Biography of Bishop Usuh
The young Atule Usuh attended St.
Theresa's Primary School Abwa from 1951 to 1958 graduating as a pioneer
set. Most of the teachers in those days were Igbo. One of his teachers,
Mr. Fabian Mwakama is still alive and in his nineties. After graduating
from primary school, he went to RCM Abayol at Ukan in Ushongo Local
Government Area where he taught for one year from 1959 to 1960. He was
then transferred to RCM Kusuv in Mbatitiv, Yandev where he again taught
for one year from 1960 to 1961. It was during this time that an old
schoolmate of his who was already in the junior seminary while on
holiday persuaded him to join the seminary. In response to the call to
serve God in his vineyard, the young Atule discussed his desire with his
then parish priest, Father Sherwood of St. John's parish Gboko, who
advised him to take the entrance examination into the junior seminary.
He got the admission and studied at St. James Junior Seminary Keffi
from 1961 to 1965. In the junior seminary, his talents in music and
sports were evident as he was made the choirmaster and football captain
of the school. Leaving the junior seminary, he taught for a while at the
then St. Augustine's Teachers College Lafia in 1966.
The urge to continue his call to the
priesthood began to come to fruition when he was admitted to the Bigard
Memorial Seminary Enugu in September 1966. He recalls that all text
books were in Latin and it was very challenging. His sojourn at Bigard
lasted just three months because the outbreak of Nigeria civil war
occasioned his departure from the eastern part of the country in
November 1966. Fr. Donald Murray (who later became Bishop Murray)
had asked Fr. Rooney to go to Enugu and bring the seminarians back to
Makurdi. The young Athanasius Atule Usuh received his cassock and
tonsure and went back to teach at St. Augustine's Teachers Training
College, Lafia. The then Northern Ecclesiastical Province faced with
stranded seminarians sought for permission from Rome to begin a seminary
of its own in 1967.
This seminary, St. Augustine's Major
Seminary started at Keffi to cater for returning seminarians. It is
worthwhile to note that the sojourn in Keffi was only temporary and just
after a year, the seminary moved from Keffi to Jos, where it stated in a
primary school building at Dogon Dutse. The war had sent many families
away and populations in these schools were heavily decimated creating
room for the nascent seminary. Here the seminary stayed for a year and
half, then moved to its permanent site at Rafinpa. At the seminary, the
young seminarian Athanasius Usuh was an active football player and an
avid choir master. His love and mastery of the football game earned him
the school captaincy from his third year until graduation day. He was
also for many years the seminary's choirmaster and music teacher with
the help of Sr. Camel Dodd. While in the seminary, Bishop Usuh was made
the first editor of the Awakening Light, the seminary magazine.
The young seminarian was also for
many years involved in teaching at the St. Louise College Jos where he
was a History and English Language teacher. He was also at this time
heavily involved in sports development in the school. The priestly
ordination of Fr. Usuh took place on 19th December, 1971 at St. John's
Parish Gboko. On this day, seven deacons were ordained priests {Fathers
Edward Maaer, Moses Adasu, Athanasius Usuh, Stephen Beba, Benjamin
Adzor, Dominic Yuhe and Simon Ivever} in their third year of theology
and they had to go back to the seminary to complete their studies in
1972. The two surviving in that class are Bishop Usuh and Father Stephen
Beba. On the successful completion of his studies, Father Athanasius
Usuh was posted to St. Patrick's Parish Taraku in January 1973. At
Taraku, the young priest was interested in youth activities and their
formation. This interest led to his founding a football team, The
mosquitoes, a team of under -13 boys who mesmerized the entire state
with their skills.
The life of a priest is basically a missionary one and so, by December 1974, Father Usuh was transferred to Sacred Heart Parish Udei
where he served until early December 1975. By January 1976, he was
again called to take up a new challenge; His Bishop sent him to the St.
Augustine Major Seminary Jos. At the seminary apart from his duties as a
lecturer, he was made a dean of formation and director of music. While
working at the seminary in Jos, he was also appointed as the Diocesan
Vocations' Director. He spent two and half years in the seminary and was
sent to the United States of America to study at the Catholic
University, Washington D.C. His interest was liturgical music. Bishop
Murray initially objected to this and wanted him to study religious
education. So, he started studying religious education and later changed
his course to music. He completed his studies in liturgical music and
returned to the Diocese in 1980. In 1981, he was appointed Rector of St.
James Minor Seminary, Makurdi where he stayed for five years. During
this time, he was responsible for selecting and forming students who
will be trained as future priests for the Diocese.
It was based on his love for soccer
and his organisational skills that the Benue State Government made him
chairman of the State Football Association from 1984 to 1985. Gate
takings at the stadia rose by over 300%. Having served well as chairman
of Benue Football Association, the state placed another responsibility
on his shoulders to serve as chairman of the Benue State Christians
Pilgrim Welfare Board after the tenure of Bishop Achigili of the
Methodist church. In 1986, he was appointed parish priest of Holy Ghost Parish, Makurdi
and was also the Vicar General of the Diocese. He had a fulfilled
ministry at Holy Ghost Parish and was very happy. In November, 1987, Fr.
Athanasius Usuh was appointed a Coadjutor Bishop for the Catholic
Diocese of Makurdi to replace the soon to retire Bishop Donald J. Murray, CSSp.
Fr. Usuh's Episcopal ordination took place on the 6th of January, 1988
in Rome and he was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. He was installed
the first indigenous Bishop of Makurdi Diocese on the 21st of October,
1989.
Bishop Usuh chose his motto: Lord I am not worthy Ter M Kuma Ga.
According to him, this saying captured the circumstances leading up to
his becoming bishop and the challenges ahead. It was also a sign of deep
humility for the honour given him to serve as a bishop. He felt he was
not the most intelligent of his mates, yet God found him worthy to be
the Bishop. So he submitted in humility to God's will in his life. Since
he took over the leadership of the Diocese twenty-five years ago, there
has been phenomenal growth of the Church in this part of Nigeria: the
increase in the number of Catholics evident in the number of priests and
bishops ordained, dioceses created and the many young people in the
seminaries. During these twenty-five years, we witnessed the creation of
Otukpo, Lafia, Gboko and Katsina-Ala Dioceses, with the following as
bishops: the late Bishop Fidelis Ogah, Bishops Matthew Audu, Michael
Apochi, William Avenya and Peter Adoboh.
The Bishop is also known for his
willingness to aid other dioceses, especially in the area of personnel;
dioceses in and outside of Nigeria are benefiting from the personnel
sent to them by Bishop Usuh. The bishop is grateful for the cooperation
he has received from both the priests and the laity as chief shepherd of
the diocese. He is impressed by the zeal, strength, courage and
intellectual capacity of young priests who have brought so much vigour
into the ministry. Despite the large number of priests in the diocese,
there has been no major complaint of disunity amongst them. He
constantly advices young and old priests to learn from each other
whenever he notices some tensions among priests as a result of
generational gaps. On June 29, 2013, a big celebration was organised for
Bishop Usuh in honour of his Silver Episcopal Anniversary and the
occasion was used to raise funds to build a retirement home for him.
Bishop Usuh is facing serious health
challenges lately but he remains as cheerful and doughty as ever in
ministering to his flock. He has been in and out of Germany for
treatment. On November 14, 2013 the bishop commissioned a new complex at
Bishop Murray Medical Centre where patients can also access dialysis
services. The ceremony was witnessed by Governor Gabriel Suswam,
priests, religious and the general public. On November 23, 2013 the
bishop performed the solemn ceremony of investiture of Papal Knighthood
on 14 candidates he had applied for to the Holy Father in 2012.
Posts
0 comments: