To show their love, a high-powered delegation of women from Onitsha Archdiocese pledged their support towards the success of the burial as they remarked “na anyi g’akwachacha ya kwachapu ya ocha” (we shall give him a befitting burial). Without delay, Bishop Gbuji summoned a Presbyterium meeting to formally announce the death of Bishop Eneja to the priests and possibly begin to streamline arrangements for his final journey to eternity. There, a date for his burial was chose, the 5th of December 2008. Preparations began in earnest, to bid the people’s saint farewell.

Before the actual day for his burial, days were mapped out when masses would be celebrated for his soul in some diocese. On Tuesday, 2nd December 2008, requiem mass was celebrated for him at St. Michael Cathedral, Awgu and the testimony of his life, captioned. BISHOP MICHAEL UGWUJA ENEJA: A MAN AFTER THE WILL OF GOD, which was written in a style of brief biography in the brochure partly read “…some basic traits characterized the life and ministry of this servant of God. When you mention Bishop Eneja, you hear and see a reflection of PUNCTUALITY.

He is always and ever there on time for every activity. PRAYER was second nature to him. Mention his name and the people around would retort: “that man of prayer”. Faced with challenges and difficult situations that need radical decision you would hear Bishop Eneja say: let us put it in prayer” or “let us pray over it”. For him the first and primary helps come from God, the Father. “Unless the Lord builds the house they labour in vain who build it”. Psalm 127:1. According to him we must follow God’s lead in everything.

Indeed it is the will of God that one has to follow. “Will of God which rings out MORTIFICATION of the body was paramount in his life. His self-control manifested itself not only with regards to food and drinks but extended to the senses, passions and the imagination. AVAILABILITY to his flock was a noticeable trait of Bishop Michael Eneja. He was a father to his priests, the consecrated Men and Women and the Lay Faithful. He was ever ready and disposed to listen to them. In his humility he treated all as brothers and sisters, children of the loving Father in heaven. We cannot recall the life of this saintly man, priest of God and worthy Chief Pastor without mentioning h is outstanding Charity, the love he has for all for God’s sake…”

The mass was heavily attended by priests and the people of God and the next day, another requiem mass was celebrated for his soul at St. Theresa Cathedral Nsukka where the diocesan Vicar General, Very Rev. Msgr. Thaddeo Onoyima in his homily said, “Bishop M.U. Eneja can speak to us today 2008”. “I thank God who kept us alive to witness today. In particular I thank God for bringing me in contact with Bishop Eneja and I am extremely grateful to my Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. F.E, Okobo for asking me to speak again today. I am indeed privileged because when the late Bishop was 25 years a Bishop, Msgr. A. Aniijielo asked me to preach in his parish in Enugu, I did this also at Nsukka and also at Ibakgwa Ani when Bishop Eneja was 50 years a priest.

This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful in my eyes. That is why I thank those God used to make it happen. He is my oracle and has been since when he was the All Hallow’s Seminary Rector. I worked as an office boy for him and he sent me on probation to Awhum Junior Seminary, now St. John Cross, in 1964-1965, to teach, because we failed GCE London in the first attempt. I was naive that I was afraid to think of where to do probation lest I loose my vocation.

He asked me, would you like to go and teach in the seminary? I said yes, Father. That was all. I had other rectors whom I revere but I did not know how I developed a lot of confidence in Fr. Eneja. When I returned from Europe, in 1978, he was my Bishop and he sent me to Bigard Memorial Seminary 1978-2000 he made me a chaplain for the Charismatic’s 1984-1998, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus 1978-2000 and knights of St. John International 1978-2002. (National Chaplain).

Coordinator Vicariate/Faculty Exams 1978-1992, till a year after we got our diocese, Nsukka. How many people among us here can have such encouragement and trust in anybody working under him no matter the side talks, mistakes and risks? Etc. all efforts and plans I made to be changed in those jobs failed.

So he formed me, making me what I am today by training me, by leaving me in those jobs. I consulted him as an oracle and whatever he told me I did. His advice never failed me and I apply it meticulously. So he is not my oracle because he is from Nsukka or because he was my Bishop.

It is because he remained Rev. Fr. Michael Eneja whom I knew as my Junior Seminary Rector and even as a Bishop. Now that he is dead I believe that he will be more powerful and spiritually help us. Te absence of Bishop Eneja has been more present to me than the presence of many people.

The authority of my Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. F.E. Okobo sent me to UNN in October 2000 and I thank him a lot but the spirit of Eneja kept me and guided me there. This will be more as he becomes a saint. Till somebody dies he cannot be a saint otherwise Bishop Eneja should be reserved to moderate us.