Hon. Ezenwa Ilo (left) welcoming Mr. Peter Obi during the dedication of St. Mary's Catholic church Mgbidi, Imo State. Pix by Everest Ezihe.

From Everest Ezihe, Mgbidi

Youthful Collins Ezenwa Ilo,who sees living as a blessing said that his building of multi million Naira Catholic church cathedral in his Mgbidi ancient community is a testimonial fulfillment of a prophesy he had with God about 20 years.

Ilo who was 2023 Labour Party, LP candidate for Oguta, Ohaji Egbema and Oru West Federal Constituency said this in Mgbidi, Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State last Saturday during the dedication and naming of St. Mary's Catholic church, Mgbidi  solely built by him and for the ancient community as Parish by  His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Ukwuoma, the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Catholic Diocese.

Sir Collins Ezenwa Ilo, in the middle and by his left is Bishop Augustine Ukwuoma of Orlu Catholic Diocese,  with other Reverend Fathers shortly after the dedication and pronouncement of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Mgbidi as a parish


The well attended historical occasion,had Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party 2023 Presidential candidate and Chief Tony Chukwu, Onweyihekariri Chineke with other business moguls and political juggernauts in attendance, over 30m Naira for the massive parish was equally raised by the friends and business associates of the financier.

According to Ezenwa Ilo, " I was driven to build the church in fulfillment of certain things I learnt from my mother, when was about 13 or 14 years old.I escorted my mother somewhere in our village, and there she made some sacrificial demands for an assistance to build her home church, St Joseph Catholic church, Mgbidi.

" The passion with which she demanded for the sowing of a seed in her home church, spurred me into saying when I grow up, I will build a church, I was singing it like a song, when I grow up I will build a church, even as we were going home. My mother at a time seemed pissed off with what she considered as an impossible ranting and rebuked me that it's impossible for one person to build a church in Catholic church. To her it's a community thing that demands alot of time, energy and money. I promptly interrupted her, because am one person that never believed in group or crowd cumulative efforts. I believe in my capacity and ability. I believe in man walk alone.

" It was my fervent wish that an individual can do that and that individual is me, this was about 20 years ago. Today, that prophetic testimony is done and dusted, and I feel highly fulfilled.

" There are two principles of life that have shaped and guided all my life endeavours, one is that living is a blessing and you must believe in your self.One obvious truth about life endeavours, is that you are the architect of your own destiny, neither your environment nor your training or people around you have the capacity or temerity to bring you down. Just believe in yourself, there's nothing on earth you can not achieve, because Almighty God will always be there as your creator, your strength, your back up and the maker of the entire universe will surely prove Himself" he assured.

The International business icon further said he considered it as a privilege building the house of God and to provoke the youths into harnessing God's goodness and mercies as experienced by King Solomon of Israel after building a sacred worship center for God.

Earlier in his sermon, His Lordship Most Rev Dr Augustine Ukwuoma,the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese drawing inspiration from 1 Kings 8, 22-23, 27-30 advised the congregation on the need to keep themselves and the church holy noting Almighty God as being sacred.

Ukwuoma expressed gratitude to Ezenwa Ilo and the founding fathers of the parish for their sacrifices and labour of love, praying for God's abundant blessings upon their lives.

He recalled the efforts made by King David of Israel to build a house for God's  Ark of Convenant but God vehemently rejected that noting that his hands are soiled with blood of innocent people and promised that it's his son who can accomplish that, thus why it was King Solomon that God gave the grace  to build a befitting house for Him.

The revered Catholic Cleric reiterated the need for righteousness and holiness as the bedrock of Christianity and condemned the reckless act of killing human beings. 

He expressed amazement over the internal beautification of the church and re-advised  christians on the need of keeping the house of God holy informing that other religious bodies sees the house of God as a place of gathering while for christians,, it should be a place of worship.

Adding his voice, Rev. Fr.Abaneke Aloysius Ngozichukwu, the Parish Priest applauded the Bishop for his support and encouragement in the building and dedication of the parish as well as the dignitaries that graced the occasion.

Ngozichukwu described Ezenwa Ilo as a worthy parishioner whose Philanthropic life is worthy of emulation and prayed for God's abundant blessings upon him and his family

The highlight of the occasion was when   the Reverend Fathers numbering over 30 with lit white candles circled the Bishop who in a spiritual mood in the middle was carrying the  San Christi that represents the spiritual golden Ark of Convenant, and immediately pronounced the dedication of the church and its promotion as a Parish.

The entire congregation erupted with joy and sang hosanna songs with biblical King David dance of gratitude.