In the rich history of St. Mary’s Parish, Enugu-Ezike, during the 1980s, the late Rev. Fr. Dr. Donatus Agbo, then Parish Priest, sought to provide more effective pastoral care to a vast and populous parish. To achieve this, he introduced a zonal system, dividing the parish into Anyanwu Ututu Zone, Anyanwu Anyasi Zone, Ikpamodo Zone and the Central Station Zone. These zones comprised multiple stations, many of which would eventually rise to become independent parishes, culminating in the establishment of St. Mary’s Parish as a deanery.
Fr. Agbo invited Rev. Fr. John Martin Chikani to assist in ministering to Anyanwu Ututu Zone, which then included Uda, Amufie, Ugbaike, Inyi, Olido, Amube, Ogbodu, and Umachi. Fr. Chikani, in his characteristic vigor, zeal, and no-nonsense approach, assumed responsibility for the zone with passion, precision, and an unwavering sense of purpose.
I was a secondary school student at the time, and the presence of Fr. John Martin was electric, formidable, and transformative. Known for his uncompromising discipline, he did not simply celebrate Mass; he commanded it. Entering a station, he carried not only the vestments of the priesthood but also a bunch of cane—ready to confront any boy whose mischief threatened the sanctity of worship.
One faithful Sunday, at the Primary School at Amufie where Mass was celebrated, some boys were making noise at the extreme back of the Primary School turned into a Church, Fr. John Martin’s sharp eyes caught them immediately. He did not mince words. Addressing all the young men that were in the Church that day directly in the language we could understand, he berated, admonished, and humiliated us with a ferocity that shocked every nerve. He declared, bluntly, that we had nothing to contribute to life except the antics of Akakpa masquerades. He reminded us that from Uda, Amufie, Amube, Umachi, and Ogbodu, not one boy had yet entered the seminary, let alone become a priest.
That day, Fr. Chikani did more than discipline; he sparked a holy fire within me. The humiliation, the anger, the clarity of his words—each became a catalyst for transformation. A sacred indignation rose within me: a burning desire to prove that one could indeed rise from our villages to serve God as a priest.
After Mass, the station chairman of Uda, the late Francis Ugwuanyi, approached us and remarked: “Corli, it is you people he was speaking to, not those already married.” I could only respond, “I will think about it.” Yet, that “thinking” was no idle reflection—it was the ignition of a lifelong calling. What began as contemplation intensified into a resolute vocation, and today, I stand to give a testimony to the fiery, formative power of Fr. John Martin Chikani.
I owe this sacred journey—the very spark that ignited my priestly vocation—to Fr. John Martin. It was his fearless confrontation, his uncompromising standards, and his visionary zeal that provoked in me the courage to hear God’s call and respond. I thank God daily that I had the opportunity to share with him the truth of this transformation, and to honor the profound role he played in shaping not only my life but countless others.
Fr. John Martin Chikani did not merely educate; he provoked, challenged, and inspired. He did not merely guide; he ignited vocations. And for that, I will forever be grateful to him.
Rest in peace, Fr!
(Fadobe)
