20/06/2025
THE PRIEST WHO WAS SEDUCED....
It was during my second year or third year as a philosophy student( btw 2016 and 2017) in St Joseph Major Seminary ikot Ekpene ,Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria that the then Mr Kingsley Chisom Ohaeri was sent to work as a corps' member in the Seminary Library for his one year service to his country.
He wasn't the only corps Member that we had encountered in the Seminary but he was an exceptional one. Male and Female,we have seen them but he was simply quite extraordinary.
For someone who attend only Minor seminary and No Major Seminary but went through a secular Nigerian university, Mr Kingsley Kingsley Chisom Ohaeri was more committed to the Seminary rules and regulations more than the seminarians of the Natural Home ( St Joseph Major Seminary). He was more religious than many of us. .
He was available in almost all the Seminary activities especially at prayers and at Mass. He wasn't Someone that you could ignore. He was available always to assist the Seminarians in and outside the Seminary. The only difference between the Seminarians and Mr Kingsley was that he wasn't wearing the white cassock but was more seminarian in character than many of us. At the end of his service, he organized an elaborate thanksgiving to thank God for the opportunity to work in the Seminary. The Seminarians that accompanied him to the altar that beautiful Sunday morning was almost the entire school.
He was celebrated by both formators and Seminarians. He left the Seminary a legend.
Next time I heard of Mr Kingsley Ohari again was from Facebook where I learnt he has travelled to the States, the land of freedom and endless opportunities.
Boom! We heard he has entered the Seminary in USA.
What!
Is he Normal? That was my first reaction.
How can a man with such opportunities In a country where he can be anything he wants to become enter the Seminary? It was simply madness. Being a Catholic clergy takes a lot of time, studies, patience to be able to succeed and ordination doesn't even guarantee one's freedom and that was the life he chose?
I know many Nigerian seminarians when given the opportunities to travel to the States finds the Seminary system boring and surely ends up quitting.
On Saturday, May 18 2024, Mr Kingsley Chisom Ohaeri was ordained a transitional deacon for the Catholic diocese of Austin Texas to the Joy of many of us who encountered him during his service year in the Seminary and yesterday the 14 day of July, was ordained a Catholic priest.
Beautiful right?....
Fr Ohaeri Kingsley was simply seduced by the holy spirit and from then his heart has been inflamed with love for the Church. I believe his experience during his service year in the Seminary played a major influence in his life.
Congratulations to Fr. Kingsley Chisom Ohaeri. You are simply an inspiration and I am very proud to welcome you to the brotherhood of the Catholic priesthood. Your Priestly ordination is a testimony of Grace. Thank you for saying yes!
Now to you my dear reader , sometimes, your problem are not from your ancestors or evil forces but environmental set back. It would have been very difficult for Fr Kingsley Chisom Ohaeri to be accepted in Nigeria for the ministerial priesthood.
He would have been simply denied based on the fact that he has passed the age limit as a graduate. It is no one's fault. There is vocation boom in Nigeria and the Nigeria vocation system is the longest in the world, so there's always a need to start the journey at a young age.
Your constant failures May not be anything spiritual but the honest truth is that this country Nigeria kills dreams and aspirations faster than fire. When government policies are in shambles, everyone suffers.
Plenty of our prayer points in Africa has already been answered in developed countries like USA, Uk, etc.
I come in peace.
(This piece was written in 2024 immediately after the diaconate ordination of Fr Kingsley Chisom Ohaeri)
From FADA_OCHENDO
