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And the Bell tolled for Fr. Azike
A Tribute by Ngige Nwachukwu
I learnt with pain yesterday, of the death of my former Parish priest, Rev.Fr. Micheal Ndukuba Umenzekwe Azike, a native of Achina in Aguata local government area of Anambra State. Last seen over forty years ago, I had longed to see him one day again. Ụmụ Isreal ekwezikwalụnų mmadụ kpagharịa na ala Igbo. Arụ melụ!
Fr. Azike, seen from my childhood innocence four decades ago, was a seal of religious piety, an exemplar of the old order of sacerdotal devotion ! Here was a servant of God who imbued in me and many other of my generation, the initial but an undying zeal for fervent Catholicism. Under Azike, I learned to become an ardent and unrepentant Catholic . Here was a man who impacted my life in many ways.
One, I was initiated into the Alter Boys association to serve at holy mass under him in 1979. Two, I received the first holy communion under him in 1980. Three, he endorsed my entrance form to the glorious All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha, in 1981.
The very day we collected our admission letters, mailed through him to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Alor, he told us that for us to succeed in the journey to priesthood, we must reject the world. “Those things that your friends who are attending other secondary schools do are not for you. You have made a different choice,” he advised us in his tiny voice. Three of us received our letters that day. Felix, latter Rev. Fr. Felix Udo Ph.D. and Hilary Umenwune – may their souls continue to rest in peace absolute.
Fr. Azike was a strict, devout Catholic and had no time for plural secularism that is destroying the mother church today. He was passionate about mass and how the children of God would maximise its abundant benefits. On the altar, he was patient, streching his tiny voice to lift the hearts of the congregation. Alor was still under Nnokwa Parish , so the masses alternated on 6 am , 9am between Alor and Nnokwa. Azike didn’t have a fantastic voice but would wrap the concecretion with solemnity, singing them all.
He was humane, too. He would tell us if you are serving at mass , wake up early, and eat at least one hour before mass, so you won’t fall on the altar. On a few occasions, we trekked to Nnokwa on a Saturday evenings, behind the father’s house, we heard him rehearsing the mass. He preached holiness . I recall a day in 1980 when catholic pupils from the then 8 primary schools in Alor gathered for children harvest. Lined up in the church with baskets of farm harvests which our parents had given us , Azike asked the Cathecist, Mr. Timothy Agada to halt our procession to the alter. ” If you know you fought with your classmate, rained abuses , disobeyed your parents and seniors(those misdemeanours) go seek for forgiveness so that God will accept your offerings. Immediately, see pupils disappearing and returning one after the other. That is what the church was then. These days , thieves, murderers, 419ners, yahoo boys and looters are special in the church. These days, no Rev. Fr. asks of source of wealth . Just give , God will give you back.
Azike was a seal of piety. The benediction had just ended one Sunday evening and his Peugeot 404 saloon, white in colour developed fault. Azike with the Blessed host wrapped, was almost trekking to Nnokwa, when parishioner, a zealous Catholic and fulcrum of Alor greatness, Chief John Udoji, Ichie Ehulue I n’Alor bound for Onitsha with his family intervened. Quickly, all alightened from his car and Fr. Azike was conveyed to Nnokwa.
Being a mass servant then was a role and honour conferal. It granted a status of holiness, and all of us strived towards it. One day in my primary school days will live forever. Pupils have gone on break and gathered around the Mama chiedu kiosk to buy buns, akara, agidi , biscuits and all. Mama Chiedu was arguing that one of the pupils didn’t pay for biscuits. I was linning up to buy too and saw when the boy gave her 1kobo. Everyone stood by the boy but the woman disbelieved all until I told her, the boy had paid her. Guess what happened? She said, ” you won’t lie, you are a ‘man server'(sic). The was how the matter ended.
Azike also had fiery temper but often suppressed it. He was a man of scant words and thorough on all accounts. He once told us, ” “ndidi na amamife bụ nwanne – patience and wisdom are companions.
Now, after administering the first holy communion on us in August 1980 at a holy mass officiated by the Monsignor Nweke Ezeanya, who later became the Arch Bishop of Onitsha, our Cathecist, the ever committed Timothy Agada was also priming us for the sacrament of confirmation in October of the same year. We were hopeful until one day in late September, a drama occurred at our Cathecism class. Fr. Azike arrived from Nnokwa to have a one on one with the young cathecumen. In our class, were proselytes who just received adult baptism and communion. Notable among them was Okonkwo Ezeọnụgo from Isieke village. Besides the Cathecist, another veteran teacher and laity leader, Simeon Nwabueze, also came to the doctrine class. Then, Fr. Azike began to throw questions randomly at individual class members . Gini bụ okwukwe? Gini bu comfirmation? Kọwakene ya ofuma ? Gini bu purgatory? Numerous questions. Some answered correctly, and some failed. Then, he came to Okonkwo Ezeonugo and asked him. Ọ bụlụ na virgin Maria abụghị nne nke chukwu, gini kalụ ime? Tough one! Okonkwo looked left , looked right, laughed and enthused at the end. “Ọ bụlụ na ọchọghị ịmụtanụ, ọhapụbanụ. A chọbakwanụ onye ọzọ ga-amụtanụ.”
Hei! The class was torn into pieces . Fr. Azike couldn’t contain his anger and immediately dissolved the class. You are not ripe for confirmation , chiding the Agada and Nwabueze for informing him we were all already.
The sought for thoroughness denied Azike patience he once told us is an accompaniment of wisdom. All are human alas.
May God Almighty accept the soul of His servant, Michael Umenzekwe in peace ! Ominibus Moriendum- all must die!
Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, on Sunday paid a visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
The governor was accompanied by officials of the Sokoto State Government during the closed-door visit.
Nnamdi Kanu was recently moved to Sokoto after he was convicted on terrorism-related charges and handed a life sentence by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Governor Otti had earlier promised to pursue every lawful and political avenue to ensure that Kanu gets justice. Sunday’s visit is seen as part of ongoing efforts by the Abia State Government regarding his case.
Details of the meeting were not made public as of the time of this report.
Armed terrorists have abducted a bride-to-be, her bridesmaid, and eight other residents from Chacho village in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State
The Sokoto abduction occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to residents, when the attackers stormed the village. Most of the victims were women, with only one man also taken.
One resident sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment. Villagers told reporters that the bride was preparing for her wedding scheduled for later that morning when the raid struck, plunging the community into shock and mourning.
A community member described the attack as “tragic,” noting the delay in security response. “Security operatives were alerted immediately, but they only arrived about an hour after the bandits had fled,” he said, expressing frustration.
….Writes NMDPRA, Engages Marketers to Stabilise Fuel Market
Photo caption: L R: Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Fertiliser Limited, Vishwajit Sinha; Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Dangote Petroleum Refinery, David Bird; President and Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Ltd, Aliko Dangote; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, South South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, during the visit of SSDC members to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lagos on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced plans to supply one billion five hundred million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) monthly to the Nigerian market in December 2025 and January 2026, a move aimed at ensuring uninterrupted nationwide fuel availability through the festive season and into the New Year.
President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, disclosed the plans at the weekend, noting that the refinery will make available 50 million litres of PMS daily beginning December 1.
“In line with our commitment to national wellbeing, and consistent with our track record of ensuring a holiday season free of fuel scarcity, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will supply 1.5 billion litres of PMS to the Nigerian market this month. This represents 50 million litres per day. We are formally notifying the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of this commitment. We will supply another 1.5 billion litres in January and increase to 1.7 billion litres in February, which translates to about 60 million litres per day,” Dangote said.
Photo caption: L R: President and Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Ltd, Aliko Dangote; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, South South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, during the visit of SSDC members to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lagos on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Speaking during a visit by the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to the refinery and the Dangote Fertiliser complex, he stated that the facility currently has adequate stock and is producing between 40 and 45 million litres of PMS daily. He added that the daily supply of 50 million litres should dispel long-standing claims that domestic refineries lack the capacity to meet national demand.
Dangote also revealed ongoing engagement with petroleum marketers to strengthen distribution systems, including expanding the use of CNG-powered haulage.
“Our priority is to ensure Nigeria receives the products it needs. This is not driven by profit motives; it is about guaranteeing the availability of essential energy products. It is similar to the transformation we delivered in the cement sector,” he added.
He further noted that the refinery is progressing with its expansion plan to reach a capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day. More than 100,000 workers are expected to be involved in the expansion of both the refinery and the fertiliser complex. Dangote emphasised that the Group remains committed to its vision, driven by the strong public support for the company’s role in shaping Nigeria’s economic development.
During the visit, the Managing Director of SSDC, Usoro Offiong Akpabio, commended Dangote’s leadership and his continued contribution to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial capability, national energy security and long-term economic competitiveness.
She described the South-South region as Nigeria’s natural energy corridor, with vast crude oil reserves, gas infrastructure, maritime assets, agro-industrial activity and emerging industrial clusters. She noted that deeper collaboration between the region and the Dangote Group could unlock opportunities in product distribution, CNG infrastructure, petrochemicals, agriculture, and employment creation.
Akpabio added that such partnerships would advance the Federal Government’s energy stability agenda and position the South-South as a strategic growth hub for the Dangote Group.
“As the statutory development body for the South-South, SSDC is mandated to drive regional economic development, infrastructure integration, human capital advancement, and private-sector–led growth. In this regard, we stand prepared to support State-level policy and regulatory support for Ease-of-doing-business across our six states. Enabling environments for Dangote Group’s expansion into strategic sectors such as gas processing, agro-industrial value chains, renewable energy, logistics, and export-oriented manufacturing,” she said.
In a letter from the refinery’s Managing Director, David Bird, to the Authority Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, the company reaffirmed its readiness to host NMDPRA officials onsite at the refinery from December 1st to verify and publish its daily supply volumes. The refinery also sought the Authority’s support to ensure unhindered importation of crude, feedstocks and blending components, as well as smooth vessel loading for product evacuation.
“In the spirit of full transparency to the public we are willing to publish our daily production and stock volumes (online and print media),” Bird stated. “We seek the full support of NMDPRA to allow Dangote refinery to import our crude, feedstocks and blending components unhindered as well as support the lifting of our products by vessel. We continue to experience delays in vessel clearance which impacts not only the refinery operations but also our customers, adding unnecessary costs and inefficiencies”.
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