Bishop Ukanwa extols virtues of Archbishop Maduoma

Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Isi-Mbano, Rt. Rev’d Godson Ukanwa, has eulogised the virtues of Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Owerri and Bishop of Ideato Anglican Diocese, Most Rev’d (Dr.) Caleb Maduoma and his wife, Mrs. Onyinyechi Maduoma (Nnechinemere), as they retire from active service.

At a retirement thanksgiving service at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ndiawa Arondizuogu in Ideato North Local Council Area of Imo State, Ukanwa described Archbishop Maduoma as, “a man of God who depends on the grace of God, preaches the word of God, stays in the will of God, fulfills the purposes of God, represents the servants of God, edifies the family of God and devotes himself and his family to the ministry of God and His kingdom.”

In a sermon tagged, “The Epilogue of a defender of the faith,” the cleric said the crucial component in any organisation, institution, or business is its leadership and the vision of the leader. He added, “Good leadership can lift an organisation to the highest success, whereas poor leadership can plunge it into the depth of ruins.”

This, he said, is the reason God is concerned about leadership in His kingdom.

Ukanwa stated that Archbishop Maduoma led with the understanding that a leader must take heed unto himself and the flock of God. He observed that in a time where there are a lot of negligent leaders in the Church of God, Archbishop Caleb and his family kept the faith and served the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, diligently for over 40 years at clerical, episcopal, and Arch-episcopal levels; not allowing anyone to make a messiah out of him.

The guest preacher said the church would miss the quiet perseverance, dedication, and thoroughness to a duty of His Grace; his painstaking attention to details, and his love for the Lord and the church. He noted that the church would miss his active episcopal and arch-episcopal oversight, “an Archbishop and Bishop, choirmaster, chorister, who is in love with the canticles, psalms, and hymns of his church, a liturgist personified.”

The cleric, however, said though the Archbishop’s absence would be missed, there is a time to start and a time to retire. He enjoined the retiring Archbishop to continue to stay active even in retirement. He urged the members of Ideato Diocese not to let go of the teachings they received during diocesan synods and admonished the incoming Bishop to build on the foundation his predecessor has laid.