I read the tribute written by Geoffrey Onyeama, the Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs, for his deceased friend of about 42 years, Late Alhaji Abba K yari.
I must admit that his decision to write such emotional piece is very commendable especially when it is common for people to distance themselves from a friend who is no longer in the position to offer any assistance to them let alone a dead friend who is not generally liked by your kinsman.
I am also aware that even the APC in Enugu would not be particularly happy with Late Kyari for allegedly imposed the diplomat as the representative of Enugu as a Minister the Federal Republic over and above known Buhari long time supporters like Osita Okechukwu.
However, what got me thinking is the claim by the Nigerian leader in the International Diplomacy that during the baptism of his son, Late Alhaji Abba Kyari served as the sponsor (godfather) of the child for the baptism.
Mr. Onyeama acknowledged that Late Kyari was a Muslim from Kanuri in Borno State and what agitated my mind as a Catholic is whether such baptism was acceptable within the Catholic Church.
For Catholics, Baptismis not just another ceremony. It is considered a”sacrament which cleanses us from the original sin, makes us Christians, Children of God and Membersof the Church”. As sacrament in the Catholic Church, it has rituals/procedures before that could be confered. One of the procedures for children’s baptism is the renewal of the baptism commitments by the parents and the sponsors. So, if Late Kyari as a Muslim decided to pass through the rituals for his friend, what baptismal commitments did he renew?
Most importantly, the Catholic Church all over the world is guided by Rules as provided in the CODE OF CANON LAW. It is never optional. It provides the minimum requirements for whatever the Catholics all over the world do.
CAN 849 defines Baptism as ” the gateway to the sacraments, is necessary for salvation, …by it people are freed from sins, are born again as children of God and made like to CHRIST…”
Then, in CAN 874, it expressly states that:
To be admitted to undertake the office of sponsor, , a person must :
1. Be appointed by the candidate for baptism, or by the parents or whomever stands in their place, of failing this, by the Parish priest or the Minister ; to be appointed, the person must be suitable for this role and have the intention of fulfilling it…
3. Be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of Faith which befits the role to be undertaken. ..
#2 A baptised person who belongs to a none-Catholic ecclesial community may be admitted only in company with a Catholic sponsor and then simply as a witness to the baptism. “
Surprisingly, our Minister of Foreign Affairs claimed that “a Muslim Abba Kyari and a Muslim Muni Attah-Sonibare were the sponsors/godparents of his son. That could never have been a VALID CATHOLIC BAPTISM pursuant to the provions of the Code of the Canon Law. If there was any such thing, it probably happened in another denomination not the Catholic Church.
Assuming without conceding that such thing happened, then the baptism was invalid as the validity of the sponsors is a fundamental requirement for the sacrament of Baptism.
Usually, Baptism is the first Sacrament that presumably makes one a Catholic. It is the super structure upon which other Sacraments are received in the Catholic Church. Therefore, the Prince of Eke Kingdom in Udi Local Government of Enugu State needs to know that whatever he did for his son was defective in the eyes of the Church.
Of course, in the tribute to Kyari, the Prince of Eke Kingdom portrayed himself as a liberal man. Although, he could be misunderstood to be veinglorious but the truth is that the Mother Church may not be as liberal as jettisoning the provisions of the Canon Law in making our Minister a de-tribalised Nigerian who is religiously tolerant. It was a good image laundering but he should not mix certain things in his desire to sound liberal.
The Catholic Church is Universal with the same guidelines as provided in the CODE OF THE CANON LAW.
Sir Obunike Ohaegbu
Ezesinachi n’Ukpor
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