He completed a law degree at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus with an outstanding record before proceeding to the University of Essex, UK for a Master’s programme in law. Thereafter, he settled in Abuja, and soon became a big guy in estate business.
My concern here, however, is not to forage into his academic and business credentials. My interest is to highlight the part of Ifeanyi Ossai which seems always elided: his extraordinary devotion to Christianity, specifically to the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
In my estimation, Ifeanyi Ossai is a knight, not in its current sense of someone, who has received a church title, but in the original sense of someone, who is a crusader for the Church, and who is prepared to put himself in harm’s way in the defence of the Faith.
I will tell you why. In 2001, he launched an ambitious project to raise funds and build a befitting Church for the Roman Catholic Faithfuls at Ezimo Agu, his community. As soon as the project took off, a neighbouring community laid siege on the site, laying claim to the land on which the building was being erected. Consequently, the site was invaded and vandalised, and the contractors and workers were terrorised and chased out of the place.
Ifeanyi Ossai proved himself. He displayed astonishing determination, tenacity and forthrightness in the face of terror. After duly establishing that the offending community was laying a spurious claim to the site just to wheedle him into paying them, he marshalled out the workers back to the site, and personally kept vigil over them.
In spite of the threat to his life and the character assassination that followed, he stood his ground. I fell for him. I have always had a lot of admiration for courageous men. Today, and for the first time since the beginning of the world, Ezimo-Agu is about to have a majestic Church for worship of The Most High, thanks to one man. Are you surprised that God has singled him out for humongous blessings? He laid the foundation for it.
That is why it is irritating to see people, who probably have never donated to the Church Mission, and who have never lifted a finger to defend the Church now wrapping themselves around priests and pastors just because of politics. I am not perturbed though. Human beings can be deceived and tricked, but no man ever deceives God.
At the time Ifeanyi Ossai was putting his life at risk to build the Church, and bring Christianity closer to his people, he had no idea that Peter Mbah would nominate him as running-mate. He had no target; it was for the sheer love of God. We must be careful not to allow politicians weaponise our Faith for their own advantage.
Funnily and interestingly too, politicians who have no idea how Nsukka Catholic Cathedral became a reality now creep in them to make a show of Christianity. Where were they when the likes of Ifeanyi Ossai emptied out their life’s savings to make that magnificent Cathedral a reality? Where were they? Where were they when Ifeanyi Ossai, Ikeje Asogwa, and some other Nsukka indigenes turned what was already an abandoned project into a piece of architectural beauty?
Today, every politician is clutching the Bible and wearing Christianity like a bracelet. Emergency Christians! Why are they are spiritualising elections? By the time the elections are over they will skulk back to their old ways. But Christ says: I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me’ (John 10: 14 – 18).
Ifeanyi Ossai is a brand new entrant into the world of politics. He has never held a political position. His record is unblemished and his name unsullied. So, what would anybody have against him? He is unencumbered by any kind of baggage whatsoever.
With Ifeanyi Ossai, our Zone is about to inaugurate a new era. I have never met anyone who is as excited about talented people as Ifeanyi Ossai. We have always prayed for a society in which the talents of our youths will make way for them. Here is Ifeanyi Ossai to lead the way.
God bless Enugu State!
God Bless Mbah/Ossai 2023 Project!
Dr Hyginus Eze
