Press Release

Bishop announces new elevations to Archdeacons and Canon! The Diocese of Evo, Anglican Communion, has wrapped up her weeklong 14th Anniversary Celebrations with an Ordination service at All Saints’ Cathedral, Rumuokwurusi, Rivers State on Sunday 16th July 2023.

In a dramatic manner, almost at the close of the service, the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. Innocent Uchechukwu Ordu, DSSRS, JP, announced the elevation of four Canons to the position of Venerables/Archdeacons and a priest to the position of a Canon. They include Rev. Canons Kingsley Ohajianya, Olufemi Igbamerun, Gospel Onuchukwu, and Chieme Chimobi as Archdeacons, and Rev. Dr. Ebeneezer Owhor was elevated to Canon. This surprise announcement elicited rousing applause and jubilation among the congregation.

The main event of the day was actually the ordination of a priest and eight deacons. The Bishop of the Diocese of Evo, Rt. Rev. Innocent Ordu, DSSRS, ordained a priest during the solemn service, while eight other Ordinands were ordained Deacons. The ordained priest is Rev. Anson Herbert Gogonte, while the Deacons are Victor Chika Orlu, Cherechi Freeborn Ndukauba, Chinedu Justin Opara, Chukwudi Fidelis Edem, Nwabueze Daniel Ndukwe, David Chibuosor Wopara, Godwin Owhochukwu Ovunwo, and Victor Nathaniel Okechukwu.

In his charge to the newly ordained, Bishop Ordu tasked them to eschew every form of egocentrism and do the will of God without complaining wherever they will be posted to do God’s work. Delivering the sermon, the Guest Preacher, Ven. Sunday Adepoju, tasked the church to emulate Jesus’s model of leadership, which offers timeless, selfless, and purposeful servant leadership—speaking on the theme “Servant leadership as an imperative for Church leadership” with text from Mark 10:42–45, Ven. Adepoju frowned at the “self-seeking, self-serving, and domineering kind of leadership that we often see in the church today” while harping on the emulation of leadership that serves the interest of the common good as the people are valuable assets from God.

The Preacher further identified the ‘Moses and Joshua models’ of servant leadership, which centered on intercession, the delegation of duties, empowerment, and obedience to constituted authorities.”Whatever level of leadership you are at, Jesus is admonishing you to lead by service, while every follower should listen to authority and carry out the wish of the leader,” he said. Ven. Sunday Adepoju concluded by distinguishing integrity, humility, flexibility, resilience, stewardship, and empathy as necessary requirements for servant leadership.

The service, which was well attended by the Evo Diocesan community, featured soul-lifting melodies by the Cathedral band as worshippers sang and danced gloriously in appreciation to God for an eventful and impactful 14-year anniversary of the Diocese.

Signed

Diocese of Evo Directorate of Media and Communications,

Tuesday, July 18, 2023.

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