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Catholic Priest Murdered in Nigeria’s Kafanchan Diocese “lived his life fully in service to God”: Local Ordinary

Jude Atemanke

By Jude Atemanke

Jos, 16 March, 2025 / 7:55 pm (ACI Africa).

Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu, a member of the Clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan in Nigeria, who was murdered on March 5 has been eulogized for his unwavering commitment to God’s service in his Priestly ministry in communities.

In his homily during the funeral Mass of the late Catholic Priest, the Local Ordinary of Kafanchan said Fr. Sylvester’s death serves as a “painful reminder of the ongoing battle between light and darkness in Nigeria.”

“Fr. Sylvester lived his life fully in service to God and his community. He dedicated himself to the pastoral care of his parishioners, preaching the Gospel with passion and compassion,” Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi said during the March 14 Eucharistic celebration that was held at Peter Claver’s Cathedral of Kafanchan Diocese.

Bishop Yakubu added, “His life was a testament to the love of Christ, a love that he embodied in every sacrament he celebrated and in every person he encountered.”

“He desired nothing but to be a shepherd, a guide, a priest of the Roman Catholic Church who sought nothing in this life but to lead his flock to the light of Christ. He had so many dreams, plans and goals like any one of us to accomplish in the future. All these came to an abrupt end with his cruel death. However, the consolation here is that we will never measure the worth of our lives by the length of days we spend here on earth,” the Catholic Church leader lamented

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“We find ourselves wrestling with the brutality of his death. A barbaric act that we have described as a cruel assault to our faith, our humanity and the peace of our state,” the Nigerian Catholic Bishop said.

He connected the violence to the Lenten message, reminding the people of God that while they had embraced Christ and experienced transformation, the struggle against darkness and evil continues.”

“This shows that the struggle for self-renewal, the call to repentance must continue among us with urgency because the devil continues to lurk in our dark places,” Bishop Yakubu said.

Fr. Sylvester’s death, Bishop Kundi stated, “is a haunting reminder of the struggles we face against evil and injustice in our daily lives. A struggle in this part of the world that has stretched for so many decades with no signs of victory. A struggle that has forced us to redefine our relationships not only with other religions and tribes but with family members, spouses, siblings, children, and neighbors.”

Despite these temptations and threats to our humanity, the Local Ordinary of Kafanchan Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in February 2020 said, “We must remain relentless in our commitment to be a family of God. The Christian call to love is categorical and has no boundaries. Love is at the heart of our faith and only the principles of Christ and not the morality of others should be our guide.”

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“Although the death of Fr. Sylvester has stirred a heavy storm of despondency on us all, let us never be cowed into losing the faith nor proclaiming Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentles,” Bishop Yakubu said.

He added, “In the face of such tragedy, we are called to respond not with despair but with the hope that our faith provides. Don't forget, St. Paul reechoes this by assuring us that faith does not disappoint.”

“We have only one response to the murderers among us, to those who worship darkness and evil, to those who are under the grip of sinful flesh: We stand under the banner of Christ and death has no victory over us. We will not retreat, we will continue with the light of Christ until the work of Satan comes under the light of Christ,” the Nigerian Catholic Bishop said.

He noted that the Church must continue its mission, even in the face of violence and adversity.

“By the martyrdom of our son and Priest, Fr. Sylvester, we will continue to carry the torch of the Gospel to the ends of the earth, regardless of the attacks on our dignity and our faith,” Bishop Yakubu said.

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He urged the people of God to embrace their common humanity and work towards unity in the face of division. 

“This is the time for us to drop every divisive element that threatens our collective existence. Let us form a common force that will fight for our common dignity,” the Catholic Bishop said.

To the family of Fr.  Sylvester, Bishop Yakubu offered words of comfort, acknowledging that no words could fully ease their grief. 

“Your son, who also became my spiritual son, left a legacy that will endure in our hearts. His life was a gift to the Church and the community here, and his journey continues in the hearts of all he inspired,” he said.

Bishop Yakubu continued, “In your grief lean on your cherished memories of him as a valuable member of our family. May you find comfort in knowing that he is embraced by eternal peace and that his spirit will continue to guide and protect you. Your son's life was a gift to the church and the community here, and his journey continues in the hearts of all he inspired.”

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He implored, “Let us pray for his eternal rest, that he may find peace in the embrace of our Lord. Let us also pray for the strength to carry on his mission, to be instruments of God's love in a world that so desperately needs it. In our sorrow, may we find hope. In our mourning, may we find purpose. And in our loss, may we find the courage to continue the work God has entrusted to us.”

Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.