CHIEF M.K.O ABIOLA

Early life

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State.His name, Kashimawo, means "Let us wait and see". Moshood Abiola was his father's twenty-third child but the first of his father's children to survive infancy, hence the name 'Kashimawo'. It was not until he was 15 years old that he was properly named Moshood, by his parents.

MKO soon became entrepreneurial at a very young age, at the tender age of nine he started his first business selling firewood. He would wake up at dawn to go to the forest and gather firewood, which he would then cart back to town and sell before going to school, in order to support his old father and his siblings. He later founded a band at age fifteen where he would perform at various ceremonies in exchange of food. He eventually became famous enough to start demanding payment for his performances and used the money to support his family and his secondary education at the Baptist Boys High School Abeokuta, where he excelled. He was the editor of the school magazine The Trumpeter, Olusegun Obasanjo was deputy editor. At the age of 19 he joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons ostensibly because of its pan-Africanist agenda, preferring it to the Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group's focus on economic and educational development for the Western Region of Nigeria, where the Yoruba were in the majority.

Career

In 1956 Moshood Abiola started his professional life as bank clerk with Barclays Bank plc in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria. After two years he joined the Western Region Finance Corporation as an executive accounts officer before leaving to Glasgow, Scotland to pursue his higher education. In Glasgow he received 1st class in political economy, commercial law and management accountancy. He also received a distinction from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. On his returm to Nigeria he worked as a senior accountant at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, then went onto Pfizer, before joining the ITT Corporation, where he later rose to the position of Vice President, Africa and Middle-East of the entire corporation which was head-quartered in the United States. As a result Moshood Abiola spend much of his time and made most of his money in the United States, whilst retaining the post of chairman of the corporation's Nigerian subsidiary. In addition to his duty's throughout the Middle-East and Africa, Moshood Abiola invested heavily in Nigeria and West Africa. He set up Abiola Farms, Abiola bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder bakeries, Concord Press, Concord Airlines, Summit oil international ltd, Africa Ocean lines, Habib Bank, Decca W.A. ltd, and Abiola football club. In addition to this he also magaged to perform his duties as Chairman of the G15 business council, President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Patron of the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, Patron of the WEB Du Bois foundation, trustee of the Martin Luther King foundation and director of the International Press Institute.

Philanthropy


Moshood Abiola sprang to national and international prominence as a result of his philanthropic activities. The Congressional Black Caucus of the United States of America issued the following tribute to Moshood Abiola:

"Because of this man, there is both cause for hope and certainty that the agony and protests of those who suffer injustice shall give way to peace and human dignity. The children of the world shall know the great work of this extraordinary leader and his fervent mission to right wrong, to do justice, and to serve mankind. The enemies which imperil the future of generations to come: poverty, ignorance, disease, hunger, and racism have each seen effects of the valiant work of Chief Abiola. Through him and others like him, never again will freedom rest in the domain of the few. We, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus salute him this day as a hero in the global pursuit to preserve the history and the legacy of the African diaspora"

From 1972 until his death Moshood Abiola had been conferred with 197 traditional titles by 68 different communities in Nigeria, in response to the fact that his financial assistance resulted in the construction of 63 secondary schools, 121 mosques and churches, 41 libraries, 21 water projects in 24 states of Nigeria, and was grand patron to 149 societies or associations in Nigeria. In this way Abiola reached out and won admiration across the multifarious ethnic and religious divides in Nigeria. In addition to his work in Nigeria, Moshood Abiola was a dedicated supporter of the Southern African Liberation movements from the 1970's and he sponsored the campaign to win reparations for slavery and colonialism in Africa and the diaspora. Chief Abiola, personally rallied every African head of state, and every head of state in the black diaspora to ensure that Africans would speak with one voice on the issues.

Criticsms of M.K.O. Abiola

The most widely known critic of Chief Abiola, was Fela. In his twenty-five minute song "ITT" (International Thief Thief), although the song was not about Moshood Abiola, he mentioned the name of both Olusegun Obasanjo and Moshood Abiola at the very end. It is far less widely known that Fela had been signed to Moshood Abiola's record label, Decca W.A. and had a dispute over royalties with him. When Abiola asked Fela to take him to court if he felt that he had been treated unfairly, he instead opted to destroy the studio's of Decca. This may have been because Abiola's influence and Fela's unpopularity with the establishment would have made it unlikely that he received a fair trial.

Moshood Abiola is also criticised for his close relationship and support of some of Nigeria's military regimes. He is known to have supported two of the many coup d'etats in the country. He received two oil blocks from the Federal Military Government, however he did not manage to begin extracting oil from them before he died, and therefore they were never a source of his wealth. The oil blocks were revoked by General Abacha, but have since been returned to the Abiola family who are only now developing them. Some people have accused Chief Abiola of looting Nigeria, however none of them are able to explain how and when he did this, especially given the fact that he made much of his money outside of Nigeria and from his private businesses that were independent of the government.The truth is probably more subtle and may likely surround Abiola's decision to at times favor practicality over principle in his dealings with Nigeria's military governments prior to the annulment of his election.

The most serious criticsm of Moshood Abiola concerns his private life. He was a polygamist (which is not at all unusual in Nigeria)and since his death there has been much strife within his family about the distribution of his assets.

Awards and honors

Moshood Abiola was twice voted international businessman of the year, and received numerous honorary doctorates from universities all over the world. In 1987 he was bestowed with the golden key to the city of Washington D.C., and he was bestowed with awards from the NAACP and the King center in the USA, as well as the International Committee on Education for Teaching in Paris, amongst many others. In Nigeria, Abiola was made the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. It is the highest chieftancy title in Yorubaland, and has only been conferred 14 times in the history of the Yoruba. This in effect rendered Abiola the Field Marshall of all Yorubas. According to Yoruba folklore the Aare Ona Kakanfo is expected to die a warrior, in the defense of his people.

Involvement in Politics

Abiola's involvement in politics started early on in life when he joined the NCNC at age 19. In the 1980s, he was elected as the chairman of the ruling National Party of Nigeria. However,In 1983, a military coup d'état ended civilian rule. After a decade of military rule, General Ibrahim Babanginda came under pressure to return democratic rule to Nigeria. After an aborted initial primary, Abiola stood for the presidential nomination of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and beat Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to secure the presidential nomination of the SDP ahead of the June 12th 1993 presidential elections. Abiola had managed to work his way out of poverty through hard work and symbolised the aspirations of many disenfranchised Nigerians. His commitment to the plight of ordinary Nigerians included establishing Abiola bookshops to provide affordable, locally produced textbooks in the 1980s when imported textbooks became out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians as the naira was devalued. He also made available daily necessities such as rice and soap at affordable prices in the market.

Presidential elections

Moshood Abiola's Hope '93 political manifesto

For the June 12th, 1993 presidential elections of June 12, Abiola's running mate was Baba Gana Kingibe). He overwhelmingly defeated his rival, Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention. The election was declared Nigeria's freest and fairest presidential election by national and international observers, with Abiola even winning in his Northern opponents home state. Abiola won on the national capital, Abuja, the military polling stations, and over two-third's of Nigerian states. The reason why the election was so historic, was due to the fact that men of Northern descent had largely dominated Nigeria's political landscape since independence. The fact that Moshood Abiola (a Southern Muslim) was able to secure a national mandate freely and fairly remains unprecedented in Nigeria's history. However, the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, a political crisis that ensued which led to General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year.

Imprisonment

Moshood Abiola leaving a Black Maria van under heavy armed guard

In 1994 President-Elect Moshood Abiola declared himself the lawful president of Nigeria in the Epetedo area of Lagos island, an area mainly populated by impoverished Nigerians. He had recently returned from a trip to win the support of the international community for his mandate. After declaring himself president he was declared wanted and was accused of treason and arrested on the orders of military President General Sani Abacha, who sent 200 police vehicles to bring him into custody. MKO Abiola has been referred to as Nigeria's greatest statesman

Moshood Abiola was detained for four years, largely in solitary confinement with a Bible, Qu'ran, and fourteen guards as companions. During that time, Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and human rights activists from all over the world lobbied the Nigerian government for his release. The sole condition attached to the release of Chief Abiola was that he renounce his mandate, something that he refused to do, although the military government offered to compensate him and refund his extensive election expenses. For this reason Chief Abiola became extremely troubled when Kofi Annan and Emeka Anyoku reported to the world that he had agreed to renounce his mandate after they met with him to tell him that the world would not recognize a five year old election.

Death

President-Elect Abiola's wife, Kudirat, was murdered in her car in a drive-by shooting in retaliation for her dogged pursuit of the restoration of her husband's electoral mandate. After her husband was arrested she began an intimidating campaign against Abacha's government and organised the masses in support of Chief Abiola's mandate. After her brutal murder, the New York City government named a street in Manhattan (close to the Nigerian consulate) after her. Abiola's daughter, Hafsat Abiola, also became a democracy activist and founded the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy.

President-Elect Abiola died under extremely suspicious circumstances shortly after the death of General Abacha. The officer charged with his security--Assistant Superintendent for Police Theodore Bethel Zadok--testified during the Oputa Panel (Nigeria's version of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission) about the events leading to the death of Chief Abiola. At 1300 hrs he brought Abiola to Aguda House where he was to meet with a delegation from the United States, headed by Thomas Pickering and Susan Rice. Zadok was under strict orders to taste anything that Chief Abiola ate or drank before giving it to him. According to Zadok, Chief Abiola who suffered from high blood pressure and heart problems, was healthy and in high spirits before the meeting. Before the meeting Zadok was ordered away from Abiola and was unable to taste the tea provided to him by the U.S. delegation. According to Thomas Pickering, Abiola collapsed suddenly during the meeting and was pronounced dead later in the State house clinic. Testimony by Brigadier-General Ibrahim Sabo suggests that Abiola, choked, jerked and foamed before dying, in the exact same manner as General Abacha. Moshood Abiola died on the day that he was due to be released, on July 7th, 1998. Though there is little evidence to support it, some analysts allege that his death (and possibly Abacha's) was masterminded by the American CIA.[citation needed]. There is an alternate version of the events surrounding Abiola's death. Abacha's Chief Security Officer, al-Mustapha has alleged that Moshood Abiola was in fact beaten to death. al-Mustapha, who is still being detained by the Nigerian government, claims to have video and audiotapes showing how Abiola was beaten to death. The final autopsy report, which was produced by an a group of international coroners has never been publicly released. Irrespective of the exact circumstances of his death, it is clear that Chief Abiola received insufficient medical attention for his existing health conditions.

BLessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

September 1903: A baby boy is born to Tabansi (name meaning "continue to bear evil patiently") of Igboezunu-Aguleri and his wife Ejikwevi of Nteje. This child was given the name Iwene (in full, Iwemmaduegbunam, meaning "let human malice not kill me"). He has three brothers: Ifekwunigwe ("there is strength in numbers"), Obadiegwu (later baptised as Vincent), Ekemezie (Stephen); and a sister: Obianma.
1909: Small Iwene is sent by his parents to the "Christian village" of Aguleri to live in the house of his maternal aunt and uncle (Robert Orekie).
7 January, 1912: Iwene is baptised and given the name Michael.
1913: Michael is taken to Onitsha to begin his primary education at Holy Trinity School.
1919: He obtains First School Leaving Certificate at St. Joseph's School, Aguleri. This certificate makes him eligible to teach.
1920: He begins to teach at Holy Trinity School, Onitsha.
1924: He returns to Aguleri to become the headmaster of St. Joseph's School.
1925: He enters St. Paul's Seminary, Igbariam.
1932: He becomes Procurator at the Training College.
1933-1934: Period of probation at Umulumgbe (Eke).
19 December 1937: He is ordained a Priest by Bishop Charles Heerey in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha. His two other companions are: William Obelagu and Joseph Nwanegbo.
1937 - 1939: Father Michael Tansi is assigned to Nnewi as Assistant Priest to Father (later Bishop) John Cross Anyogu.
1939 - 1945: He becomes the pioneer Parish Priest of Dunukofia. He founds pre-matrimonial women centres of St. Anna (those already married in traditional way) and St. Mary (those not yet married).
1945 - 1949: He is transferred to Akpu/Ajalli as Parish Priest.
1949 - 1950: He is assigned to his hometown as Parish Priest.
1950: He begins his monastic journey with a pilgrimage to Rome.
2 July 1950: Accompanied by Archbishop Heerey, he arrives at Leicester, in the Cistercian Monastery of Mount St. Bernard, England.
1950 - 1952: Oblate of the Monastery
1952: Novice
8 July 1953: He takes the simple vows, becoming Brother Cyprian
8 July 1956: He takes the solemn vows.
20 January 1964: He dies at the Royal Infirmary of Leicester.
22 January 1964: Requiem Mass and burial of Brother Cyprian in the cemetery of the Monastery.
20 January 1974: Commemoration of the 10 anniversary of his death. Mass at Holy Trinity Cathedral. Archbishop Francis Arinze begins the spade work on the the possibility of promoting the cause of Tansi's beatification.
20 January 1986: Inauguration of the Onitsha Archdiocesan Tribunal for the Cause of Fr. Tansi by Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya. Request is made for his remains to be brought back to Nigeria.
12 September 1986: His remains are exhumed.
19 September 1986: His remains are flown to Nigeria.
17 October 1986: After a solemn concelebrated Mass, his remains are reinterred at the Priests' cemetery beside Holy Trinity Cathedral Onitsha. First major miracle obtained through Fr. Tansi. A girl with advanced stage of cancer is instantly cured.
5 May 1990: Final public session of the Onitsha Archdiocesan Tribunal for the Cause of Fr. Tansi after a concelebrated Mass at the Holy Trinity Field, Onitsha.
21 May 1990: Archbishop Ezeanya submits the Acts of the Archdiocesan Tribunal for the Cause of Fr. Tansi to the Congregation for the Cause of Saints in Rome. This marks the beginning of the beatification process.
22 March 1998: Pope John Paul II travels to Onitsha to beatify Fr. Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi.

HIS MESSAGE TO HIS FLOCK
His daily life was his most eloquent sermon

Nevertheless, it is possible to compile some of his actual teachings. At Mount St. Bernard the odd sermon and the text of a retreat survive. A few of his letters are still extant, though, sadly, most were lost in the civil war and many of his sayings are remembered verbatim by those many Nigerians who are best described as his disciples. They have been remembered partly because of their aphoristic form (often more evident in the original Igbo than in translation) but there is more to it than that. While collecting this type of material, I occasionally asked myself what could remember of the many sermons I heard at Oxford in the 1960s. I heard holy preachers, learned preachers, famous preachers — and cannot now remember anything that any of them said. I was puzzled at the discrepancy between my own experience and that of these Nigerian Christians.

The answer was provided by, of all things, an American television programme a partly nut not wholly spurious Oriental Sage was telling a child the treasures of wisdom which guided his own existence. (I have forgotten what these were!) The child asked how he could preserve them in his memory. He was told, not by remembering them, but by living them…

On the Beauty of God’s creation

He taught us that if you take any flower with joy and praise the beautyness you are praising God. (Monica Egwim of Ogbunike)

On Abandonment to God’s Will

(This seems to have been the central attrait of his life)

Yourself and your wife should keep always before your eyes that fact that you are creatures, God’s own creation. As a man’s handiwork belongs to him, so do we all belong to God, and should accordingly have no other will but His. He is a Father, a very kind Father indeed. All his plans are for the good of His children. We may not often see how they are. That does not matter. Leave yourselves in His hands, not for a year, nor for two years, but as long as you have to live on earth. If you confide in Him fully and sincerely He will take special care of you. (Tansi’s letter to his houseboy, Augustine Chendo, dated Trinity Sunday 1959)

This surrender is the essential condition of the fullness of life to which we, as religious, are called. Resistance to this appeal gives rise to anxiety, uneasiness, discomfort and pain. When the resistance ceases and when the surrender is made, peace invades the soul…(Retreat notes)

Anyone who asks if he complained, never knew Father Tansi. If you complained, he would be quite against it, and advise accordingly. I can give you an example. Someone was sent on transfer to another town. I won’t name the town, but before he went there he went to a football match there, and when he had seen it, he said: "How can anybody live there?" He complained in the hearing of Father Tansi. Father Tansi said: "My friend a hundred years is not eternity. Even if you stay a hundred years, a hundred years is not eternity. If you, a teacher, refuse to go there, who is going to go there? Will they send a pig or a cow instead, or will it be another human being, just like you?" (Gabriel Okafor)

He taught us to say: "O my God, I am a piece of cloth bought for your clothes. You are the tailor and the weaver. Make the clothes therefore in the style and fashion to suit you." He often quoted St. Dominic Savio: "Da mihi animas, cetera tolle…" He told us that the greatest murder on earth is to kill time… (Augustine Chendo)

On the Difficulty of Perseverance

Onye afuro na enuigwe, si aguyi na
(Count no one saved, until he is found in heaven). (Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya)

On the Transitory Nature of this World’s Satisfactions

Do not be imitating the whites in everything, strive hard to gain the Kingdom of God. The whites are already in heaven in this world, but you are suffering every want. Are you going to suffer also in the next world? Life on earth could be compared to the journey of a young student who received a slip for a registered parcel, and he had to go to Lagos to claim this parcel. On the way he passed through many beautiful towns, towns with very attractive things in the shops. He started going from one shop to another, stretching his hands to the beautiful things he saw. He stopped so often in these big towns that he almost forgot what he was travelling for. It was after a long time that he ultimately reached Lagos, and when he went to claim the parcel he was told that the parcel had lain in the past so long without him arriving to claim it that they had finally decided to send it back to the sender. (Sr. Eucharia Anyaegbunam recalling a sermon preached by Tansi during a visit to Kaduna in 1946)

Chakulu chakulu cha-anu felu akpele, ogaa
(A few bites — when the meat leaves the throat, it vanishes.) (Mons. Peter Meze)

He told me that I must realise that if a man is earning a salary of £30, he will ask for an increment, to £50. If he is on £50, he will ask for £100. If a man wants to build a house, he will try to get a plan from somewhere else; the plan of the best house he has seen so far. But as soon as the house is finished, he sees another one, better than his own and wants on like that. He told me that experience has taught him that the only thing that can really satisfy a man is to see God and that this was the only thing he himself would pursue. (Stephen Eme of Ufuma).

On God’s Rewards to His Servants

You have embarked upon a paying concern. We cannot be more generous than God. (To Mrs Gabriel Ilming, Austrian organiser of "Zwei hundert fur zwei", 1963)

God will give you double what you give him. (Stephen Eme of Ufuma)

On Hope

Dear children in Christ, Hope opens a Kingdom. We begin to desire it; to seek it; to take the first steps towards it. First steps are most tragic things."
(Mount S. Bernard, Retreat notes)

The first steps of a small child are full of hope. They are often a rush towards Mother’s arms. The little one has a sense of awful loneliness and suddenly thinks it will move, hoping that Mother’s arms will catch it; then a dance, a dart, a tumble, what a study in Hope…
(Mount S. Bernard, Retreat notes)

On Prayer

Prayer is the best weapon for obtaining favours from God. Pray, pray often, pray with all your heart, pray to God, pray to our Blessed Mother. Mass is the most powerful of all prayers. (Letter to Augustine Chendo, 1959)

One thing he said has always remained perpetually with me — that the reason why we don’t get things from God lies in the way we ask. If you give God conditions, He will never give it to you. For example, you want a child, and you have it in mind you want it within a year. If it does not come, you lose hope, and say there is no God. You must ask God to give you something if he sees it is not detrimental to your interests, and you must continue asking without getting tired. You cannot impose time limits on God. If you have a time in mind, God will let the time elapse, and say: "Now do your worst". (Francis Nwafor)

On wholeheartedness in God’s service

If you want to eat vultures, you may as well eat seven of them, so that when people call you "vulture eater" you really deserve the name. If you want to become a Catholic, live as a faithful Catholic, so that when people see you, they know that you are a Catholic. If you are going to be a Christian at all, you might as well live entirely for God. (Simon Oraegbuna)

On Looking for the Kingdom

One thing he said I remember very clearly — that on the day of your baptism and confirmation, whatever you ask, God gives you. He advised us to ask for the Kingdom of Heaven… (Francis Nwafor)

On Attitudes to One’s Own Achievements

In every success we are right, I think, to take a modest share of joy and satisfaction while leaving the glory to God who is the Principal Author of our good work, we being just the instruments. Like the apostles we learn to rejoice not because the devils fall down at our preaching nor because of marvellous achievements, obtained, but because our names are written in heaven, in the book of life, because God is to be glorified by our efforts. (Letter to Hyacinth Okoli of Ufuma, 21 October, 1952).

On Faith

We simply cannot live the spiritual life without faith. Our lives as Christians and much more as religious simply will be impossible if we have no faith… Faith is the foundation of the whole spiritual life. The strength of the edifice will be proportioned to the strength of the foundation…. To a lively faith the Saviour refuses nothing. (Retreat Notes).

On Joy

One of the sure signs of fervour and progress in the religious life is joy and contentment. When we are satisfied with God and with His way of dealing with us, it reflects on the countenance. The face is aglow with joy. (Retreat Notes)

On Taking Decisions, and on How to Work

We do very little good when we embark on our own. We do much good when we allow God to direct us and direct our enterprises…. We must learn to avoid worrying ourselves about anything; to leave ourselves, our concerns in the hands of God; learn to do away with the anxieties of all sorts. And what then are we to do? There are things to do done? Some men of the world say "Much haste less work". Anyway it is certainly true that much haste less good. We should learn to consult God in all things; to pray about things we are going to do; to go to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, place our plans before him, ask his advice, see whether He would like us to do one thing or another, if any doubt consult our Spiritual Director; never to undertake anything unless we are sure that God wants it done and done in the way we are planning…. And whilst doing whatever we have to do, we should do it at a pace and a speed that will allow us time continually to turn to God for guidance…our conversation with God should be continual. This is not a height to be attained in a day….(Retreat Notes).

A Programme for the Average Layman

We should not be ashamed of our religion, nor be afraid of confessing ourselves Catholics, alone or in public…. We should hold on to the various practices of the Catholic religion; Mass on Sundays as of obligation, Mass on week days when one is free as an act of devotion. We should say the rosary every day especially in family circles as the best way of honouring the Queen of Heaven. We should learn to make the Stations of the Cross as a wonderful way of keeping alive in us a memory of the suffering and death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us help the various works of God as far as we are able. Let us alms-deeds be a solace and support to the poor and needy. (Sermon on Mat. 5,20).

On the Attitude of Husbands and Wives to Each Other

On one occasion I visited him in company of Mr. Fred Okafor. As Fred was talking about his wife he referred to her as Onye bem ("Somebody in my house", Igbo expression for wife). Oh, Father Tansi lost patience and cut in: "She is not ‘Onye bem’ but your wife, your better half, part of your own body. ‘Onye’ means a stranger which your wife is not. You must recognise the worth and position of your wife and treat her as your partner and your equal. Unless you do that, she is not a wife to you but a servant, and that is not what God wants a wife to be to the husband". Fred humbly apologised and promised never to use the expression Onye bem again. (Sr. Eucharia Anyaegbunam).

To Priests and Religious

It is not for want of words of language that the Church uses the words ‘Father’, ‘Mother,’ ‘Sister,’ ‘Brother’ for people who have dedicated their lives to the service of God in his creatures. The Church means that a Rev. Father should be a real father, even more, to every creature in his parish…. Your sympathy, charity, patience, should be without bounds. (Sr. Eucharia Anyaegbunam)

PERSONAL CONFESSIONS BY THOSE WHO KNEW HIM DURING PRIESTHOOD

At Nnewi Parish (1938 - 1939)

No Rev. Father was as good as Fr. Tansi and Nnewians so loved him that when his transfer was hinted to them they rose in unison to object to it… Neither the Catholics nor anyone else spoke ill of him.
- Philip Anajemba

Fr. Michael was the most hard-working of all priests who ever lived at Nnewi and he hardly ate because time spent at table could be utilised in doing some work. He was regarded as a living saint. He never distanced himself from the people. He worked even with the women scrubbing church floors… He was sympathetic beyond compare to the destitutes. He rendered financial aids to them from his meagre tithes. He fed those brought to the mission, especially the sick…. Repaired thatched churches with men, scrubbed the floor with women. He had no leisure hours.
- Pius Unachukwu

Nnewians abhorred lepers more than anything. But Fr. Michael sent prepared food to them through me. those who received his food were Matthew and Ayagbakwuonye, lepers. He built homes for the destitutes from the proceedings of his tithes and Mass sayings.
- Anthony Uchendu

I used to prepare foodstuffs given by Fr. Tansi for Matthew Orueh, a leper. Nnewians dreaded lepers more than any dreadful disease…yet Fr. Tansi inspired such unflinching faith in me that I agreed to give prepared food to Matthew. I did not contract leprosy, despite my long contact with Matthew. Fr. Tansi also gave Matthew medicines. Fr. Tansi ministered to him at his death.
- Emily Anajemba

To promote the trade of the poor, he bought the worst articles from them…he put on the worst footwears.
- David Asoh

Fr. Tansi waived A.M.C. for the poor and their children received baptism free.
- Helen Esotu

There was one very cherished letter, which saved my vocation. It was when the seminary moved to Okpuala in 1946. A change of scene is always unsettling, and many seminarians were leaving. Someone said to me. "If you leave you can still be a good Christian…" I decided to write to Fr. Tansi. I decided that if I didn’t hear from him on a certain day, I would go and tell the Rector I had decided to leave. His letter didn’t come; usually he didn’t waster time answering letters. On the last day I had allowed, the letters were distributed, and there was his letter. "Dear Stephen, How do you know that this inclination is not from the Devil? If you think you have no vocation, pray for one." All my difficulties vanished, and never returned.
- Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya

Rev. Fr. Tansi, as an Igbo man, had an advantage over all the white missionaries. He explained religious doctrines better than any Rev. Fr. Had ever done.
- Augustine Onwugbenu



At Dunukofia Parish (1940 - 1945)

It was a bad bush, where people threw those who died bad deaths, such as lepers. If you went past it at night, you used to see mysterious lights there. When the Bishop wanted land for a mission site, they gave him the bad bush. They thought anyone who went there would die. The first thing Father Tansi did was to gather the Christians. He tucked up his soutane, and went through sprinkling the whole place with holy water. When they saw that he came out again, they entered the bush and cut it down.
- Cyril Onwuachu, in Dunukofia

When I got there, I saw a few dilapidated mat (i.e. thatched) houses, not a single good house. Those wretched houses left a very poor impression on me. he was living a wretched hut — it would not be good enough for my chickens today — one mile from the main school where I was to teach. When I had reported, I asked for accommodation: "Where am I going to live?" He looked at me and quoted the Bible: "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." He said: "Why are you worrying about where you are going to live? You have been located here and God will provide a place when you come.
- P. N. Okeke

He could get anybody to work for him. Anytime he went to work, he simply came out on the road and called anybody he saw, pagan or Christian, man or woman. They shouted: "Father, I will work for you…". He pulled off his shoes and came to work himself. He would take the mud himself and make mud blocks. He didn’t want to stay still, he would do everything. He would start, and people would say: "Come and look at this type of Father" and be ready to join in. He helped in cutting the bush.
- Cyril Onwuachu

He got the whole town united…. He got each village at work on a building. Even pagans and elders came along. The elders and titled men would come and supervise the work, as a sign of respect and love…".
- Bishop Godfrey Okoye

He planned and built houses, he would turn his hand to anything. He taught us seminarians how to paint. He taught us how to polish a table, really polish it, and make it shine.
- Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya

Father Tansi wanted everything to be the best possible for God. He wanted the best school, even the best flowers.
- P.N. Okeke

He gathered the orphans and started feeding them and took care of them and sent them to school. He didn’t want them to stop schooling. If there was no money, he would still take a person to school. Some of our children later became teachers. It was his handiwork.
- Christiana Odenigbo of Umudioka

He gave me the special privilege of eating with him at table which was usually not possible in those days. He didn’t want to do like the others who kept aloof from those they considered not "high-ups". When were eating, he said to me:
"Goffrey."
"Yes Father."
"Will you make me a promise to do whatever I ask?"
"Of course, whatever you ask…."

(When the time came to fulfil the promise, Godfrey found that he was supposed to occupy the outstation’s only bed.)

I shrank at the idea and said: "Never, Father, never." In those days such a thing was unthinkable. He looked at me and said: "Did you not promise to do whatever I asked you?"
- Bishop Godfrey Okoye

One day I was fighting in our village with one boy and the next morning he warned me about that fighting which he was not present at the spot…. Very small time pagan will…ask, do you reach or can (you) see like Fr. Tansi? That no other Father will do or be like Tansi. That he died but his doings have not died…in their mind.
- Gabriel Udegbu of Umunnachi

I take him as a prophet for all things he prophesied are happening now.
- Cecilia Okafor

He was always so full of joy, his smile welcomed everyone he met.
- Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya

One day he had a transfer. He had just prepared Dunukofia, built the church, then the transfer came. He said: "This change, the cross of life (afufu uwa)…" The merit is not in not feeling pain but in accepting it.
- Brother Michael Okoye



At Akpu/Ajalli Parish (1945 - 1949)

He used to get up at about 3 a.m. and move as quietly as a cat.
- Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya

There was no way of knowing what time he woke from sleep. He was always the one to tell you to ring the bell. He was always ready already…. Others would go for a siesta. Father Tansi would rest for a short time, but you wouldn’t know when he sneaked into the chapel.
- Gabriel Okafor

I never saw him have any leisure, such as going for a walk…. He never went away for a weekend to visit another Father, or went to a house simply for a chat.
- Gabriel Okafor

I suffered a lot with him in the bush. We would stay where wild animals stay, without a house. He would preach, and people would beat ekwe to announce his presence. He told them to build a resthouse and a kitchen. We would start to form a church. At Okpeze, there was very thick bush. We opened it. There was no house, nothing. I suffered a lot with the Father. I didn’t sleep; I watched our loads. Ozuofia, Okpeze, Akpugo; they had no churches, he established them. He would go there, and they would make an improvised shelter, right in the thick of the bust, from palm nuts…. The mosquitoes were terrible. He didn’t mind. He was stronger than any man.
- Lawrence Ibe, of Ugwu Umuagu, Ufuma

With mud, he built different houses and dormitories for young girls…while others were boarders going to school. There was a model house built of mud, and with a zinc roof. The floor was designed (according to him) like a draught-board and was always mud polished in red and black. Young girls were meant to plan their houses to look as beautiful. This was something extraordinary; to have simple village houses look very attractive….

These wonderful houses, training centres, that Father built up do not exist any more. They collapsed only a few years after his transfer to his home town, Aguleri. These homes, schools etc. were mostly of mud block and so disappeared. It is now like a fairy story. But since I, like the others, lived in those houses, worked there, I know that they did exist during his time. Now they are farm land unfortunately, dead and lifeless, where life and activity used to reign supreme.
- Sr. Mary Aloysius (nee Virginia) Adimonye, of Nawfia

He was a man who doesn’t look money in the face. He hasn’t got it, but he can get it. At Akpu/Ajalli he would start a house with a single strip of zinc for the roof, and then start a collection. Everything you see at Akpu/Ajalli is the result of his work in his few years there. He would go and carry the stones himself, and then the others would go and help. If there was clay to be shifted, he would say: "This is my area, and you do the rest." He made sure he did his own area.
- Mons. William Obelagu

At times he looked like a living skeleton. When Umunze school was under construction, he took some oranges up to the carpenters and he was so frail that he was almost blown off by the wind.
- Gabriel Okafor

He used to break his fast, particularly during Lent, with roasted yam. His boys used to take turns in roasting yams for his breakfast. Once he called on me to roast a piece of yam that neither too big nor too small. I chopped off a piece of yam, placed it in the fire, and went about other duties. When I came back to turn the yam, the whole piece had been badly charred by fire. It was already time for his breakfast. I knew not what to do. After thinking for a while, I put the charred piece on a plate and put a cake of solid palm oil on another plate, (for he ate his meal only with crude and solid palm oil) and placed the plates on the dining table. I stood by so as to explain why the yam was burnt. But instead of calling for an explanation why the yam was burnt, he ate up the whole piece. The next day he again instructed me to roast yam for him. Again the piece was burnt. From this time on, I was in charge of roasting his breakfast.
- J. U. Jiendu

At any time of the day or night, if a sick call came, he was ready to go regardless of any sickness at all, and never stopped to ask, as some people do, what the sickness was. He would be here, and hear a cry, and suspect that someone was dying, and be off at once. Once we were in Enugu Abor from Ufuma, and we were going back at night — he was on a bicycle — and we hear a cry, and he told me: "You continue on home, but I must go and see if I can help.
- Gabriel Okafor

When people came, he gave them the rice, yams, etc. which he had been given when on tour. Sometimes he bought cloth and kept it to give to the old women who couldn’t provide it for themselves. He gave them rice, yams and so on, too. If he saw someone who was dirty, he gave him soap. Sometimes I cooked a chicken. He took a small piece from the wing, and gave the rest to poor people. He knew which ones had no meat. They would come and greet him to see if had anything for them. He would give them what he had.
- Lawrence Ibe

In all Orumba, no one will have anything bad to say about Father Tansi; he never committed any sin. If prayers make people go to heaven, the prayers of Orumba people, and especially Ufesiodo parish, since his death, will send him to heaven.
- Rosaline Nwokike

He practised obedience to authority in the highest degree you can think of. Not one word of criticism ever passed his lips, no matter how he was mortified. If he was told to change stations, he would immediately get his box and begin packing that very minute. He would go immediately and secretly, not letting the people know he was going. When he left for Ajalli, he packed his things and stole away quietly so that there could be no send-off. If anyone came and said: "What is the reason behind this transfer", he would immediately begin to defend authority.
- Bishop Godfrey Okoye

He went uninvited to pagan families, and exchanged views with them…. Half-Catholics, pagans and polygamists seemed to be his best friends because he was after the "lost sheep".
- Adolphus Ifejiofo



At Aguleri Parish (1949 - 1950)

"If I were left to do my will I would have done all in my power to prevent my transfer to Aguleri. If your will was wrought, you would have left no stone unturned to prevent my transfer to Aguleri. Now that the will of God is clear, that I must work in Aguleri whether I like it or not, let us bear with one another."

He told me that coming nearer home, and hearing complaints from his two brothers and their wives — they had no issue — the problem kept coming up and these things were distracting him. He felt that he shouldn’t ask his Lordship to send him to another place. Since his Lordship had thought it out that he should go to Aguleri, it would be a bad thing to ask why.
- Daniel Ilozo

He denounced syncretism and backsliding with fearless intransigence. A court clerk told him: "Son of our people, take it quietly." (Nwa di beanyi, weli nwaayo). Michael answered: "All that is buried must be unearthed" (Ife enile na ani aga aboghesi ya oghe.)
- Mons. Peter Meze
At Ufesiodo, he would go to say Mass, and would go for very long periods of time without food. I remember one occasion after Mass, he told me to do the same. I was supposed to be going around getting flowers for the church. I was so dizzy that I had to clime a tree to look for palm nuts. After a while I had to come back quietly to the kitchen and have my meal.
- Gabriel Okafor of Uru Ogidi

He was very abstemious. He ate very little himself, but did not force us to fast. In fact he would insist we should eat well: "You are young men; your stomachs can digest stones. You need to eat well. As for me, I’ve been eating for forty years. I only need to conserve what I’ve acquired.
- Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya

During Lent, Father Tansi collected stones and pebbles. Very hard pebbles, unknown to people. Only myself knew that, because I often travelled with him and went round in his home. He left the pebbles on the ground, and at night he slept on the pebbles.
- Gabriel Anwulora of Umunnachi

He laid great emphasis on cleanliness and neatness. His soutanes would be patched, but spotless.
- Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya

He loved poverty and simplicity. Even when his soutane had patches, nevertheless it was clean and neat. The soap he used was the ordinary one within the reach of any poor person.
- Fr. Mark Ulogu, Tansi’s curate who later joined him as a Cistercian Monk in England

In the virtue of poverty, as well as in many other virtues, Father Tansi copied his favourite saint, the Curé of Ars, almost to the letter. The poorest material in the market was good enough for his soutanes, which were usually short and tight fitting, to avoid any waste of cloth. His helmet, the time it was in vogue, was of the poorest quality. A friend of his had to constrain him to burn one very old and tattered helmet he continued to use for years. His towels were native made, ota, woven from raw cotton wool.
- Mons. Peter Meze