“Real lasting joy comes from what we give, not from what we accumulate.” Those were the exact words of Very Rev. Fr. Mike Nsikak Umoh, the homilist at the 41st anniversary celebration of Very Rev. Fr. Raphael Adebayo in the priesthood, held at the Catholic Church of the Resurrection, Magodo on Sunday, April 18, 2021. Fr. Umoh extolled the virtues of the celebrant who he described as a priest of the Universal Church with a large heart who gives without looking back. He said Fr. Adebayo touched many lives including himself, especially for the sick and deprived. In his words “If the priesthood were a profession so to speak, 41 years in any profession is incontestably outstanding and the experience from such long years of service, even for a gateman, cannot be brushed aside. It is common saying that “life begins at 40”, probably because it is believed that within 40 years one should have gone through all processes of self-development and be positioned to begin to take advantage of the gains of long years of formation and the liminal stage of life.
By the way, 41 years translates to 492 months, 1968 weeks, 13776 days. Under normal circumstance, a person of 41years should already be married with children and making waves in his calling and taking responsibilities.” He said it may not be too easy to appreciate what 40 years means in a country that is used to recycling the same old people who are over 70 years in government; a country where the youth are grossly marginalized and most of those in position of authority have poor sense of leadership. “Perhaps the average age of some world leaders will help us appreciate what can be made of a person within four decades: As at 2019, Andora’s Xavier Espot was 40, Costa Rica’s Carlos Alvarado Quesada was 39, Bhutan’s Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was 39, Qatar’s Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani was 39, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was 39 years, Sanna Marin of Finland was 34 years, Ukraine’s Oleksiy Honcharuk was 35, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un was 35 years old”. Similarly he praised Fr. Olaniran, who marked his 8 years in the priesthood, insisting that at his age a good number of his classmates in secondary school are still struggling to find their feet in life.
He advised Fr. Olaniran to draw inspiration and hope from elders like Fr. Adebayo, while Fr. Adebayo, for his part is more likely to look back and take stock of his life so far and give thanks. The celebration today, he noted, is to testify to the power and the reality of the resurrection; it is to give thanks to God for his abundant love and mercy in choosing him as an earthenware vessel to be his channel of grace bringing hope to the world. The joy and fulfilment of a priest therefore lies in the lives he has touched, as he, like the good shepherd, pours out his own life as a libation for others, that they might live. Alluding to his health challenges, Fr. Umoh said, “It has indeed pleased God to grant Fr. Adebayo a share of the sufferings of Christ through his current health challenges which has persisted for some time now. But that has not taken away nor diminished his inner joy and laughter. Fr. Adebayo’s ill health is part of his testimony to our sacred community and to the world.
His laughter in spite of the situation eloquently testifies to his faith, like Shaddrach, Mashack and Abednego, that nothing that cannot touch his soul can overcome him. The pains he goes through now are opportunities of sharing with Christ for the expiation of sins. Hebrew 12:6 says that it is those whom God loves, that he chastises.” He gave an insight to his encounter with the celebrant. “I knew Fr. Adebayo when I was a young seminarian, even before I eventually met him. It was a regular experience for people who thought I shared some facial semblance with him, to accost me to ask if I am his young brother. When this continued when I became a priest, I had the courage to tell them “if you owe him, give me the money, but if he owes you, I am certainly not the one”. Fr. Adebayo has worked in different parishes including St. Paul Ebute Meta, Church of the Assumption, Falomo, St. Anthony, Gbaja and St Agnes Maryland before coming to Church of the Resurrection, Magodo. We got closer when he was my Parish Priest at St. Anthony, Gbaja. “We are thanking God that Fr Adebayo is quintessential of a Catholic Priest.
A fine gentleman, loving and kind, filled with the aura of a simple shepherd whose only desire is to serve in the house of the Lord all the days of his life. In an interview he granted, when asked what he would have been if he were not a priest; he said he never gave a thought to any other thing.” He emphasized. “Fr. Adebayo’s kindness is remarkable. While in St Anthony, I am aware of so many students Fr. supported through school, many widows he assisted to establish a trade, many seminarians he supported through their training and are priests today, many ex-seminarians he helped to find their feet in life when it seemed the world had suddenly collapsed on them. All these lives are what we are thanking God for today; they are what make Fr. Adebayo able to smile.” Speaking further, Fr. Umoh said, Fr Adebayo is a committed and dedicated pastor to the core. “You can blame him for not visiting you or joining at social events; I did not find that funny either. In our 32 years sojourn together, the only day Father Adebayo ever visited me, I was on a sick bed.
Yes, he has a special charism for visit to the sick. While in St Anthony that was like an everyday apostolate. So the secret is: if you want Fr. Adebayo to visit you, fall sick! We are thanking God for the many lives Fr Adebayo gave hope and nourishment to on their sick bed; for healing and/ or for the journey to eternity.” Fr Adebayo owes no one apologies for ensuring the celebration of an authentic and unadulterated Catholic liturgy devoid of aberrations. He is committed to celebrating the liturgy as prescribed by the Church. He described Fr. Adebayo as great devotee to our mother Mary; “he is a special son of Mary. I recall him always sharing with us his various experiences from his visits to the different apparition grounds around the world. From Falomo to St Anthony Gbaja, he held a weekly Marian devotion and Mass on Wednesdays. Fr Adebayo prays 20 decades of the Rosary with ease many times daily.
I guess that his transfer to Maryland when the parish became vacant could have been informed by this background. With Fr Adebayo, devotion to our Mother Mary grew significantly during his period as the parish priest in Maryland. We thank God for the many souls Fr Adebayo led to the throne of grace through our Mother Mary and for the very many intercessory prayers offered at the shrine.” The communication expert advised Fr. John Paul Olaniran to see the priesthood as long and tedious road to follow, “recall word of God in Hebrews 13:7 which says: Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their life and imitate their faith.” You do not only have mere words to follow, but a concrete testimony of life; concrete witnessing to the faith.” “My brothers and sisters, like our priests, we too by virtue of baptism are called to a life in Christ; a selfless life; a life that testifies to the resurrection. While in the world, we must struggle never to be engulfed by materialism and the glamour of the world. We must never lose sight of the reality of heaven as our final destination. The life of a priest must be a continuous reminder to us that man does not live on bread alone; and that indeed, very few things matter in life. He concluded.