By Patrick Ochei
Members of the League of Professionals for Strategic Advocacy have eulogized the sterling personality of late Bishop Patrick Kanwei, saying his death was an unfortunate loss to the body and Delta State at large.
At the country home of the late clergyman at Ogboli Quarters in Issele-Uku, headquarters of Aniocha North LGA, Delta State where the group had paid a condolence visit to the family, the Chairman of the League of Professionals, Mr. Pius Mordi gave an emotional account of Bishop Kanwei, especially on their last outing in Oghara when the group visited the former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori.
Mordi said his prophetic utterances touched Ibori to the extent that he demanded personal prayers from him while intermittently making references to his words of prayer.
The Chairman described Kanwei as a great man who was a father figure in the group just as a true man of God that he was.
According to him, “We have come to celebrate the Bishop and not to mourn like the world. It pleased God to take him at this time and we cannot question Him; the only thing is to live with the memories he left behind, especially his good nature and peaceful dispositions.
“He was a servant of God who stayed focused on his calling until the last day and we can never dispute God’s verdict in this case. All we are asking is for God to grant the family the consolation and fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss”, Mordi prayed.
The Convener of the League of Professionals, Prince Obaro Unuafe said he just came to the realisation that Bishop was no more having seen the family.
He recounted his experience with death in 1984 where God showed him mercy and delivered him from the snare of death. He added that in this circumstance, God has a reason for taking Bishop Kanwei just as he took Bishop Benson Idahosa and Pastor T.B. Joshua of Blessed Memory.
He said, “We should rejoice that Bishop Kanwei died in the Lord and not as an armed robber, agbero, ritualist or murderer. He died in the service of his father our Lord. Let his death teach us a lesson and the need to trust more in God”, Obaro posited.
Other speakers including two of late Bishop’s friends who joined the group – Bishops Eluaka and David Chinweuzo equally gave an account of Bishop Kanwei from their areas of knowledge of him, and all agreeing that his death was the will of God.
Meanwhile, the first son of the deceased, Hon. Raphael Kanwei was glad to receive the condolence delegation from the League of Professionals, adding that he has braced up to the challenge to enable him take care of his mother and siblings.
His words, “My father prepared his home before he left. The signs were there. Just a week before he passed, he had told his wife while they were arguing, that he was doing everything possible to keep himself happy because he doesn’t know how much time he had left to live.
“We can’t question God. My father taught me a lot both in family way and Ministry. I have taken the challenge; we are already making plans for the burial. Once the dates are approved by our family elders, I will communicate same to your group”, Hon. Kanwei said.
Bishop Patrick Kanwei, a renowned man of God and active member of the League, died of the injuries he sustained from an accident along Ozoro highway.