I. INTRODUCTION
It has taken me exactly twelve days from the date of my invitation to contribute to the book “Our Patriarch: Bishop Michael Ugwuja Eneja”. Each time I pick up my pen it was difficult for me to know where to begin and where to end. Bishop Michael U. Eneja is a man of many parts. While I thank the author of this book project for involving me because it is an honour. But, do not feel disappointed if I do not satisfy your desire.

Who is Bishop Michael Eneja?
Is a man full of energy and zeal and who has gone through many ordeals while growing up, but he was able to carry the “cross” until he got to the top. Some people fight him because he looks frail but internally Bishop Eneja is strong.

II. PRIESTHOOD
Michael Ugwuja Eneja was educated in Christ the King college (C.K.C.), Onitsha before going into Senior Seminary. Having been brought up in a mixed grill with lay boys, he had no problems scaling through the rigours of the Senior Seminary.

“The long journey came.. to a happy end when Eneja was ordained on 29th July 1951 by His Grace the Archbishop of Onitsha, Dr. Charles Heerey. The ceremony took place at Holy Trinity Cathedral Onitsha. Michael Eneja thus became the first catholic priest from the old Nsukka Division a priest of God forever. The following day Sunday (30th July 1951) he said his first mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church Nsukka.” (Asogwa:31).

That Church is to-day the Cathedral of the Nsukka Catholic Diocese with Rt. Rev. (Dr.) Francis Okobo as the first Bishop of the Diocese. Thus:

“Ibagwa-ani had the honour and privilege of producing the first Catholic Priest in the whole of Nsukka Division” (Asogw: 10).

After his ordination Rev. Fr. M.U. Eneja Spread like oil bean seed marketing the work of God. One thing that surprised the people of Nsukka was that he was not posted to any parish in Nsukka division.

Do you know His Lordship Bishop Michael Ugwuja Eneja?
I do not know him, and I know him. I do not know him because it is difficult for any human being to claim that he or she knows Bishop Eneja only the God Almighty knows him. He is too spiritual for anybody to know him. He does things to please God and human beings.

I can claim I know him because I see him physically and we interact as human beings. His interpersonal communication is so interesting that he engages one in any topic of interest. He reads all Newspapers and communicates with both old and young. I know him as a priest from the old Nsukka division which is Nsukka Senatorial Zone.

How long have you known him?
I have known him since he was ordained but from a distance as a primary school pupil. I was admiring him but at the same time afraid of him, as a priest. We have lived in some cities such as Onitsha and Enugu. We admire each other but I looked at him as a village boy and afraid/shy to go near him. We started appreciating each when late Bishop Godfrey Okoye asked me to teach “Principles of Management” in Bigard Memorial Senior Seminary Enugu.

It was like a thunder bolt because many stakeholders of the Church felt that Bishop Godfrey Paul Mary Memorial. It was there I came close to Bishop Eneja but there was no interpersonal communication until one day he called me and asked “if I had a piece of land in Enugu.” When I said no, he suggested should try to secure a piece of land where I could build a house in Enugu. We thank God that today my family has a home which we are trying to develop. He blessed it.

What is the extent of your relationship with him?
Our relationship was cordial in that when we see, we chat and respect each other as teachers. It is difficult to know how he feels about anybody but he is very knowledgeable. When he was teaching in Bigard Memorial Senior Seminary he used to visit my family in Uwani occasionally on Sunday evenings.

We always felt honoured when he visited. He likes kola nuts and local food such a maize prepared in the Nsukka way i.e. maize grounded mixed with beans, vegetables, “akpaka and red palm oil.” This is typical Nsukka meal that is a complete diet because it contains carbohydrates, protein, fat and other ingredients of a balanced diet. Pounded yam is looked upon as a delicacy with “Ogbono” mixed with Okra Soup with chicken, goat, fish or beef.

Bishop Michael Eneja believes in tradition but one with God as the Head. For example, he believes in the breaking of Kola nuts but with the sign of the cross. After the breaking of the Kola, there will be no other traditional ceremonies because Christ is the Head of traditions. Bishop Eneja has succeeded in inculcating Christianity into tradition. The “tradition” used to be that the oldest man among the visitors who is nearest to the village of the host or the youngest would break the Kola before the Christian or the Priest would be invited to break the “kola nut” and pass over to the lay man for traditional ceremony.

Today the knowledge of Christ is being spread gradually through “kola nut” breaking because even pagans or anomists after breaking the “kola nut” would conclude by “through Christ our Lord,” Amen.

III. BISHOPRIC
In 1978 Rev. Father Michael Ugwuja Eneja became the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese. It was a divine providence, for if Rev. Fr. Michael Eneja was left to choose on his own he would not have chosen to be a Bishop. He prefers priesthood to bishopric but God has decided. When he assumed office he focused his attention on the education of priests. He believes that a well educated priest will be better pastor.

Prof. Julius O. Onah
African Marketing Development Foundation (AMDEF)
3A, Umuezebi Street, New Haven Enugu, Nigeria
May, 2008