The Catholic Church is one great institution that cherishes making use of various talents of her members to excel. The SWOT analysis in Management manifests so much here. To this end, the Church introduced democratic elections in the selection of the officers and leaders in various pious organizations within the Church. This is a process through which executive members of various pious organizations in the Church are selected through casting of votes. Thus, this has corrected the thinking of some uninformed Christians that politics has no place in the Church. What is actually un-available in the Church politics is “party system of politics.” Here, no party is formed. No campaign is allowed but nominations, eligibility, voting etc are the same. Above all, guidelines for the election are also stipulated. In fact, this democratic election has brought various talents, ingenuity and innovations into the various administrations.
Again, the Catholic Church is hierarchical. The Pope is the Number One Catholic in the whole Church. In every diocese, the Bishop is at the helm. The Parish Priest is the Chief Arbiter in a Parish. The Parish Council as the apex body includes the Parish Priest plus the lay heads of various Pious Societies in the Parish.
In CKC, the Bishop is the Parish Priest but the Cathedral Administrator acts on his behalf. The clergy is usually the Chairman of the Parish Council while a laity deputizes. Since 1990, the CKC Parish Council has produced three Vice Chairmen, having held seven elections: 91, 94, 97, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. The man at the centre-stage of this discourse, Prince Patrick Chukwuemeka Ezisi, Knight of St. Mulumba is the immediate past Vice Chairman from 2003 – 2009. His administration spanned over two tenures. Your ability may take you to the top but it takes character to keep you there. But, then, the fowl went to sleep not that the stomach is filled but that night has come. The expiration of his administration’s tenure is why he is vacating as quid quic initium habet finem habet i.e. whatever has a beginning has an end.
What is special about Emeka Ezisi’s administration is that it over-lapped two Cathedral Administrators, Very Rev. Frs. Emmanuel C. Okwara and Anthony Chukwuma. When Prince Ezisi mounted the saddle of leadership as the Vice Chairman of the Cathedral Parish Council, nobody expected much from him as only few people gave him the chance of success. Like Roman Generalissimo Julius Caesar in his veni, vidi, vici, the enigmatic Emeka came, saw and conquered. Today as he is leaving, his achievements speak for him. Notwithstanding his youthfulness, CKC benefited immensely from among others, the disciplinarian and organized human being in him. This has shown that even a child can beat a drum and elders dance to it. He is wise, courageous, fearless, accountable, a crusader, reformer, prudent financial manager and management genius. To say the least, he is a man with tact, big and lion heart.
Emeka as he is popularly called believes in the saying, Aut Optimum Aut Nihil meaning either the best or nothing. Perhaps, this is why Rev. Fr. Emma Okwara held him in very high esteem. Hear Fr Emma’s comment about him, “Prince Pat Emeka Ezisi Ksm is indeed an asset, a friend, a companion and co-achiever. Whatever landmark achievements I made in CKC, the able young man cannot be detached from them. His greatest weapon is accountability.
When Emeka took over from Sir F.A.C. Ohagwa administration, the Monsignor Nwanegbo Complex was at the finishing touches. Consequently, the terrazzo / balcony, inside painting, aluminium window and step rising took place under his administration. It was also under the watchful financial supervision of his tenure that Fr Groetz Church was furnished.
Like Fr Emma Okwara observed, the uniqueness of Emeka Ezisi’s administration lies in his prudent financial management. For proper accountability, an accounts department was created. Records were kept straight, to avoid ambiguity. Harvest and bazaar sales which previously were “Father Christmas” where people come, buy and go without paying even a kobo, became the parish goldmine, as the menace was stopped. And funfair and bazaar purchases by any debtor to the previous bazaar sales were also abolished. This yielded much result as old debts were recovered. Most importantly, Emeka administration introduced the system whereby wining of trophies by Pious Societies was based on cash receipts to the Council and not on total cash and credit sales. Above all, bazaar sales debtors were barred from contesting 2009 election in their pious societies unless the debts are liquidated.
Pat Emeka Ezisi did not lay the foundation stone of CKC Secondary School with Fr Emma Okwara but met it at the Damp Proof Course (DPC) level. But as at today he is leaving, the 45 classroom edifice is on the third floor. The Cathedral Parish Council under Emeka also paid off the debt of one million naira that was hanging on its neck pursuant to the organ purchased for Fr. Groetz Church. It is on record that Pious Societies are not levied for any Diocesan project as in other Parishes. Rather, the Council pays. The Council also purchased three vehicles between 2007 and 2008 for Fr Emma Okwara’s ten years priestly anniversary, for the late Fr Dr. Anthony Nwaogu’s thirtieth priestly ordination anniversary and the Parish vehicle for Priests. The Council had earlier in 2003 bought a Parish Council Bus – Mitsubishi L300. As an evangelization tool besides for historically and record purposes, the Cathedral Parish Council under Emeka Ezisi approved and sponsored the production of a documentary film on CKC Aba. To check erosion in the CKC compound, the Parish Council floored the whole premises with concrete cement.
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The Cathedral Parish Council under Prince Emeka Ezisi maintained the lead in the Diocese on Cathedraticum. This is the yearly gifts usually presented to the Bishop by Parishes, individuals, families, corporate bodies, consortium etc. during the Maundy Thursday Chrism Mass. Previously, CKC was taking third, fourth, or even fifth positions. But with Emeka on the throne, the tide changed. CKC has been taking first position for five consecutive years now with marginal amount of money every year. Hear Emeka, “ The Bishop is our Parish Priest and therefore our own. We have to be where he is, as the Number One Priest in the Number one Parish in the Diocese.”
IN the Cathedral, entrance and exit doors, are distinctly marked. This has instilled orderliness and sanity during Missa entries and dismissals. When the ex-Vice chairman was asked his magic wand and modus operandi hence the huge success, he attributed that to his committees. He said that he used Committees to achieve results. The Committees do the works where he supervised and evaluated. Hilariously he intoned, “During my first tenure, only few people knew I was the Vice Chairman. Gone were the days when the Vice Chairman was “sleeping” in the Church to prove his workaholicism. That a man caught a live monkey does not make the man agile or brave. Only those that kill lion are brave. Only achievement distinguish leaders.” Asked to point out his most outstanding Committee, he praised the Council members but showered encomiums on Cajethan Ukachukwu Works / Bazaar Committee.
On Security, he attested to the porosity of the CKC Security at the initial stage. Consequently, through the advice of the Security Chairman, Bro Marcel Aguocha out of his wealth of experience, the loopholes were rectified. He revealed that this section retired some officers and paid them gratuities which is un-precedented in CKC while on the other hand employed younger ones. Right now, atrocities in and around CKC have reduced drastically. While thanking the Security personnel, serving and retired for their co-operation, he extolled Hon. Aguocha and Chukwudi among others for their agility and ever ready commitment to their assignment. “They helped to make our administration glow, shine and achieve results.”
As Bishop Vincent Valentine Ezeonyia C.S.Sp usually said, “life is all about usefulness: usefulness to yourself and your fellow human being.” Bro. Ezisi wants to be remembered for his reforms in the Parish which are now useful to Parishioners. For those the reforms did not go down well with, Emeka quoted Fr Emma’s articulation, “It is better to hate me for what I am than to love me for what I am not.” But the truth is that the reforms have rebranded CKC financial status and corporate image. CKC should lead while others follow. An army of lions ought to be led by a lion and not a sheep. Bro. Ezisi however suggested having more broad minded and literate personalities in the Council of the Model Parish for a missionary and visionary Council with reduced work-load.
It is better to have an intelligent enemy than a stupid friend. It is even better you have wise people reprimand you than you have sycophants sing your praises. ECCE HOMO : Patrick Chukwuemeka Ezisi KSM, Ide Akuluouno I of Ichida, the Emeritus V/Chairman, CKC Parish Council.
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