• Gives over N16.5m palliatives
• Builds St. Augustine Chapel at Kirikiri correctional centre valued at N50m
By Neta Nwosu
The Order of Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, Lagos Metropolitan Council last week Friday, announced that it gave over N16.5 million palliatives during the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, to its members and parishioners of Catholic Churches across its council that include, the Archdiocese of Lagos and Dioceses of Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode. Addressing the media on the 60th anniversary celebration of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba in the Lagos Metropolitan Council, Sir William Adebisi, Metropolitan Grand Knight (MGK), Lagos Metropolitan Council said that the Metro’s impact on its members and the society is real. According to Sir Adebisi, over the years the metropolitan council has engaged in training of Priests and Reverend Sisters.
‘We visit the sick in hospitals and charity homes; give support to the needy and the parishes in our Metro Council and beyond. The Lagos Metro gave over N16.5 million palliatives, during the scourge of the pandemic to our members and parishioners.” The Metro, as its contribution to St. Albert The Great Major Seminary, Abeokuta, built a clinic and equipped it with N55m. The MGK recounted its activities further, “We built the St Augustine Chapel at Kirikiri correctional centre, Lagos at the cost of about N50 million. We give support to Augustine University annually: Our members have single handedly built chapels and donated them to home parishes apart from support to parishes within our jurisdiction from time to time. “Lagos Metro support towards the building of VUNA, the #400 million Supreme Council magnificent Chapel projects at the Catholic University Abuja was commended.
The Metro has been participating in good numbers annually at the Pilgrimage to Uganda and Isreal, until the pandemic. “We worship with prisoners every month at the Kirikiri medium correctional centre and have released thousands of prisoners over the years and sponsored prison reforms seminar. At this celebration, one of the key programmes is a conference on decongestion of correctional centres to which stakeholders have been invited. On Thursday, September 16, 2021, a Policy Advocacy Conference on correctional reform was held at Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island. “The Metro Dance/Lunch and Fun-fair are social activities introduced for brothers and sisters to unwind and have fun. Annual retreats are organized for all Metro officers, Grand Knights and Presidents for leadership training. This is separate from our normal Lenten and Advent retreats by every sub-council.
Involvement of Youths
On involvement in the development of the youths, Lagos Metro has inaugurated over 300 youths of St Mulumba (YSM) in some of its Sub-councils while it has since commissioned IT centres for the training of youths in its efforts to impact them in their formation years in accordance with the vision and rationale for its formation for the future of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.
Pro-life activities
The Lagos Metro has taken prolife stance and campaign beyond anti-abortion stance and campaign. “We have keyed into the uniform implementation of the KSM PROMISES. Some of our Sub-Councils have unveiled the Cenotaph of unborn children in their parishes. We co-sponsor vigil of the unborn children with the society of Family Life and Health Unit, and the Archdiocese Annunciation Novena. “The Ladies on their part have, in addition to effective participation in all the programmes, embarked on projects such as building of houses for widows. They are now on the 3rd project having commissioned the second one recently. The LSM have introduced LSM Day to partly raise funds for projects, notably the LSM Metro at Bodije which is estimated to cost N500 million when completed.”
Active participation of members at highest level of the Order
Over the years, Lagos Metro has had its members serving at the Supreme Council level. Currently, the Worthy Supreme Knight, Sir Charles Mbelede, and has been joined by others from the Metro Council.
Projects
In order to alleviate the burden of burial expenses of our deceased members, a welfare scheme was established called LAMCLAS, which has been successful so far. Also, an investment scheme, LAMIGOB has been introduced to take charge of investment opportunities in the Metro, including the newly established St. Mulumba Hospital, Lagos Government approved. According to the MGK, the business unit will make it possible to keep members’ levies, for future projects minimal if profitably managed. “The current economic meltdown has taught every forward thinking organization to think out-of-the-box. “There is so much insecurity and political uncertainties in Nigeria today. We are more determined now than ever to continue to encourage our members to get more involved in active politics, so we can all save the country from imminent collapse, and appeal to the Press to join us in this struggle,” he stated on a final note.
Background
Lagos Sub-Council was created in 1961 and the first Grand Knight was Bro. Alfred Hooper. Bro. R.A.M Osuzu became the first Metro Grand Knight between 1994 and 1995, followed by Sir Joseph Onyia, Sir B.E Nwazojie, Sir John Egri-Okwaji, and then came Sir Patrick Ikemefuna. After him was Sir Charles Mbelede, the current Deputy Supreme Knight, then myself who is now honoured to celebrate this 60th anniversary. The Lagos Metropolitan Council grew from one Sub-Council in 1961 to the present 29 Sub-Councils today, with a population of over 2300 brothers and sisters.
