The Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba Nigeria, Lagos Metropolitan Council has taken in 41 new knights and their wives into its folds in a second admissions ceremony of the year, bringing the total number of new members for the year to 212. The admissions ceremonies took place on 19th October, 2024 at St. Leo Catholic Church Hall, Ikeja, starting with Holy Mass officiated by the Lagos Metro Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ayeni and the priest-in-residence at St. Leo Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Augustine Anagboso.
In his homily, Rev. Fr. Ayeni reminded the knights that they have to be outstanding and gallant in their defense of the Church like the knights of old, who defended the Church during the crusades. He added that knights should always remain prayerful and support the priests and parishes in the work of evangelisation to expand the kingdom of God on earth.
Immediately after Mass, a recollection programme was held for the new knights on the history, norms, tenets and expectations of the Order, led by the Lagos Metro Grand Knight, Sir Don Ezeh, the Supreme Knight, Sir (Dr.) Charles Mbelede, Rev. Fr. Augustine Anagboso who represented the Metro Chaplain, Metro President, Lady Juliet Damian-Osuigwe, Noble Provost 2, Lady Elfrida Amadi and members of Lagos Metro Executive Council, KSM and LSM. In his address, the Metro Grand Knight congratulated and welcomed the new Knights and Ladies of St. Mulumba and traced the founding of the Order by Rev. Fr. Abraham Anselm Isidahome Ojefua, a Benedictine Monk to 71 years ago in 1953 after receiving the approval of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
This took place at the Holy Ghost College Chapel, Owerri with 23 members at a ceremony presided over by His Lordship, Bishop Whelan of Owerri Diocese. The Order, he said had grown in strength a thousand-fold from the initial 23 members as it’s now more than 23,000 in membership. He stressed that being a knight meant a higher level of challenge and service to the Church, its clergy and religious, the society and to the Order and its members with one’s Talents, Time and Treasure.
He said that knights must touch the lives of the less privileged in the society through charity and live by the tenets of the corporal works of mercy. He admonished them to, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:16). The Supreme Knight congratulated the new knights for being found worthy to be knights. He informed them that KSM was a brand and member of a global brand, the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK), and KSM members sojourning abroad were automatically members of any of the global affiliates of IACK like the Knights of Columbus of the USA.
He posited that knights are like lights that are lit and can only provide illumination with their character, honour and integrity from their immediate families to the larger society. On her part, the Metro President, Lady Juliet Damian-Osuigwe, stated that KSM is a family and Marian Order, as she harped on discipline and prayerfulness, and requested the ladies to eschew gossip and use their mouths to edify and glorify God. Rev. Fr. Anagboso, prayed for God’s grace, empowerment, zeal and renewal of strength for the new knights on their journey to support and defend the Church.
Other Metro officials made presentations to the new knights on the structure, administration, constitution, funding, discipline and spirituality in the Order from the perspectives of their offices. Following the above recollection, the ceremonies proceeded to the admissions proper where the new Knights were formally admitted into the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba Nigeria in the presence of their families and friends.
