It has been almost two years since the current President of the Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Men Organisation of Nigeria (LACMON), Barr. Lawrence Ekwem, assumed office, and his tenure has been marked by remarkable growth and renewed focus on family values. Under his leadership, LACMON has witnessed a significant surge in membership across the 224 parishes of the Archdiocese, reflecting a vibrant resurgence of Catholic men committed to deepening their faith and defending family life. In this exclusive interview with The Editor, NETA NWOSU, Ekwem shares the organisation’s milestones, including hosting record-breaking conventions that addressed urgent issues like drug and pornographic addictions in family life, fostering spiritual formation, supporting the Church’s needs, and initiating Nigeria’s Family Protection Bill to safeguard the sanctity of marriage and family. He also discusses his leadership approach, the challenges faced, and the vision guiding LACMON into its next phase. His insights reveal a mission rooted in service, unity, and holiness.
It’s been over a year since you took office as President. What are the most significant accomplishments of your tenure so far?
Thanks Neta, is almost two years actually. We thank God immensely for His graces, blessings while in office. One of the things I believe the Lord used us to accomplish is creation, mobilisation of many new members into LACMON. We have grown tremendously in our numbers across the 224 parishes in the Archdiocese, including the quasi parishes. The numbers of people seeking to be inducted into CMO as full members have grown. Take for instance, last year’s 2024 LACMON family convention, over 6,280 members attended that family convention that focused on overcoming drug and pornographic addictions in family life.
This year 2025, LACMON family convention, we have over 10,621 members, including huge number of new members to be inducted, registered to attend the convention in St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, South-West, Ikoyi, Lagos. And registration is not done yet. Now, we are in circumstances that have left us to deal with the logistics issues for such a huge number of CMO members. By God’s grace we shall succeed. Secondly, a lot of interest and awareness has been created and being engendered by our focus on only marriage, family value-based issues etc. The challenges those institutions face in contemporary world and we strive to deal with such issues.
We have done a lot on formation of members on the teachings of our faith and on issues pertaining to social justice. We have been supportive of the Church in its needs as much as we are able, and we keep striving to do more. We have now a well-equipped modern full-fledged LACMON office on the 3rd floor of the Social Centre of St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland formally opened by the Church. This helps us to serve our members better in love and charity and of course, the Church.
We have a formal LACMON T-shirt that we wear to some of our events, as part of modernising LACMON and to complement our uniforms We have almost completed the amendment of our constitution to align it with current developments in the Archdiocese. Our financial base has improved tremendously and we have investments in treasury bills, all aimed at being ready, willing and able to support in any way we can whenever we are called upon to do so.
What factors contributed to this increase in membership during your tenure?
What singularly has promoted this immense growth in membership is open, simple and transparent leadership which we try to run, to demonstrate we are only interested in service to man and God, no more no less! Building personal relationships with members as far as possible and practicable, also the programmes and contents of the programmes we run are part and parcel of the factors that drive and drove membership up!
How has your leadership impacted the growth and direction of the organisation?
It has in terms of active participation, interest in CMO, learning in better way how to love, unity of life, i.e uniting what we hear on the pulpits with how we live our lives in our families, work places, business places and relationships with our neighbours among others with those we hear in practical terms. It is said that the real retreat begins after you leave the retreat premises and get into the real world! There has been a significant growth in interest among members, especially from the private sector! Better use and management of time and better focus on our marriage and family affairs.
A lot of contemporary issues and events that impact our world and our faith, especially in a negative way, are all coming to fore among our members in ways and manner we have never been used to. For example, our convention for this year is focused on confused gender ideologies and family life, AI, new technologies, devices and family life, his presence, the Eucharist, its efficacy and proven events that happen on account of this sacrament, business entrepreneurship and family life, wellness vs. healthcare, Human or gods design among others. These issues are issues that impact tremendously on our members’ marriage, family and of course, our Catholic faith!
Can you highlight some notable activities, programmes, or initiatives undertaken by the organisation during your tenure?
Our programmes on marriage and family-based issues are what we deal with in our conventions! The themes and topics of our convention have changed to marriage and family-based issues and this perhaps account for increased number of people that are interested and engaged with our conventions and the message and knowledge derived or to be derived therefrom. The LACMON football competition in honour of our Archbishop is also uniting the CMO family and bringing them in their numbers among others.
How has the organisation engaged with the community, particularly in terms of evangelisation, social service, and family support?
Precisely in my previous responses to previous questions. We have a deliberate practice of intervening in a methodical way whenever the need arise and contingent on our ability and capacity to assist. These varied assistance are mostly to our members, and usually done through our Deaneries and Parishes, as it were!
What steps has the organisation taken to promote spiritual growth and discipleship among its members?
I have earlier responded to this question! The true test of our Christian faith is how we live it and how we get others to do same. Precisely, unity of life and apostolate, for instance, bring people to God. We continue to make efforts in that regard, while we carefully and quietly collate feedback on the impact of our events on members in terms of their formation, spiritual growth and other faith based affairs, and the impact all these have on our work, marriage and family life since marriage is our path to sanctity!
What challenges have you faced as President, and how have you addressed them?
Members who are politicians and their somewhat negative political activities in the organisation, lack of punctuality on occasions, indiscipline of varied kinds among members, ignorance (sometimes) of some of us as to the essence of why we are here, and lack of appreciation of the deep meaning of Christ who is our leader and our ultimate destination and end. Of course, lack of adequate funds which we would have utilised to embark on more projects and commitment that will serve the Church and members better.
How do you see the organisation evolving in the next phase of its growth, and what opportunities do you see on the horizon?
Membership development and activities have tremendously grown, and this I expect will continue. I see more involvement of members mostly from the private sector in CMO. They are in the groups of members who ordinarily do not have time for matters and organisations of this nature. However, once you are able to convince them about the need to put order in their lives, and see the clear connection between what keeps them very busy and their professional life, social life, marriage and family life, they are usually very committed and give in their best in any organisation they commit to be in the circumstances.
How does the organisation measure its impact on the community, and what metrics do you use to assess its effectiveness?
Precisely, through feedbacks we get from a broad spectrum of members. Also feedbacks from the Church leadership across the board. Listening to helpful advice and suggestions. We use all these feedback to assess the impact we have or are having on the members and the person next to us.
What are the organisation’s plans and priorities for the coming year, and how do you intend to build on the progress made so far?
We need to have accurate membership data. Currently, it is significantly fluid! Promotion and pursuit of a bill (which we are currently working on) aimed at the protection, preservation and development of the family. We intend to push for enactment of this bill through the National Assembly as they have in some African countries e.g. Kenya. We continue to pursue our marriage, family-based programmes for the protection and preservation of the family institutions against attacks to destroy it in the world. Better welfare programmes for our members, improved support for the Church and continuous formation of our members and ultimately, our family members
Are there any new initiatives or programmes in the pipeline that you’re particularly excited about?
Already identified. A notable one that we plan to do is an expose on domestic violence, gender-based issues and issues bordering on social teachings of the Church heavily dwelling on social justice from the Catholic Christian point of view. How does the organisation’s mission and values guide its work and decision-making? It is sufficient to state that all that we pursue is consistent with our objectives, constitution and teachings of the Church. Anything outside of these, we focus less and less without necessarily undermining their importance.
What message would you like to convey to Catholic men in Lagos and beyond about the importance of living out their faith in their daily lives?
Our marriages and families are all our path to sanctity, a path to the sacred heart of love. What’s the benefit to us if we gain everything, power, possession, position etc, and miss Heaven. We are custodians and spiritual leaders of our faith, and at some point, we are going to be held to account on what and how we lived our faith, related with our spouses, our children and how we worked, did our businesses, loved our neighbours, etc. No one is going to live this place alive! What will people sincerely say about us when we are gone? That in a nutshell is my message to not only my colleagues but also to everyone including me too!
