……Tasks Them on Servant Leadership, Humility
By Michael Nnebife
The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, has inaugurated a new diocesan executive of the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria, Awka Diocese, led by Engr Barr Sir Victor Mejil as the President who will pilot the affairs of the Council for next four years.
The event, which took place at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, on Sunday, February 15, 2026, saw the inauguration of the new diocesan executive of the Catholic Men’s Organization, CMO, led by Sir Mejil as a President, the first of its kind in the annals of the Diocese.
During the event, Bishop Ezeokafor equally inaugurated the new diocesan executive of the Catholic Women’s Organization, CWO, along with the lady organizers, and that of the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria, CYON, led by Lady Ngozi Dorathy Muo as Director, and Pharm Uchechukwu Franklin Okoye as President, respectively, that would also pilot the affairs of the Organizations for next four years.
Speaking in a homily during a Holy Mass heralding the joint inauguration ceremony, the Bishop charged the new diocesan executives to be servant leaders that looked unto Jesus Christ as a model.
Ezeokafor, who titled his charge to the new diocesan leaders, ”Witnessing through Servant Leadership in Awka Diocese by the Laity”, outlined some of the qualities expected of the leaders for them to succeed in their assignment for their own good and that of the Diocese.
‘You must work with humility,’ he advised the leaders, urging them to trust themselves to God for them to achieve their target.
‘The Psalmist tells us that unless the Lord builds a city, in vain the builders work.
‘So, depend very much on God approving whatever you are doing, and place yourselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit knowing that you are not working for yourselves, but for the Church,’ the Prelate admonished the leaders.
Citing Matthew 20, verses 26 and 27, he described servant leadership as a Christ-centred leadership, which, he said, ‘is service-oriented, modelled on that of Christ and gives priority to humility.’
Ezeokafor reminded the new leaders that Christ, with humility, came down to the world to do, not His own will, but that of His Father, who sent Him.
‘So, you have come today to do, not your own will, but the wills of the Church and Christ,’ the Bishop told them.
Bishop Ezeokafor, who could not stop emphasizing on servant-leadership-Christ-centred Model, said ‘servant leadership made a leader a steward that sought to empower others, fostered accountability, and reflected divine character.
‘It emphasizes increased service to others, a holistic approach to work, promoting a sense of community and sharing of power in decision-making.’
He further admonished the leaders to run an all-inclusive administration, arguing that every member had something to contribute for the success of the organizations.
The Bishop emphasized teamwork, collaboration and cooperation among the officers, urging them to shun all forms of gang-up.
‘Each officer must be allowed to exercise his or her office.
‘The President should never sidetrack any of the officers and begin to engage in selective administration, and even becomes a Mr Know All.
‘In other words, he should not be a sole administrator,’ the Prelate stressed, reminding the leaders of the need to respect the principle of subsidiarity and that of accountability.
‘You must be accountable to the members and the Bishop through the Chaplains, especially as it relates to financial status and property of your organizations,’ he advised them.
The Chief Shepherd of Awka Diocese continued to caution them not only to shun financial misappropriation, but also to be transparent in financial accounting of the organizations, the practice he described as utmost necessity.
‘Do not use your office as a pedestal for leverage with politicians, particularly during elections,’ he also warned them.
Ezeokafor also spoke on the relationship between the officers and the Chaplains of their organizations.
‘We know that Chaplains guide the spiritual life of each organization.
‘He is the eyes of a Bishop in the organization, and must have complete information about all the activities and engagements of the organization.
‘Any form of conspiracy to unseat his oversight function is totally condemnable,’ Ezeokafor stressed.
He thanked the past executives of the Organizations for their various services, and the new ones, for accepting to serve, praying God to give them the grace to deliver on their mandate.
While reflecting on the readings of the day, Bishop Ezeokafor emphasized the importance of law, which, he said, gave guidance and urged the congregation to keep God’s commandments to make heaven.
Speaking with Fides shortly after the Mass, Sir Mejil pledged to deploy his wealth of experience to galvanize the structures of the Laity Council and the CMO to have effective implementation of the lay apostolic mission and vision of Awka Diocese.
Also, his CWO counterpart, Lady Muo, told Fides that her administration, among other things, would mount aggressive evangelism against what she described as the increasing rate of backsliding in the faith, particularly among women, currently ravaging the world.
Present during the joint solemn inauguration ceremony were the Secretary to Bishop Ezeokafor, Rev Fr Evaristus Ifeanacho; St Patrick’s Cathedral Administrator, Rev Fr Anthony Nwafor; the new Chaplains of the Organizations, other priests from both Awka and Ekwulobia Dioceses, among others.
