By Olivia Obijiaku
Death has been announced of the Chancellor cum Judicial Vicar of the Catholic Diocese of Zaria, Very Rev. Fr. Augustine Isek. He was aged fifty. Fr. Isek was the Parish Priest of Maria Assumpta Parish, Jushi, before his transition on Thursday, 20th August, 2026.
In an obituary announcement dated 21st August, 2025, the Vice-Chancellor of the diocese, Rev. Fr. Michael Fidelis Abrak, disclosed that Fr. Isek passed on, at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, after a protracted illness. He also extended the Bishop’s deepest condolences to the bereaved family, soliciting prayers for the repose of the soul of the departed.
Nearly one month before his passing, Fr. Isek had from 21st to 22nd July, 2026, anchored the revival session of the 2026 NFCS Week, which held in Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He dwelt on the theme of the Week, ‘Shinning Light (Mt. 5:14-16)’, in charging the congregation to remain in the life of Christ, so that their lights may shine forth. He also quoted Jn.1:4, ‘In Him was life and the life was the light of men’ in asserting that remaining in the Life of Christ is the surest way of maintaining one’s identity as the light of the world.
“It is His Life that generates light.” Fr. Isek taught. “And it is His Life that makes us lights. That Life is not an ordinary life. It is not a biological life. It is not a social life. It is the Life of the Spirit and that Life of the Spirit is eternal life. It is that Life that has become light. It is in the Life of Christ that no witch can kill you. It is there that no competition can put you down.”
“No matter what you do, if that Light is not in you, your civilization will not come. Light produces glory, honour. A shining light produces good works. Light bearers are the triggers of civilization. There are places you go to and forces of darkness are destabilized because you are a shining light. Once upon a time, the earth was in darkness. It was void and formless. But the moment this Light started shinning in Genesis, growth came, development came. Civilization came to earth by the reason of the Presence of Light.”
“The acknowledgment of your light is the switching on of the light. But being the light of the world does not mean that your light will shine. There are many people who are lights but their lights are not shinning. Nothing happens by accident. Sometimes, deliberately, evil forces can cover your light and when your light is not shinning, darkness revolves around you. They are orchestrated by the arrangement in your spirit, but if you rearrange them, your result will change. The moment your light begins to shine, the limitations you thought will not be removed will be forced to leave automatically.”
