By Olivia Obijiaku
The relics of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi were taken to Immaculate of Mary Parish, Fegge Onitsha on Sunday, 1st October, 2023 where they were also venerated at the uninterrupted twenty one hour prayer summit themed, ‘Rewards of Living Entirely for God’ and ended on Monday, 2nd October.
At the event which featured three Masses each presided over by the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Mike Okagbue; Resident Priest, Rev Fr Anthony Igweagu, and a visiting priest, Rev Fr Sebastian Ozor; two sessions of Eucharistic Adoration; anointing of participants; all night prayers; life transforming Word sessions, outpouring of God’s move; among others, Fr Okagbue who had visited Fr Tansi’s monastery in Leicester, England and met the beatified only surviving contemporary, Monk Anselm gave a brief history of honoree tasking the participants to live entirely for God as Blessed Tansi did so that God will reward them accordingly.
“Tansi lived his life in secret but God rewarded him openly.” The clergyman asserted. “And now, so many people have been blessed through him. He was known for living entirely for God. At age nine, Tansi was playing with his mates and one of his eyes was so injured that he had difficulties reading with it but he was not discouraged. He went to the monastery because he loved a life of prayer but even though he experienced the dark night of the soul there – an experience that lasted for the greater part of his stay in the monastery, he kept praying. He wished to bring the monastery to the Eastern part of Nigeria, but his wish did not materialize in his lifetime, yet he saw it as the will of God. Of the three who were ordained, Tansi was the less intelligent and handsome, yet God exalted him. He did not minister publicly but God has announced him. So no matter how people count you out, if you lean humbly on God, you will laugh again. Tansi was extremely dark, short tempered and of short stature and mediocre intelligence but he submitted everything to God and served Him entirely. I do not know what scares you but heaven has promised that with the coming of Blessed Tansi, your hidden portion will locate you. As many who will follow the footstep of Tansi will gain heaven because the God who did it for him will do it for you.”
Fr Okagbue who explained the circumstances surrounding the birth of Blessed Tansi, enlightened that he was named Iwegbunam by his father because he, his father refused to be overcome by anger called on the faithful to resist any temptation to yield to anger no matter the provocation so that they may transform it to something useful, like Fr Tansi’s father who ceased the opportunity to fight illiteracy in the family by sending Iwene to his uncle to acquire Weston education.
Prior to the birth of Blessed Tansi, his father was arrested by the whites and sent to prison alongside other suspects over oil spillage. It was after he regained freedom that Tansi was was born.
