Lagos Charismatic Institute matriculates first set of students

Reports by Pascal Chimezie

His Grace, Alfred Adewale Martin, Archbishop of Lagos

The Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Institute (LACCI), an academy initiative of the  Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria, on Sunday, May 30, held its first matriculation ceremony for its pioneer students. 

It was inside the main hall of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Isolo.

Very Rev. Monsignor Anthony Obanla, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Lagos represented His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martin, the Archbishop of Lagos. 

Also in attendance was the Chaplain of the Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Msgr. Paschal Nwaezeapu, amongst other dignitaries.

A cross sections of the students

The institute, according to Uche Anyanwu, chairman of Lagos Archdiocesan Service of Communion (LASC), an umbrella body of charismatics in Lagos Archdiocese, is to train members on discipleship, having intimate relationship with Jesus. 

Lagos CCRN chaplain & Uche Anyanwu

"Discipleship," he defined, "is having Jesus in your heart and being able to transfer him to others."

"LACCI is not all about discipleship," he further said. "We need to grow Lagos spiritually and in entrepreneurship. We need to develop men and women to become entrepreneurs, those who can employ others."

Very Rev.Msgr. Obanla, representing the Archbishop

He said the institute was open to both Catholics and non Catholics alike. 

Some of the students interviewed expressed joy for the great opportunity and the quality of the curricula of the institute. 

One of them, Egejuru Kenneth, said, "I thank God for leading me to this school. My eyes are now open to a lot of things which I didn't know before. I give glory to God."

All prayer groups and deaneries in Lagos Catholic Charismatic Renewal attended the occasion, with financial support. 

St. Leo's CCRN and the Ikeja deanery were not left out. 

The Institute has enrolled over 70 students since its inception about a year ago, many of whom participated at the ceremony. 

"Declare a State of Emergency on Security Now," Archbishop tells FG

In another development, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Adewale Martins, has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity in the country.

In a statement e-mailed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, the catholic archbishop said the call became necessary in order to save the country from the looming anarchy staring.

According to him, incessant cases of kidnapping, murder, burning down of police stations, correctional facilities, and INEC offices nationwide, among others, have made the declaration of a state of emergency on insecurity inevitable.

“It is obvious that insecurity, apart from corruption, has become the single most serious problem that is facing our country today.

“Many innocent persons are being kidnapped for ransom, many are being attacked in their homes and displaced with their property destroyed and normal life disrupted daily.

“Even policemen and their stations are being deliberately attacked with impunity. What this means is that the country is gradually drifting into a state of anarchy. This, no doubt, portends a grave danger for our collective wellbeing,” he said.

In the statement signed by the Director of Social Communications, Anthony Godonu, the prelate bemoaned the inability of government at all levels to unravel the root causes of insecurity and bring the perpetrators and sponsors to book.

”Efforts to rid the country of kidnappers and bandits should include constant dialogue between representatives of the security agencies and major stakeholders such as religious leaders, traditional rulers, leaders of ethnic groups, the civil society, and political parties,” the archbishop said.

In addition to declaring a state of emergency, the prelate called on the federal government to roll out practical action plans with time frames within which insecurity will be brought under control.