Anglican Church Inaugurates New Deanery In Etche

The Anglican Communion of Church of Nigeria has inaugurated a new Deanery known as St George’s Akwukabi Deanery, Etche North Archdeaconry.
Inaugurating the new Deanery as well as commissioning the new church building and Rector’s house built by a Knight and member of the church in Akwukabi, Sir Kingsley Onwugbuta last Sunday, the Bishop of the Diocese of Etche, Rt Rev Okechukwu Precious Nwala said the gospel message came to Akwukabi community around 1941 through the African Episcopal Zion Church, which later metamorphosed into Anglican Church in 1944.
Bishop Nwala stated that Akwukabi Church became part of Ulakwo group under Etche District and later Okehi Parish and through its expansion was later inaugurated as an autonomous parish in December, 2007 which became part of Etche North Archdeaconry in 2010, adding that as the gospel grew faster, it gave rise to the creation of an autonomous deanery.
“Whereas the Deanery Board of Akwukabi Deanery , Etche did on 5th November,2024 apply to the Archdeaconry Board North Archdeaconry for Deanery status.whereas the application as approved by the Archdeaconry Board was forwarded to the Diocesan Board for approval and I, Rt Rev Okechukwu Precious Nwala,the Bishop of Diocese of Etche, satisfied with the preparedness and readiness approved the Deanery on 2nd February, 2025 in the 19th year of our consecration and in our Episcopacy, the 19th did inagurate the Deanery herein after known and called Akwukabi Deanery as the 15th administrative area of the Diocese of Etche at the 4th Deanery, in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen”.
Delivering his sermon from the Book of 1Kings 8:22-30 on the topic,”The Hidden Motivation Towards Building God’s House,” the Anglican Bishop commended Sir Kingsley Onwugbuta for the building of the new church cathedral, noting that there are many blessings attached in building God’s house and support for the mission.
He noted that the family of Kingsley Onwugbuta had also built two other Anglican churches and handed over to the church, noting that he did not build the church cathedral as a show of wealth but as an expression of a desired heart ruled by motivation and dedication to the furtherance of God’s work.
The Bishop of Diocese of Etche Anglican Church listed faith, devotion, obligation, dedication and demonstration as qualities and hallmarks of a true believer in Christian service, and stressed that God does not forget a faithful offering as the reward from such gesture lasts forever.
The highlights of the event were the inauguration of the church cathedral,the Rector’s house and a bus amongst others built and donated by Sir Kingsley Onwugbuta to the church by the Bishop of of the Diocese of Etche, Rt Rev Okechukwu Precious Nwala, an award by the church to Sir Kingsley Onwugbuta and Chief Ambrose Igbokwe Nwuzi for their various contributions to the development of the church.

Akujobi Amadi