Monsignor Paschal Nwaezeapu, the Parish Priest of the Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lekki, and the Episcopal Vicar, Lekki Area of Lagos Archdiocese, is the founder and convener of Strange Reward, one among Africa’s biggest Catholic reward and worship concert events. Nwaezeapu, along the Vice Chairman of Strange Reward 2026, Tina Oruche, spoke at the upcoming version, the essence of the programme, and ideas on increasing the once a year match past two towns. Ferdinand Ekechukwu brings the excerpts
What is the essence of this non secular accumulating and what are the defining issues of Strange Reward?
While you speak about Strange Reward there are lots of issues you’ll be able to speak about. However there are 3 that may stand out; one is thanksgiving. We say that possibly at some stage in the 12 months God has blessed us; it’s now not as though we didn’t face demanding situations or anything else like that. Issues got here however that you’re nonetheless status implies that God remains to be with us. So, having a look at the whole thing he has performed for us we don’t seem to be taking anything else without any consideration. Going to mattress, waking up, is a blessing. Daylight is a blessing; air is a blessing. All through Covid-19 you noticed how folks have been paying hundreds of thousands to have oxygen. So, we don’t seem to be taking the ones issues without any consideration. What we simply determined on the finish of annually we acquire in combination to offer because of God thru reward for all of the issues he has performed for us. The second is evangelisation. The church used to be established for project and that project is known as evangelisation. Whilst we acquire folks to offer thank you, we additionally roughly possibly attempt to proclaim Jesus to them anew for them to resume their dedication to Him and for individuals who have now not been evangelise for them to return to religion in him. There’s this attitude of evangelisation, pleasurable the project of the church. However we perceive evangelisation has two dimensions. There’s what we name the transcendental size wherein you attempt to attach folks to God. However we also are now not oblivious that even right here on earth there’s what you name the horizontal size wherein you wish to have to talk to the placement of folks right here on earth and that’s the place ‘’Strange Entrepreneur’ is available in. We can’t do the whole thing. The federal government would possibly not be capable to do the whole thing even if the federal government has the purpose to. So, in our personal little approach we’re seeking to do what we will do through empowering folks as a result of you’ll be able to’t inform a hungry guy love Jesus and the person is hungry. A hungry guy is an indignant guy. We wish to see how we will empower folks to allow them to know that still religion, Christianity is not only about come to God. Additionally it is about residing neatly. As a result of God gave the human being dignity; it’s inherent in him. And anything else that assaults that dignity does now not glorify God. Excessive poverty assaults that dignity. The rest you do to free up you from poverty turns into one thing that respects human dignity after which glorifies God. Those 3 issues are key. However there might be different issues as I mentioned.
Are you able to talk to us about this 12 months’s theme?
Speaking in regards to the theme ‘Stating His Glory Some of the International locations’ I feel from what I’ve mentioned to this point, he has performed such a lot for us. We don’t seem to be blind folks; we’re considerate folks, individuals who can mirror. And as I mentioned, we don’t take anything else without any consideration. Like folks say ‘oh my alarm woke me up’. However we all know that it’s now not the alarm that wakes you up. Alarm can ring and nonetheless you don’t get up. God wakes us up on a daily basis. The truth that we get up on a daily basis we will see, we recognise it as a blessing. We see all of the blessing we will’t even title they all. While you speak about ‘stating the Glory of God’ is to proclaim Him. It’s a project that has been entrusted to us. We wish to proclaim to the entire global that God is alive and God remains to be running regardless of the demanding situations we are facing He’s alive. And now we have a project through distinctive feature of our baptism to make it paintings. That’s why we wish to claim His glory to the countries and we don’t seem to be simply speaking about Nigeria as a result of Strange Reward is going past Nigeria to no matter extent we will cross.
How does the 2026 footprint satisfy your unique imaginative and prescient of this programme taking into account Strange Reward has advanced from a parish initiative to one among Africa’s biggest Catholic reward and worship occasions?
We’re nonetheless construction as much as it. However the whole thing now we have been doing ahead of we’re nonetheless doing. And we’re seeking to see if we will even surpass what now we have been doing ahead of. So, speaking in regards to the unique imaginative and prescient of possibly giving thank you, in fact I do know that day individuals are coming to offer thank you. And there will likely be thanksgiving. I do know that individuals will likely be reached for Christ in order that approach it’s to meet my imaginative and prescient. After which I do know needless to say that individuals will likely be empowered. And that God will likely be glorified.
What’s the idea at the back of the venues, particularly Onitsha? Any plans to amplify?
The venue for the Lagos one is Tafawa Balewa Sq. (TBS), on THE 2nd Friday in December, which is eleventh. Then the venue for the Onitsha one is the Catholic Basilica in Onitsha, on Friday, November sixth. In truth that we’re in Lagos and the item needs to be held in Lagos. And we can’t however get started from the place we’re. However then speaking about Onitsha, at some degree we if truth be told considered transferring the programme outdoor Lagos. Onitsha used to be the very first thing put at the desk and that used to be additionally for the reason that Chairman as on the time is from Anambra. And Onitsha being the Archdiocese in Anambra as a result of that suggests it’s the middle of the Catholic Church there. In order that used to be why we opted for it. However that doesn’t imply we will’t cross to different puts. As God supplies, we could possibly amplify to different puts and naturally when folks come on their very own and say we would like it and they are able to lend a hand plan it, interested by the various things concerned, then in fact we cross. Its evangelisation anywhere there’s want and anywhere now we have the chance. As well as, we’ve had Onitsha. We simply idea Strange Reward shouldn’t simply be handiest in Lagos. I imply the plan for Strange Reward is that during future years, we’d have Strange Reward now not simply in Onitsha. It’ll be in different portions of Nigeria and likewise even world. Other people from outdoor of the rustic were calling us, we wish to host Strange Reward in London; we wish to host Strange Reward in Canada. However through the Grace of God, we’re running in opposition to that. Onitsha got here as a result of that’s the second one position shall we host Strange Reward and the Archbishop there and all the parishioners there were coming, pronouncing you’ll be able to’t forestall, stay coming again. We hope to visit different states in Nigerian in a little while. After which we predict that this 12 months can be a lot larger, than the former years’ editions.
How are the native communities and the Catholic Archdiocese in each places participating to maximise the outreach?
It’s been a large number of paintings. We now have committee participants in numerous portions of Lagos within the archdiocese. As I talk to you currently, now we have committee participants in Ikeja Deanery, Ipaja Deanery, Surulere Deanery, Yaba and so far as Ijaniki and Badagry. So Strange Reward is for everyone; now not simply even within the Lagos Archdiocese. We now have folks outdoor of Lagos, in Abeokuta making plans Strange Reward as neatly to make it larger. There’s actually a large number of collaboration among parishes and likewise now not simply even Catholics. Even those who don’t seem to be Catholics, faculties have reached out to us that they wish to be part of this 12 months’s Strange Reward. We’re actually having a look ahead to a larger programme this 12 months.
Discuss to us at the making plans and expectation of Strange Reward 2026?
We’ve been making plans for the reason that remaining version. As soon as 2025 ended we began making plans for 2026. Making plans has been ongoing. There’s been such a lot going at the back of the scene. There were a large number of actions, media, going to other parishes in archdiocese, such a lot at the social media platform at Strange Reward each on Fb, Instagram, and there’s been such a lot with seeking to organise our gospel ministers each the as soon as which are native and the world ones. We now have a lot of ongoing actions at the back of the scene in opposition to 2026 Strange Reward.
You talked in regards to the gospel artistes appearing, how do you curate a stability between those artistes whilst keeping up a deeply non secular setting on the match?
I stay pronouncing ministers whilst you say artistes as a result of we take a look at them as now not simply artistes however ministers. We don’t seem to be simply running with those women and men of God as folks that sing. We’re running with them as folks which are coming to minster to the attendees on that day. We’ve been talking to them. They know Strange Reward a few of them were prior to now years’ editions. Some are simply coming for the primary time and we do imagine God that God will paintings wonders thru those minsters on that day. They’re actually aligned with what the imaginative and prescient for Strange Reward is which may be very deeply non secular to start with to win extra souls for Christ. After which in fact the opposite a part of Strange Reward which is the “Strange Entrepreneur” to empower folks. I imply it’s collaboration between parishioners, between folks that wish to attend and likewise between the gospel ministers.
How do you cope with new conventional voices throughout the Church who see otherwise this contemporary taste of evangelisation – mixing conventional Catholic worship with recent gospel tune?
You spot it’s simple. I feel Pope John Paul II already addressed that within the ‘Project of the Redeemer’. What stays consistent is the gospel. The way you propagate the Gospel can trade so long as it doesn’t remove the substance of the gospel. In the event you take a look at Jesus Himself Jesus didn’t play the organ. However organ got here from Europe. However the gospel has remained the similar in order that’s vital. It’s the gospel we’re propagating or even Pope John Paul II mentioned folks must get a hold of projects with which they are able to make the gospel achieve the guts of the folk of lately. And in our church, now we have the youths which are going this wrong way. In truth a mix of the 2 will at all times display that you’re assembly those ones’ wants and assembly those different ones their wants as neatly. I simply imagine that and except for that, from revel in, now we have additionally came upon that one of the folks we see or name as so conventional a few of them are keying into the entire thing.
Given the present financial headwinds, how the most important is the church’s position in offering bodily empowerment to check non secular revival?
I feel I’ve touched on that already thru Strange Entrepreneur we’re ready to try this. And is a key side of no matter we’re doing as a result of evangelisation has two legs. We now have the transcendental, and now we have the vertical and horizontal dimensions. We don’t simply inform folks to only come to God. However what we will do to lend a hand them reside neatly now we additionally do. I invite all to be a part of Strange Reward 2026.
The turnout of worshippers at Strange Reward now and again turns into overflow. What plans were made to deal with the group for safety causes and all that?
Ultimate 12 months we noticed the next quantity other from the former 12 months and we all know that this 12 months will likely be a lot larger once more. We’re making plans for that. Ultimate 12 months the overflow used to be we had folks at TBS and we all know that this 12 months we’d even have folks at the overflow. We’re actually making plans in opposition to that and naturally if you happen to’ve been to Strange Reward ahead of you are going to know if there’s something that stands proud for Strange Reward is safety. You wouldn’t see even with the surge, the group you are going to now not see any roughly stampede. There’s at all times coordination from access to go out to motion, the whole thing is at all times so seamless and so superbly organized. We’re actually making a lot more plan even with the Lagos State safety body of workers; LASTMA, police folks and we’re very positive nobody can have any problems coming to Strange Reward 2026 at TBS or even in Onitsha.
What message do you hope resonates with the target market this 12 months and past?
While you communicate in regards to the target market, I do know that can be whilst you cross to other nations there are issues which are specific to them.
Like Nigeria now, what’s, possibly, on the (middle) CENTRE of debate is 2027.
However something I imply stays transparent to everyone that God created the sector; He’s the landlord of the sector and we should acknowledge God in the whole thing we do. God should be on the middle of the whole thing we do. I imagine in my view that while you take away God, mankind dies.
Whenever you take away God, society collapses. And cross to any nation the place issues don’t seem to be proper, you are going to see that in some way there’s an effort to push God to the aspect and produce guy to the (middle) CENTRE.