The four modules of Leading for Mission seminar comprising twelve highly engaging topics were wrapped up on Saturday August 13, 2022 at St. Cyprian Catholic Church, Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos with the Priest and Lay leaders praising His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Catholic Archbishop of Lagos for providing the Faithful the platform to be guided on how to effectively manage and run the different organisations and societies in the Church. While thanking the participants who endured throughout the duration of the training that lasted for four Saturdays, stretching for eight hours from 9’O clock in the morning to 5’O clock in the evening, for the physical class, the Parish priest, Very Rev Fr. Richard Fasuyi, extolled the Archbishop for what he described as his magnanimity, and for graciously giving out free of charge such an enriching seminar that ordinarily would have attracted huge sums of money as fees. He said leaders in the Church, especially Chairmen, Presidents, Secretaries, among other holders of important positions in the Church who failed to attend the training through either the Zoom platform or the physical class have no business holding on to the present office they occupied.
He however, advised defaulting leaders to take advantage of the Zoom platform or the physical class still in progress in some parishes and deaneries to conform to the Archbishop’s vision of an engaged Church. Otherwise such officer involved and seen not to have complied may be asked to step down from the position he or she is currently occupying at the Parish, Deanery or Archdiocesan level. An empowered Laity would certainly impact positively on the Church, he advised. He noted that the skills acquired from the training would be useful not only in the Church but in managing homes, place of work and even individual businesses as it is all encompassing. Some of the Church leaders who attended the seminar spoke about their take home from the training, which also has the diagnostic survey for individual self-assessment, using the SWOT formula; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. For Mrs. Pauline Nebo, CWONLA President, she thanked the Archbishop for giving her and others the opportunity to be part of the programme, describing the Prelate as purposeful, focused and humble in running the affairs of the Church. She said the Archbishop has done well in building capacity for the Clergy and Laity to grow the Church in the Archdiocese and beyond.
Mr. Thomas Yakubu, President of one of the pious societies in the Church, said he learnt so many things, including how to resolve conflicts and remain neutral without taking sides; his behaviour would now change for the better, be humble, communicate effectively to be understood and be punctual at assignments. He was also made to understand that people have their unique characters and should not be judged rashly and to be patient with people. “The seminar has prepared me to be more mature in handling situations and the personnel I oversee in my work place,” submitted Mr. David Asamaigo, a security officer and member of CMO. He also learnt how to delegate functions to avoid stress. Miss Appolonia Anyanwu, representing one of the societies, said “I now know how to organise myself better in any venture I undertake, delegate duties and develop personal self-awareness. Miss Ngozi Igbokwe, the Parish Representative of LFM said so far St. Cyprian Catholic Church appears to have the highest number of participants in the Deanery, recording over one hundred attendees in each of the four modules, just as it attracted people from other parishes owing to the conducive environment provided by the parish priest including breakfast and lunch.
Mr. John-Bosco Adewole, the Deanery Coordinator and facilitator, and Mrs. Felicia Onifade also a facilitator and coordinator, among other facilitators disclosed that the training was to help mold better leaders to face a larger group they belong to, fit into the world and accommodate everybody irrespective of religion, race, gender and temperaments. Adewole asked interested participants to join the facilitators’ group, even as the saying goes, the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. The Leading to Mission is a project of His Grace, Most Rev (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins working together with his team in association with the Lagos Business School in building capacity for the Clergy and Lay faithful to realize the objective of spiritually committed parishioners and engaged Parishes.
