Behold
the ‘New Jerusalem’ in Benue
Given the economic reality especially
the increasing foreign exchange rate, intending Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem
or Rome may look the direction of Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre in Benue State for
spiritual edification and enrichment. The 23 years old religious site is fast
emerging as Nigeria’s ‘New Jerusalem’ where thousands of pilgrims converge
every August to celebrate the ‘special day of grace’. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME who was at the centre’s
21st anniversary celebration, reports.
The pain of travelling the 7 kilometre
bad road from Ugbokolo in Okpokwu local government area of Benue State to Aokpe
community did not deter the huge turnout of pilgrims to Aokpe Pilgrimage
Centre. Thousands of Christians, especially Catholic faithful drawn from
different dioceses in the country and outside Nigeria converged on the centre
for 4 days (August 1-4) to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Our
Lady of Aokpe Mediatrix of All Graces. Some pilgrims defied the scorching sun
and intermittent shower of rain to sit and pray in the open field around the Altar
of Perpetual Adoration, Crucifix of Jesus and Good Shepherd garden.
For the four days, the sleepy and serene
Aokpe community was literarily overrun by pilgrims and tourists to the centre. Temporary
souvenir and gifts shops dotted the community road to the centre as traders
displayed foods and gift items such as rosary, candles, pendants, wall papers,
religious cassettes and CDs among others.
But, to get the centre is like a journey
through the Biblical narrow path to heaven. No two big vehicles found it easy
to move on the opposite direction easily on the rough road. And all vehicles
moved on gear one all through the short distance but ‘long’ and tedious journey.
This created a brisk business for operators of commercial motor bikes (Okada)
as most pilgrims took bike, which is popular and more convenient mode of
transport to transit from Ugbokolo to Aokpe. The fifteen minutes ride on bike took
a vehicle a minimum of 30 minutes to cover only on a dry day.
To the pilgrims the bad road is not only
a challenge, but it is also part of the penance for the spiritual edification,
enrichment and growth, which is the essence of their pilgrimage. From
visitation to apparition room, praying the Rosary, making confessions and
penance on penance concrete track leading to the crucifix of Christ, fetching
of Holy water from the spring fountain, reciting the glorious mysteries,
participating in the Hour of Mercy and the Stations of the Cross, there was no
dull moment for the pilgrims. It was marathon prayers, praise and worship
sessions accompanied by spiritual talks and the 3-hourly holy mass during which
pilgrims made constant supplications and sacrifices to the eternal father for
collective and individual needs.
On Monday, August 3 alone, 8 masses were
conducted for the nation and state, reconciliation, students, refugees and
other internally displaced persons, peace, sponsors of Aokpe project and Holy
Spirit. At the grand finale on Tuesday, August 4 the Most Rev Dr. Michael
Apochi, Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese took charge of the mass of the
Blessed Virgin Mary that lasted for three hours.
In his exhortation, Rector of the
centre, Rev. Fr. Ejembi Vincent said the spiritual and social challenges of
Nigerians are enormous as ‘we are living at a time when immorality is gaining
ground, insurgency, Boko Haram, youth unemployment and other economic crisis
bedevil us.’
The visionary Mrs. Christiana Agbo Ejeh
who is now a lawyer said the Blessed Virgin Mary started appearing to her since
1992 when she was 12 and that Virgin Mary told her She would appear on August
4, 1994 to bestow grace on her children. “Virgin Mary told me that every August
4 should be set aside to celebrate a special day of grace,” she said.
The story of Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre,
which is marking the 21st anniversary of its apparition (special day
of grace) is like a prophet who is unknown in his homestead. The centre
witnessed its first apparition of the Blessed Mary twenty-three years ago in
October 1992, when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a 12-year old girl,
Christiana Inebu Agbo. Although the Aokpe apparition is yet to be officially
recognised, the Catholic Church has however given it some serious considerations
through the appointments of Rectors for the Pilgrimage Centre and the
involvement of her priests in the devotions taking place there. The first
positive sign that the Church’s approval would come one day was the declaration
by the Northern Bishops which was read at the centre by the Metropolitan
Archbishop of Abuja, now Cardinal John Onaiyekan at the height of the
apparitions in January 1996.
It would be recalled that in July 2013,
there was the apparition of Blessed Mary on the wall of St. Benedict Catholic
Church at Ubiaja in Edo State. Also, in the same month in 2012, the apparition
of Blessed Mary was seen in a tree trunk in New Jersey, USA.
Up till date, Benue State government is
yet to fix the 7-kilometre road that leads to the only religious site in the
state, which attracts thousands of tourists and pilgrims each year. What seems
visible in the community is the electricity supply that is epileptic as usual.
Benue State Director of Tourism Mrs.
Dooter Ajoko disclosed that the state government has concluded plans to revive
the Makurdi Airport and construct the 7-kilometer Ugbokolo-Aokpe road project
that was abandoned by past administrations in the state.
She assured that government is
determined to develop tourism as income from oil has continued to dwindle. She
said tourism is one of the priority areas the new administration is given
attention to generate income alongside agriculture, entrepreneurship
development and creating enabling environment for industry to strive.
She stated that Aokpe is of particular
interest to the state because it has spent much money on pilgrims to abroad.
“With Aokpe, government intends to promote it to encourage domestic tourism
instead of spending foreign exchange on pilgrimage abroad. Unfortunately, not
many people in Benue are aware of the centre at Aokpe. So, government wants to
promote and develop the centre,” she said.
According to report, ‘apart from
spiritual benefits the presence of Martian site is of immense benefit not only
to the locality but the entire nation. It is estimated that once the Catholic
Church gives its formal approval and recognition of Aokpe as a Marian site,
Nigeria could earn billions of naira from pilgrims who would throng the site
from all over the world. In fact, the Blessed Virgin Mary Herself had during
several of her appearances declared that Aokpe would become great and that She
would do great things in Aokpe.’
Benue State Queen of Culture and Tourism
2014/15, Miss Mimi Pine expressed shock at the size and quality of pilgrims and
activities at the centre, lamenting that she is getting to know the centre at
the close of her tenure as Miss Tourism in the state. But to add some cultural
elements and colours to the events, performing troupes from Benue State
Ministry of Culture and Tourism were on ground to thrill pilgrims to some
scintillating dances.
.Making
of Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre
According to reports by the centre, the
first acknowledged apparition of the Blessed Mary on African soil took place
twenty three years ago at Aokpe, a small village about seven kilometers from
Ugbokolo in Okpokwu local government area of Benue State. In October 1992, the
Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a 12 year old village girl, Christiana Inebu
Agbo. The Blessed Mary made consistent appearances which last till September
2004, which the visionary Christiana Agbo described as the last appearance and
the last message. Altogether, the Blessed Mary made over a hundred appearances
at Aokpe within the twelve year span that the apparitions took place, most of which
were privately done between the Blessed Mary and the visionary. Quite a few
were public in the sense that dates were fixed ahead of the apparitions and
great multitude of people assembled when the apparitions took place and
messages relayed to the audience simultaneously.
The main public apparitions were between
August 1994 and May 1996. The most prominent was on August 4 1994, declared as
special day of grace by the Blessed Mary herself and celebrated since then by
devotees of Aokpe.
On that occasion, the then Catholic
Bishop of Makurdi Most Rev. Athanasius Usuh who then had Episcopal jurisdiction
over the area was requested by the Blessed Mary to either come to Aokpe or send
emissaries to witness the apparition scheduled for that date. This, the Bishop
did and the emissary Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ojaje Idoko photographed and video-taped
and documented the apparition as well as the miracles that occurred on that
occasion which included the receipt of Holy Communion by the visionary from an
Angel and the miracle of the sun.
Landmark
features
Despite the various challenges to the
actualisation of the dream of becoming a Marina site recognized by the Catholic
Church, the centre is witnessing some progress in the area of physical and
spiritual development. Already there are the upliftment of the holy spring
water discharge point, erection of the Good Shepherd Garden for retreats and
altar of Perpetual Adoration built and consecrated on August 4 2010. These were
achieved through contributions from devotees as well as the willingness of the
local community to receive guests and donate their land for development. Also,
the Mediatrix complex which comprises of some guests chalets, a conference
hall, and water fountain and garden are among facilities completed and in use.
Currently, it is gathered that a
business consortium has also submitted proposals for the building of hostels
and tourists sites around the centre on a build operate and transfer (BOT)
basis.
Christiana’s encounters with Blessed Virgin Mary
“I was in my room
praying when suddenly Our Lady appeared to me. When she appeared to me she
said: “I come from Heaven. I am the Refuge of Sinners. I come from Heaven to
win souls for Christ and to hide my children in my Immaculate Heart. What I
want you to do is pray for the souls in Purgatory, to pray for the world and to
pray to console Jesus. Will you accept?” And I answered her, “Yes.”
“In the same month
I was in my room and suddenly I saw two Angels singing. I do not know what they
were singing. I became afraid and ran out. My brother went and called my mother
who said that she could not see anything. The two Angels remained for some
minutes, then one of them said, “I am the Angel of Peace.” Then they
disappeared.
“The 1st of
December, 1992, I went to the Church to pray. After saying prayers and the
Rosary with the people, I left the Church and Our Lady suddenly appeared to me
and said: “After saying the Rosary sit down and meditate for some time.” She
then disappeared.
On the 1st of
October, 1993, Christiana saw a round object like a ball on the floor with
flowers around it. Our Lady came and stood on it. Prompted by her mother, she
was going to ask Our Lady’s name. Our Lady cut in quickly and said, “Behold, I
am a Holy Mother and I will introduce myself another time.”
When Christiana
stated, “I do not know your name,” Our Lady replied: “The time of giving my
name has not yet come. The name I will bring will be a powerful one. I will do
many things in St. Patrick’s Church” The title which Our Lady eventually gave
Christiana is one which evokes much doctrinal and devotional history: Mediatrix
of All Graces.
