In Memory Of A Man Who Will Never Die: Deacon Celestine Nworji (1963 - 2011).
Over the years, there have been many positive definitions of life. In the words of nobel laureate Wole Soyinka: "The man dies in him who keeps quiet in the face of injustice"! In William Shakespeare's words, "Cowards die many times before their death". Therefore any person without conscience, courage and legacies is as good as dead. Conversely, a man, though mortally dead and buried, might still be alive in the hearts of men and posterity through his legacies. This was the thrust of Horatius Bonar in his poem, adapted into the popular hymn, "Only Remembered", and, later, into World War I stage production for the remembrance of fallen heroes by by Ira Sankey and John Tams respectively. In Deacon Celestine Igwe Nworji - courageous believer in God, the master strategist, great mentor of men, pathfinder, builder of men and missions, and personification of wisdom, we have a man who will never die!
Born to the family of Nworji Igwe Aleke and Anyigor Nworji in the pastoral community of Inyere, Ezza North L.G.A of Ebonyi State in 1963, Celestine Igwe Nworji who lost his father at infancy, grew up under the tutelage of his courageous and disciplinarian mother. Deacon Nworji’s academic career began at Enyinator, Inyere, in 1970 and spanned through St. Aidan’s Secondary School Umuezeoka, (1979-1983); St. Joseph’s TTC, Igbeagu (1985-1987) to Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki (2005-2010). These academic journeys did not come cheap, given that little Celestine Nworji had to work as labourer, street hawker and house boy at different points to pay his school fees.
Deacon Nworji’s political guts manifested way back in the early 80’s when he mobilized students to protest the harassment of agitators for the creation of Ebonyi State by the administration of Chief Jim Nwobodo in old Anambra State. From then he did not stop: he fought for the creation of Inyere Autonomous Community in 1996 and the creation of Inyere electoral ward in 1998. He was part of the movement for the creation of Ezza North L.G.A in 1998; he mobilized for the creation of Imoha West Development Centre in 2005 but the project died on the alter of peer group envy. Nworji was also a strong voice in the request for creation of Ezza District of Assemblies of God Church.
Nworji distinguished himself in public service as: Supervisor for Education, Ezza LGA (1991–1992); Councillor Ekka/Inyere Ward in Ezza North LGA (1997–1998); Supervisor for Education, Ezza North LGA (1999–2001) and Vice-chairman Imoha Development Centre (2001 –2002). Deacon Nworji served as Chairman, Ebonyi State Local Government Service Commission (2002–2005); and was elected PDP National delegate for Ezza North LGA in 2009.
As chairman of Ebonyi State Local Government Service Commission, Nworji ensured prompt and unbiased implementation of workers' welfare programmes and the construction of a modern secretariat complex which is still in use. He also encouraged one of his staff to win the NULGE presidency.
In 2007, Deacon Nworji was the ANPP deputy governorship candidate for Ebonyi State. Nworji demonstrated his creed of promoting the love for Ebonyi State above personal interests by giving unreserved support to the winners of the election. In 2011 Deacon Nworji contested the Ezza North West state constituency election but lost in spurious circumstances.
Deacon Nworji, a sociometric star, was founder, Inyere concerned citizens; patron, Inyere Christian Union; founder/PRO Ezza Ezekuna Consultative Forum; founding member, Ezza Ezekuna Career and Practicing Politicians (EZECAPP); founder, Hopes at Home Organization and founding member, Ezza Ezekuna welfare Association.
Deacon Celestine Igwe Nworji will be celebrated for long as a practical Christian and charity worker who invested great energy and resources in both the Lord’s vineyard and in lifting the hopeless. He was a Sunday school teacher, a counselor, a preacher and a formator. Deacon Nworji contriubuted to the building of several churches and parsonages in several parts of Ebonyi State. He donated a modern church building to Assemblies of God Church in Inyere. Nworji offered many educational scholarships up to tertiary level and assisted many others with shelter, jobs and free medicare. Deacon Celestine Igwe Nworji is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Administrators and a Noble in Christ of Assemblies of God Church youth fellowship.
For Deacon Nworji nothing was more soothing than his irrebuttable conviction captured in his refrain: “Whatever God allows to happen to us is good for us, even though we may not discover at that moment."
The mortal body of Deacon Celestine Igwe Nworji bowed out on December 14, 2011 when he began to rest in the bosom of Jesus Christ whom he served without compromise. Deacon Celestine Nworji (The man with new ideas) will continue to live in the hearts of the innumerable great men, missions, careers and projects he built in his short duration on earth, not for himself or his family, but for those he was better than. Because the donation in Deacon Nworji's life is far greater than its duration, he will continue to live and will never die in the hearts of posterity.