke, Chief Francis Nnachete, Chief Paul Udenka, Chief Udobi, and Mr Aaron Ikeji. One of the major achievements of this local church committee, in addition to building schools in the new-acquired lands in different villages, was the building of a large church which served also as a school after an older church from the 1940s was destroyed in a storm in 1957. No doubt, the coming priestly ordinations of Rev. Fr Nicholas Tagbo (1960), and Rev. Fr Emmanuel Otteh (1961) provided a great incentive and focused the church-building effort. Two other ordination ceremonies, those of Rev. Fr Nonso Odiaka, CSSp, and Fr Bartholomew Chidili, OSA, were to be held in that church before its phased demolition, which began around 1988 to give way to the Monafo design.
That committee capped its career, as it were, with the building of a Rectory, completed in 1964, and celebrated the creation of St Raphael Parish Awkuzu. It took effect in January 1965, when the Archbishop, Most Rev. Charles Heerey came in person, and introduced Rev. Fr Duncan as the first Parish Priest. The rectory, however, was raised to the ground during the Civil War (1967-1970). The church also took a direct hit in a bombing attack with cannon fire in 1968, right in the middle of feeding programme for destitutes and refugees. There were casualties in the attack. Within weeks of this attack, Awkuzu was overrun by the federal forces. It was not until January 1970, with the end of the war, that the refugees were able to return and start rebuilding their lives. The Reverend Ferdinand Ugwueze was also one of the returnees. He had continued his ministry as Parish Priest to the war displaced of Awkuzu wherever he met them or when they came to him in search of assistance. He was able to rally the people together to help in rebuilding the Parish, even as they struggled with calamities of destroyed homes, shattered livelihoods, and lost family members. The old Catechist’s house/Parish Office was quickly reconstructed to accommodate the Parish Priest. Next was the renoofing and repair of the old church which was henceforth to be used exclusively as a church, as the government of the then East Central State had taken over all schools in the State. A new rectory had to be built; and this was completed in the mid-1970s.
Back in 1947 the school of St Raphael had received government approval as a full primary school with a standard six class. In order to ensure success for the standard six class and cater for the pupils from the catchment area attracted to the school because of its approved status, a boarding house was built at the present site of Awkuzu Post Office. This fell into disuse as other near-by towns got approval for their schools and in the intrigues that followed, the land was lost to Awkuzu community and used for the present post office building. Until the Civil War (1967-1970), St Raphael’s School remained the main Catholic primary school in Awkuzu running the full primary education programme. To its credit it has given thousands of Awkuzu citizens the basic education on which they were to build their lives. The church-station itself had also continued to grow and then, became the seat of the Parish when Awkuzu was made a Parish in 1964. This Parish included St Paul’s Church, Abba, which became part of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, when this Diocese was created in 1977.
Growth of St Raphael’s
In 1977, under Rev. Fr Raphael Ebedeagu, a fund raising event was organized for a modern church building with an original architectural design gifted to St Raphael Church by Architect Frank Nwobuora Mbanefo in memory of his mother who was a native of Awkuzu. It was an ambitious project, and was not completed until 1993-94. Rev. Fr Nonso Odiaka, CSSp exerted much effort on this church building especially during the time of Rev. Fr Martin Emeli as Parish Priest. But it was Rt Rev. MsgrEmmanuel Otteh (later Most Rev. Emmanuel Otteh, Bishop of Issele-Uku who personally drove the project in its final stage, when people were beginning to feel that it was a hopeless endeavor. He engineered another fundraising event under the chairmanship of Chief Peter Emenaka, and some of the major donors included Missio Aechen, Chief Ogbogu family, Chief John Nnebolisa, Chief Hyacinth Ajide, Obidike family, Chief Christian Akpu, Chief Raphael Ndife, Chief Innocent Chialu, Chief F.O. Akpu Agbata, Mr Osakwe family, Mr Emetarom family, and Mr Julius Okonkwo family. The completion of this architecturally designed church building was a huge achievement, and gave the people of Awkuzu much pride, and all this was capped by the dedication in 1994 under Rev. Msgr. Nwaibegbunam, by His Grace, Most Rev. S.N. Ezeanya. Further improvements have been made in the church’s interior by Rev. Frs Mike Okoye and Godwin Oyekwe, with some specific projects sponsored by people like Sir Godwin Ezeh. The women leaders who helped to mobilize the community for the rebuilding of the parish and in the building projects of the last decades of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first were Mrs Rose Hensoh (later Zonal Organizer, and awarded Bene Merenri), Lady Julie Chikelue, Mrs Eugenia Nwokoye, Mrs Stella Igbali, Mrs Patricia Nweke, Mrs Bridget Ilodibia, Mrs Pauline Udenka, Mrs Grace Nwobi (Bene Merenri), and Mrs Caroline Nebolisa. The leaders of the LCC included Mr Daniel Nwokoye, Chief Michael Ogbogu, Mr Vincent Tagbo, Mr Ignatius Obigwe, Chief Hyacinth Ajide, and Sir Michael Childkwu.
St Raphael Parish Awkuzu celebrated its Golden Jubilee on 3 January 2016. In the lead up to the celebration, the Jubilee Committee resolved on building a new Parish House. The Committee comprised Rev. Fr Dr Michael Okoye, later succeeded by Rev. Fr Godwin Oyekwe (Parish Priest & Coordinator), Sir Michael Childkwu (Chairman, Planning Committee), John O. Okafor (Chairman, Publicity Subcommittee), Mrs Florence Morris-Akwue (Sec. Golden Jubilee Committee), Mr Paul E. Obidike (Chairman, Works Subcommittee), Mr Steve Udenka (Chirman, Finance Subcommittee), Rev. Fr Peter Ekene Nwansoh (Chairman, Evangelization Subcom.), Rev. Fr C. Aghadimuno (Member), Rev. Fr J. Oguejiofor (Member), Rev. Fr A. Orakwe (Member), Rev. Fr (later Msgr) Nicholas Akwanya (Supervisor), Amb. Grace Nwobi (CWO President), Mrs Patricia Nweke (CWO Consultant), Chief John Mokwe (CWO Patron), Mr Sebastian Adhebe (Member), Mr Francis Ofili (Chairman, History Subcom.), Mr Lawrence E.O. Doga (Member), Mrs Josephine Okuzu (Member), Mr Martin C. Obimbekwe (Member), Evang. Mrs. Victoria Ndiè (Member), Catec. Mike Igwebulke (Member), Mrs Rosaline Nnanwuba (Member), Mrs Eugenia Nwokoye (Member), Mr Ignatius Anigbogu (Member), Mr Christian Ajagbo (Member), Mr Christopher Obigwe (Member), Mr John Okwudili Akwanya (Member), and Mr Micah A. Ilozue
(Member). The proposed house was a large dwelling building designed to accommodate four to five fully resident priests, and far surpassed what Fr Mike Okoye had dreamed when he placed a rectory building on his advertorial banner at a target for the 2014 Harvest Thanksgiving. The ladies of S Raphael’s Catholic Women Organization immediately adopted it as their own, just as they had done all the major building projects before; and they began to throw everything they had: it, until the unexpected intervention by Udoka Ikeamak Meanwhile, Fr Mike had left, and was succeeded by Rev. I Godwin Oyekwe. In two years, the house was finished, thanks in great measure to the generous sponsorship of Mr Udoi Ikeamaka, who went on singlehandedly to construct a rectory in St Andrew Obinetti; his own village station.
A further dimension of this development was the upgrading of the old village church-schools to become Parishes, namely
St Patrick’s Parish
St Catherine (Super Saint)
St Michael’s Parish
St Peter’s Parish.
Each of these Parishes operates schools for the wellbeing Awkuzu citizens.
Educational Advancement
At the time of its creation in 1965, St Raphael’s Parish Awkuzu had in its charge the management of the following schools:
St Raphael’s Primary School,
St Paul’s Primary School, Abba,
St Patrick’s Primary School, Igbu,
St Catherine Primary School, Ezi Awkuzu,
St Michael’s Primary School, Ifite Awkuzu,
St Thomas’s Primary School, Nkwelle Awkuzu,
Holy Rosary Primary School, Nkwelle Awkuzu
St Peter’s Primary School, Umudicka Awkuzu
St Andrew’s Primary School, Obinettii Awukuzu
All these schools were taken over by the Government of former East Central State in 1970 and were not given back until 2009. However, some years before the Government handover of the pre-Civil War schools back to their owners, St Raphael Parish had set up two secondary schools, now stabilized and flourishing:
St Raphael’s Secondary School, Awkuzu
Mater Dei Secondary School, Umudicka Awkuzu.
As with the setting up of the church-schools, the effort to establish secondary schools in the 1990s was met with challenges over land ownership and other traditional animosities. These were successfully managed and laid to rest. There were also individuals who spear-headed the efforts and made sacrifices as if for their own private affairs. They are also recognized with appreciation.
Progress of St. Raphael’s Church.
The Parish has also been making advances in furthering the evangelizing mission of the Church, with conversions with impressive increases in the number of Catholic faithful. The increase in the number of Parishes is a sign of this, but also it is ensuring that the Church is coming nearer and nearer to the people and able to touch more and more lives. It plays its full role in the life and mission of the Local Church and has strong and diverse lay apostolate activities. The tremendous impact of the Church is also seen in vocations to the Priesthood and Religious life. Awkuzu now has 32 Priests, 21 Rev Sisters, and 3 Rev. Brothers. Four of these have passed on to immortality: Most Rev. Emmanuel Otteh, Rev. Fr Nicholas Tagbo, Rev. Sr Catherine Ninanyelugo and Rev. Sr Gertrude Tagbo.
Achievements
In addition to producing countless committed and exemplary Christians whose lives was like the proverbial salt of the earth, the Church has made significant contributions to social life and development of Awkuzu. Some specific achievement which may be mentioned are:
1. Provision of a good field for sporting activities and games;
2. It promoted the establishment of village schools for early child basic education, which was followed up to completion in the main school at St Raphael’s when the child was older;
3. It set up a magnificent church building which ranks among the best in the Local Government with nicely laid out landscape, ornamental trees, and grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary, all of which add in no small measure to the aesthetics of the town centre;
4. It has acquired lands for other developmental, commercial, and educational purposes;
5. It succeeded in setting up a shopping plaza in 2009;
6. It played a vital role in women and child health care by setting up a health centre which was later taken over by the state Government;
7. It has created employment opportunities for teachers, health workers, and others. Today it has on its payroll many teachers and non-tutorial staff working in its church schools;
8. Currently, St Raphael Awkuzu manages three retired schools, St Raphael Primary School, St Thomas Primary School Nkwelle Awkuzu, and St Andrew’s School, Obinetti-Awkuzu, and one secondary school, St Raphael Secondary School, Awkuzu. This secondary school building was started under Msgr. Joseph Nwalbegbunam as a church hall; later it was redesigned and built up as a school by Rev. Fr Celestina Izunna Okonkwo;
It has cultivated and maintained a Christian milieu and moral environment suitable for growth in the spiritual life which have nurtured many Reverend Fathers and Sisters, such as Late Rev. Fr Nicholas Tagbo, Late Bishop Emmanuel Ottch, Rev Fr. Nonso Odiaka, CSSp, Rev. Msgr. Nicholas Akwanya, Rev. Fr Pius Nweke, Rev. Fr Bartholomew Chidili, OSA, Rev. Fr Benjamin Ikeji, Rev. Fr Matthew Obickezie, Rev. Fr Josaphat Oguejiofor, Rev. Fr Peter Obidi, Rev Fr, George Ekwunife, Rev. Fr Clement Aghadimuno, Rev. Fr Linus Okika, Rev. Fr. Cyril Udebunu, Rev. Fr Aloy Orakwe, Rev. Fr Jude Ogugua, Rev. Fr Patrick Okonkwo, Rev. Fr Chiedozie Udenka, Rev. Fr Alphonsus Igbokwe, Rev. Fr Innocent Nweke, CSSp, Rev. Fr Christian Nweke, Rev. Fr Johnpaul Obiywe, Rev. Fr Peter Nwansoh, Rev. Fr Hilary Etomike, Rev. Fr Anthony Aniakor, Rev. Fr Donatus Ofoegbu, Rev. Fr Kingsley Ikwueme, Rev. Fr Peter Aduaka, SJ, Rev. Fr Franklin Onyekwe, Rev. Fr Anthony Aduaka, SJ, Fr Julius Nweke, MDM, and Fr Charles Obidi, VC, as well as several others from other towns who were bred in Awkuzu.
Re-Zoning of St Raphael Catholic Church Community
In 2008, the old zones I, II, III, and IV were reorganized as communities as follows:
(1) St Mary’s Community Nkwelle
(2) St Paul’s Community Dusogu
(3) St John’s Community Umuobi
(4) St Anthony’s Community Ukpomachi
(5) St Jude’s Community Akamanao
(6) St Joseph’s Community
(7) St Andrew’s Community Obinetti
Celebration and Appreciation: Awkuzu celebrates all the mission boys and the early converts who pioneered and laboured for the Catholic faith in Awkuzu, together with many men and women of good will who helped to provide the Church a foothold and were friendly to the cause of Catholic evangelization. Awkuzu also celebrates all the Parish Priests and Vicars who in one way or another contributed to the growth of the Church of St Raphael and its educational and other social-developmental projects. The Parish Priests include:
1. Late Rev. Fr. Duncan 1964-1966
2. Late Monsignor Fred Ugwueze 1967-1972
3. Late Rev. Fr Paul Nwachon 1972-1975
4. Rev. Monsignor Lawrence Madubuko 1975-1978
5. Rev. Fr Raphael Ebedeagu 1978-1982
6. Late Rev. Fr Felix Edokwe 1982-1986
7. Rev. Fr Pius Ejiofor 1986-1987
8. Rev. Fr Emmanuel Nwachude 1987-1988
9. Rev. Fr Christopher Odina 1988-1989
10. Late Rev. Fr John Okai 1989-1990
11. Rev. Fr Martin Emeli 1990-1996
12. Late Monsignor Joseph Nwaibegbunam 1996-1998
13. Rev. Fr Fredrick Uche 1999-2000
14. Rev. Benjamin Uzuegbunam 2000-2002
15. Rev. Fr Celestine Izanna Okonkwo 2002-2005, assisted by Rev. Fr Philip Ibeneme and Jacob Ukpogu
16. Rev. Fr John Ezeonionye, Ag. Parish Priest, 2005-2006
In 2006, three Parishes were carved out of St Raphael Parish, namely St Catherine, St Michael, St
Peter, and later a fourth, St Patrick.
17. Rev. Fr Francis Ndubisi 2006-2009
18. Rev. Fr Dr. Michael Okoye 2009-2015
19. Rev. Fr Godwin Oyekwe 2015-2022
20. Rev. Fr Nicodemus Aloefuna 2022 to date
Appreciation also goes to all the catechists, past and present, and head teachers for their marvellous work of catechosis and moral guidance of the people. These include:
Late Mr Ekwunife
Late Mr Ifeakor
Late Mr Ifekwe
Late Mr Anthony Isizoh (Headmaster/Catechist. His son Denis Chidi was to become the first Bishop of Aguleti Diocese)
Late Mr Patrick Henso
Late Mr Daniel Emike
Late Mr Paul Udenze Nwanso
Late Mr Charles Umeagudosi
Late Mr Patrick Onuorah
Mr. Paul Obiesili
Mr. Michael Igwebike, the incumbent catechist.
The Pious Societies in the parish are: Legion of Mary, St. Jude, St. Anthony, Tansi Society, Slave of Love, Sacred Heart Society, Charismatic Renewal Movement and Bible Society.
parish priest: Rev. Fr. George Nze MUOBA
In Residence: Rev. Fr. Sylvanus NNORUKA
