I have known His Lordship Bishop Michael Eneja since I was a boy. As a young priest, he used to teach us Catholic Doctrines and he was greatly admired by my parents late Mr. and Mrs. James and Matilda Aghaji. He visited our house a few times in company of some priests like Ezeanya, Obeleagu and Emehelu who are now late. He greatly influenced our early life, though it was unfortunate none of us eventually toed his footsteps by becoming a priest.

I did not come very close to him for a long time until about twenty years ago when I was called to the Mother of Christ Specialist Hospital Enugu to attend to my Lord Bishop who then had a surgical problem. I was excited at the request as that would afford me an opportunity to meet my spiritual teacher once again. However, I recognized the fact that it was an uphill task since I could not afford to come out with any complication. My Lord Bishop however, made the task very easy for me.

When I met him in the ward, he was his old self, ever smiling, humble, unassuming and completely resigned to the will of the Almighty God. The way he accepted his condition at the time made me conclude that 80% of my work had already been successful before I started. First of all after listening to him and examining him, I explained the condition to him and the different procedures available for him to choose the one he would like. He told me, “Doctor, you know the best one to use. May the Almighty guide you.

“With this, I thought my problems were over and I went on to prepare for the surgery. I was wrong, because I still had some problems waiting for me outside! On stepping out of his room, I was besieged by a group of Reverend Fathers and Senior Seminarians who rightfully insisted that I explained everything to them including the anaesthetic and surgical procedure. I did my best at that but I did not know that someone had told the Lord Bishop what was going on outside his room.

He instantly called them into his room and though I was not privy to their discussion, nobody ever asked me any more questions. When I later saw him before the surgery, he reiterated his earlier statement that I should do whatever I thought was best for him. I felt like a soldier going into battle with all the logistic support at his disposal.

After having a meeting with the anaesthetists, we proceeded with the surgery. It turned out to be the most peaceful surgery have ever had to date. Everything went like a thoroughly rehearsed play. His post-operative recovery was marvelous and he left the hospital in a record time. That is my Lord Bishop for you – ever humble, ever holy and ever resigned to “God. This episode has greatly influenced my attitude to life as whole.

Since then, I have been seeing him for one ailment or another and he has ever remained the same. To date, whenever any drug is prescribed for him, he makes sure that he takes it according to instructions. This attitude is not peculiar towards me but to all who are taking care of him. The way he greatly respects the reverend sister assigned to assist him and his driver who lives with him, is amazing. No wonder that despite his age, he is doing very well and will continue doing well for a long time.

I pray that the Almighty God will keep him much longer for us, because anytime I meet him, I have that special feeling that I am meeting somebody very special and not of this world. I pray that I will be proved right much later that “This man is already a Saint”.

Professor Aloy Aghaji FRCS
Consultant Urological Surgeon & Dean,
Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Nigeria