“When you are troubled and find yourself overwhelmed by the turbulence of life, run to the Priest, listen to his advice and you would find peace.” A Dominican Priest of the Oder of Preachers, Rev. Fr. Victor Ogundipe, OP stated this at the Thanksgiving Mass and reception for newly ordained Rev. Fr. Jude Akpobasa, OP, held penultimate Sunday at St. Cyprian Catholic Church, New Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos. The homilist who thanked God for giving the Church another Priest of the order of Melchizedek, titled the theme of the homily, “TIP-tribulation, invitation and power.”
According to him, the acronym, TIP is a true reflection of what is happening in the world today, emphasising on the Nigerian experience. He said just as Elijah was in tribulation in the first reading taken from 1 Kings 19: 9a. 11-13a and ran to God, Peter in the gospel of Matthew 14: 22-33, stretched out his hands to Jesus Christ at the moment of sinking in the water, are lessons to draw from that the Priest is indeed, our friend. In his words, “the Priest is inviting us to come to him when we are in distress”. He would give us power to overcome, through counselling and prayers. People are afraid in Nigeria today because of the hardship and uncertainties holding back their progress”.
He insisted that Nigerians are not to be seen as failures, but because of the condition they find themselves they tend to give up hope. The strong wind that tore the mountains, broken pieces of the rock and earthquakes in the first reading are like the tribulations we face in real life, he counselled. But that we should take action, as Elijah and Peter did before God by taking a step of faith, approach God’s representative, the Priest to find solace and comfort when the storm of life appears to shatter our dreams.
In his remarks, Very Rev. Fr. Richard Fasuyi, the Parish Priest, expressed his profound gratitude to those who attended the ordination ceremony of Rev. Fr. Jude Akpobasa in Ibadan, the Priests and Religious who came all the way from Ibadan and beyond for the Thanksgiving Mass and reception. He prayed that Fr. Jude would overcome the temptations and challenges that may come his way. The parishioners, well-wishers, friends, and relatives decked in beautifully designed Ankara uniform, turned out in their numbers to witness the event, including the mother of the priest, Mrs. Christiana Akpobasa who could not hold back her joy as she danced to the admiration of the crowd just as she spoke well of all who attended the ceremony.
In his thank you message to worshippers, colleagues in the priesthood, the religious, seminarians, mentors and teachers, Fr. Jude expressed his appreciation for their kind support in the course of his journey to the priesthood. Similarly, he praised the virtues of his late father, Mr. Godfrey Akpobasa, his mother, siblings and relations for bringing him up with the fear of God. The journey of Fr. Jude to the priesthood started at a very young age from an altar boy to a lector, aside from joining the Praesidium as a legionary. His humility and academic qualifications were never in doubt as testified by his childhood friends, relatives; his onetime teacher and parishioner, Mrs. Agnes Adesanya, who taught him at a tender age spoke emphatically of his brilliance.
After his secondary education, the young Jude proceeded to the University of Benin, Benin city, Edo State where he studied Petroleum Engineering and entered the seminary in Ibadan after graduation. On July 8, 2023, he was ordained a priest of the Dominican, OP alongside five other deacons. Fr. Jude Akpobasa joins the rank of priests, formed and nurtured by the Church, among them, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Fatoye, who also attended the occasion.
