A new Christian book, ‘Spiritual Instructions’ was successfully launched on Sunday, February 25, 2024 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Umuechem Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The writer of the book and Music Director of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Umuechem, Catechist Cornelius Chinedu Iroegbu used the opportunity to thank God profusely for the unveiling of the new package, which he said has the capacity of providing solutions to mankind’s numerous spiritual, financial and health problems, among others.

The book launch, which attracted people from all walks of life was chaired by an illustrious son of Etche ethnic nationality, Chief Promise Akpasobe while the chief launcher was Mr Obinna Nwachukwu.

Very articulate Sir Austin Amaechi reviewed the book while the royal father of the day was Chief Bartholomew Onwuli.

A freelance journalist, simply addressed as Mr Julius excellently anchored the programme whereas the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Umuechem, Rev Father Paul Iroulor served as the spiritual father of the day, as he ensured that everything was functionally in place for the ceremony.

Incidentally, the book got special endorsements from highly placed men of God in the State and the wider society including no less a personality than the Auxiliary Bishop of Port Harcourt Diocese of the Catholic Church, Most Rev (Dr) Patrick Eluke whose imprimatur is contained in the book; Rev Father (Dr) Tochi Theo Nwosu, who wrote the foreword of the book; and Rev Father ( Dr) Sixtus Chikwe of the Port Harcourt Diocese, who artistically wrote the preface.

Speaking shortly after the book launch, the author, Catechist Cornelius Iroegbu said in an interview that God inspired him through the Holy Spirit to write the book on discovering that a lot of people were growing cold in their faith.

On discovering that, he said as somebody called by God, he had prayed more to God for a solution, particularly against the backdrop that the world also was satanically deranged.

According to him, God had equipped him through the Holy Spirit with strength, knowledge and inspiration on a daily basis to write the book.

Iroegbu, who is popularly known as Ntuoyi disclosed that it took him over three years to put together the book, which he described as a manual for people’s lives and essentially for people who want to grow spiritually and those who want to know God and get solutions for their spiritual, financial and health problems.

The Catechist of St Michael’s Catholic Church, Abara Etche further indicated that the book is capable of providing solutions to people’s spiritual, financial and health challenges, among others.

“There is no problem this book is not capable of providing solutions to”, he said, hinting that his target is to reach out to the entire world, to both Christians and non-Christians, saying, “It is good that people who do not know Christ would know Him through this book so that we all should be happy”.

He said the book is deliberately laced with Biblical quotations to demonstrate the power of God through the Scriptures and how it works.

Iroegbu expressed gratitude to the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Umuechem, Rev Father Paul Iroulor for his moral and spiritual support, particularly in ensuring that the book was successfully launched in his parish, describing him as a good father to all and a lover of all.

He also commended his father, Elder Raymond Nwairoegbu Amaechi for being physically present during the book launch, and assured that he would churn out many other books to truly make him proud.

On his part, the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Umuechem, Rev Father Paul Iroulor narrated how he first met the writer over 10 years ago at a filling station and encouraged him to start a youth devotion in the area, with the aim of evangelising Etche by being more involved and devoted to the things of God.

The cleric described Iroegbu as a hard working and committed servant of God, who is deeply involved in his spiritual life, and admonished the people of the area to toe the path of God and hold Him firmly as the writer had done.

A parishioner, Dame Benedicta Eze Nwala, who was visibly elated over the accomplishments of the writer, praised him for making his community proud, and expressed optimism that in the nearest future, the church would boast of a league of writers.

An indigene of the community, Mr Eddy Enoch described the writer as a brother, and enjoined the people to continue to support the author with their prayers.

The reviewer of the book, Sir Austin Amaechi expressed delight that the book has the imprimatur of a renowned man of God, whom he described as a friend, Most Rev(Dr) Patrick Eluke, saying, “It is to tell you that the book has gone through the crucibles of the Catholic vehemence of denouncing heresy and apostasy”.

According to him, the writer presented the materials to the world in such a way that the entire package is self-explanatory.”

“This book is simple to read, Ntuoyi made it easy for its readers in 11 Chapters, prudently presented in 62 pages as the font is sizeable to accommodate all visual shades of readers.The cover page is pictorially evident as we see the Master, minister to a rapt-attention audience. The sentence and grammatical patterns are simple and cheap. Therefore, making every chapter easily readable and understandable,” he said.

Rev Father(Dr) Sixtus Chikwe, in the preface, said the book is a momentous text for spiritual revival and re-awakening of God’s people, as the author writes for God’s spiritual revival and re-awakening of God’s pilgrim people.

He further underlined the fact that “reading through the work, one cannot but agree with the writer that the ways of the spirit are ineffable and patently inscrutable. Yet, nudged by an abiding docility to God’s ways, anchored on a healthy life of prayer and virtuous living, they are not after all, incomprehensible to the humble, faithful and desirous soul”.

This is why, he noted, the writer’s exhortation that the faithful need to adopt a more pliable, malleable disposition to the diverse manifestations of God’s ways, including in adversities or unfortunate twists in life’s ways is commendable.

According to him, “the faithful discipline is never alone through the rigors of life. Though high the billows of life’s storms or deep their reaches, the Divine is always nearby to intervene at the most divinely auspicious moment for the focused.”

Little wonder, the erudite cleric intoned, “So why quake while the master still rides closely by you in the boats of life? Enduring faithfulness to God, therefore, is vital for weathering through the fleeting storms of earthly pilgrimage”.
This, indeed, appears to be what ‘Spiritual Instructions’ is all about.