By Joseph Joy

Staff of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, have been charged to teach with a difference and sanitize the university system.

Rev Fr Ambrose Offordile gave the charge on Sunday at the ESUT Catholic Community Mass organised for the ESUT Catholic Staff in Enugu

Fr Offordile in his homily during the Mass held at the Holy Trinity Parish, Independence Layout, Enugu, opined that as Catholics and teachers, the university lecturers should realize that the students are not just interested in what they teach them in the classrooms but also how they impact them morally.

While maintaining that Christianity is action-based rather than preaching, the clergy urged the faithful to ensure that as role models to the students they should avoid cult mentality and have an identity.

“We need to understand ourselves and avoid cult mentality. To make progress as teachers we must see our profession as a vocation. As teachers, we must be interested in the morality of the people we are teaching. A university certificate is given for character and learning. We should graduate our profession to a vocation to win souls to Christ. That is why we have gathered here, we must make a difference as catholic lecturers.

“Catholic lecturers need to add a slant to what they are doing. What are you doing to give your lecture a catholic identity? Teach a child the right path and he will not depart from it.

“How are you contributing to helping the students grow in their faith? Are you misleading them? Inject morality in your teaching and add the bent of God to your lecture.

“The impact lecturers leave on the students as teachers must live with the students. What will the students identify you with? The students know our level of impact on them.

“We should be known for something. The catholic lecturer can remove the rut from the system if you graduate from your profession to your vocation. The church wants lecturers to sanitize the system.

“Modern man is tired of preaching, they want to see actions. Practical Christianity. We can achieve this as a family. We are the conveyors of morality. Strengthen your faith and do not be over-ambitious so that you do not overreact,” he said.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of reception and immediate past Provost of ESUT College of Medicine, Parklane, Prof Frank Ezugwu harped on the need for Catholic lecturers and all staff to distinguish themselves and “live an exemplary life that will identify us as Catholics. We have not been ever identified as Catholics in ESUT until now” .”
He encouraged everyone to support the chaplain in the bold steps he is taking to restore Catholicism in ESUT.

On his part, chairman of the ESUT Catholic Community, Prof Chike Anibeze, reassured all present that the community has come to stay. He thanked Prof Ezugwu for his unwavering support to the catholic community and promised to pull others into the ESUT catholic family

The one-day Mass/prayer get together for all ESUT Catholic Staff was organised to chart a new path for the Catholic Chaplaincy in ESUT.

ESUT Chaplain, Rev Fr Valentine Ifeanyi Ọzọno who was part of the Mass, told ESUT monitor in an interview that the Community Mass was aimed at reinvigorating the Catholic faith among the staff and to promote evangelism in the university community.

He noted that the Community Mass was a step towards achieving the vision.

“Since ESUT was moved from Enugu metropolis to Agbani, many Catholic staff have not identified with the family in Agbani. And like the officiating priest pointed out, there is need for us to have an identify as a family. We need to be set apart from among others in our teaching and life style. Our target is to restore the ESUT Catholic Community to what it used to be and make it better and this Community Mass is a step in achieving the goal” he said.

Other high profile staff who attended the mass include the Registrar, Chief Ambrose Ugwu, former chairman of ESUT Catholic Community and current Director, Entrepreneurship Development Centre, Prof Jude Udenta and Dean Faculty of Agriculture, Prof Emeka Nze.

Others are, Heads of various departments, Dr Chidiebere Ezinwa, Mass Communication; Prof Lucy Onyekwelu, Accountancy; Catholic students group, among others.