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By Luke Onyekakeyah
Like a thunderbolt, death, the leveller of all mortals, came the other day and snatched from us our dearly beloved brother, friend and classmate, Rev.Fr. Anthony Nwachukwu (aka Azuma). What can we do in the circumstance other than to thank the Almighty God who knows all things?
From a humble and obscure beginning, Father Anthony rose to the pinnacle of priestly excellence. As a typical Mbaise man who cherished the culture and tradition of his people by his unfailing hilarious interest in the Abigbo cultural dance. Azuma left enviable record to his personal merit and the glory of God.
Born on October 11, 1952 to the late Pa Ezinna and Mama Ezinne Francis Nwachukwu of Umukazi Umuchie Ezeagbogu in Ezinihitte local council in Mbaise, Imo State, the young Anthony did his primary school at St. Theresa’s Catholic Primary School in Ezeagbogu. During the period, he was the head of the altar boys (mass servers) in the Ezinihitte Parish.
Father Anthony began his priestly journey at St. Mary’s Junior Seminary, Umuowa Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria. After completing Class Two, he moved to the St. Peter Claver Seminary, Okpala, as was the arrangement then to complete his junior seminary programme in 1976.
After doing his mandatory one year apostolic work, he proceeded to the Ikot Ekpene campus of the Bigard Memorial Major Seminary for his philosophy studies. Thereafter, he went to the Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu where he completed his theology studies.
Father Anthony was ordained priest in 1987. He served in several parishes for thirteen years in Nigeria before proceeding abroad for further pastoral work. He taught at Ibiam Girls School, Afikpo, iAbia State. He also taught Latin in Bigard Memorial Seminary as well as a wide range of courses in religion at St. Peter Claver and Mater Ecclesia seminaries in Nigeria. He was awarded the Dorothy Day Prize in Pastoral Care and Counseling from the Graduate Theological Foundation (GTF).
Dr. Nwachukwu holds the B.A. Honours in Divinity and Philosophy from the Bigard Memorial Seminary (an affiliated institution of the Urbanian University in Rome), Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Technology and the Master of Education in Educational Philosophy from Imo State University, the Master of Divinity from the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Ph.D Religious Studies from the University of Port Harcourt and Doctor of Psychology from the Graduate Theological Foundation (GTF).
In 2016, Father Anthony was inducted as a Fellow of the Graduate Theological Foundation in recognition of his service to the GTF as Professor of Counseling Psychology and West African Studies and in appreciation of his s outstanding service as Chair of the New York City Doctoral Defense Panel.
Dr. Nwachukwu was a certified Chaplain member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. He served for over seven years in the New York University Medical Centre. He was the first chaplain to be the recipient of the Safety Team Award by the Nursing Department of the Medical Centre. He was recently certified in New York as a Mediator in Conflicts Resolution, in addition to being a Retreat Moderator, first Assistant Administrator of Mater Ecclesia Diocese, a Theological Vicariate Examiner and Judge in the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal of Ahiara Diocese in Nigeria.
In July 2018, Father Anthony was appointed as the Spiritual Director/Chaplain of St. Ann’s Novitiate, Little Sisters of the Poor, Queen’s Village, New York, by the Father-figure Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Nicholas DiMarzio. Being the first black to hold that position, Dr. Nwachukwu embraced his mission in the USA as fruitfully and divinely motivated.
Father Anthony has a catalogue of scholarly publications among which is “The 50 Steps to a Happy Marriage,” available from major booksellers such as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, etc. It sold for over 40,000 copies by the National Catholic Council of Women Organisation across Nigeria. The marriage guide elevated him to the position of a judge in the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal of Ahiara Diocese. For Father Nwachukwu, “Love is a choice – personal.” He relentlessly devoted much effort to positively and innovatively empower society in his respective fields of study.
It is regrettable that Dr. Nwachukwu died in far away USA when he could have returned to his native Ahiara Diocese to impart his wealth of knowledge and experience, no thanks to the turmoil that rocked the Diocese for long, which left it without a bishop to which the church hierarchy in Nigeria has resolved now with the appointment of a new auxiliary bishop.
May the Almighty God grant his faithful servant, Professor (Dr) Anthony Nwachukwu (Azuma), eternal rest in his heavenly Kingdom, Amen.
• Dr. Onyekakeyah wrote the tribute on behalf of St. Peter Claver Seminary, Okpala, 1976 set
