Chinedum Treasure
By the time a priest leaves a place, what remains is not only the buildings he helped to maintain, but the lives he touched, the families he strengthened and the people who can say, “He was there for us.”
Rev. Fr. Joshua Obiekezie MSSCC, popularly known as “Oberenwa Jesu,” a member of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, was ordained to the Catholic priesthood on 8 July 2021 by Bishop Michael Ukpong, then Auxiliary Bishop of Umuahia and now the Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese.
On 20 August 2021, just weeks after his ordination, Fr. Obiekezie began his pastoral assignment as Assistant Parish Priest at St Charles Lwanga Parish, Okpoko, Onitsha. Between 2021 and 2026, his service extended far beyond the celebration of Mass.
He served as Assistant Parish Priest, Principal of St Charles Lwanga Secondary School, Priest in charge of Sacraments, coordinator of Thursday Parish Adoration, and chaplain to several groups within the Church.
But perhaps the most remarkable part of his years in Okpoko is the trail of human lives he touched.
When a priest turned the altar into a place of hope
One of Fr. Obiekezie’s notable initiatives was the organisation of an annual Free Mass Wedding, held in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
For couples who desired the sacrament of marriage but struggled with the financial demands associated with wedding ceremonies, the initiative offered more than a church programme. It offered dignity, opportunity and a chance to begin a new chapter of family life without being held back by financial hardship.
His pastoral concern also extended beyond the parish walls.
Fr. Obiekezie regularly visited orphanages and hospitals, taking the presence of the Church to people who were often experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
He also played a role in organising annual palliative support for parishioners and members of the community, with donations from Orange Drugs, helping families who needed assistance during challenging periods.
Investing in young lives
Education was another important part of his pastoral mission.
Fr. Obiekezie provided scholarships to students and parishioners who could not afford their school fees, helping young people remain in school despite financial difficulties.
He also worked to attract external support to the parish and school, connecting people and organisations capable of making a difference.
One significant example was the scholarship intervention provided by Chief Evans Emesim Okwumereze, founder of the Okwumereze Empowerment Foundation, which supported 35 students from Okpoko, from first year through final year, with monthly allowances included.
For the beneficiaries, such support is not simply a figure on paper. It can mean the difference between abandoning an education and completing it.
A ministry that reached beyond words
Fr. Obiekezie’s contribution to the Church was also recognised publicly.
During the last Chrism Mass at Iyiowa Region, Archbishop Valerian Okeke blessed and appreciated Fr. Obiekezie for making his sound system, Adoration singers and instrumentalists available free of charge for Church activities.
It was a gesture that reflected another dimension of his ministry: using available resources not simply for himself, but in service of worship and the wider Church.
From the classroom to the altar, from hospitals and orphanages to struggling families, from parish programmes to scholarships, his years at St Charles Lwanga have been marked by a consistent emphasis on service, compassion and practical support for people in need.
What remains when the work is done?
The history of a priest’s ministry is rarely captured completely by official titles or parish records.
Sometimes, it is found in the couple who finally received the Sacrament of Matrimony.
It is found in the student who remained in school because someone paid the fees.
It is found in the family that received food or palliative support when things were difficult.
It is found in the sick person who received a visit, the orphan who was remembered, the worshipper who found a place of adoration, and the young person who discovered that the Church still cared about his or her future.
These are the quiet measurements of pastoral ministry.
Fr. Joshua Obiekezie MSSCC may be known in the Church by his title and responsibilities, but in the lives of many people in Okpoko, his legacy is better described by what he did.
And perhaps that is the question his years of service leave behind:
When a priest has spent years building people, supporting families, educating the young and strengthening the life of the Church, how should such a legacy be remembered?
For those who encountered his ministry between 2021 and 2026, the answer may already be written—not in a plaque or a document, but in the lives of the people who can testify that, at some point, Fr. Joshua Obiekezie “Oberenwa Jesu” was there for them.
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