Politics
GOV. Simon Lalong of Plateau has extolled the late Rev. Fr. Raymond Hickey, a priest of the Order of St. Augustine (OSA), for his counsel in handling security matters in the state and the Northern region.
Lalong eulogised the cleric during a condolence visit to the Augustinian Community at St. Monica’s Parish Rantya, Jos, on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that OSA is a religious mendicant of the Catholic Church, responsible for pastoral work, missions, education and intellectual activity, among others.
He described the deceased as an encyclopedia of history of Northern Nigeria, whose knowledge and wealth of experience endeared him to different leaders of the First and second Republic in Nigeria.
“He lived here for over 60 years and I saw him as an encyclopedia of history of Northern Nigeria,” he said.
The governor condoled the deceased’s colleagues and the Catholic community in Northern Nigeria, describing his death as a great loss.
“We are here to pray with you , we ask God to grant him eternal rest and to give you the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, ” he said
Responding, Rev. Fr. Anthony Kanu,the Prior Provincial of the Augustinian family in St. Monica Parish, thanked the governor for commiserating with them.
Kanu said the deceased had given the Augustinians in Nigeria a positive connecting identity through his great works across the country .
“He was a historian and the respect accorded him is also accorded us. We shall miss Fr. Raymond Hickey, we have actually enjoyed the fruit of his labour and the dividends are still with us,” he said.
He expressed confidence that Hickey’s works would be written in the annals of history, saying ” for the next 100 years , I strongly believe that anyone writing the history of Catholic Church in Northern Nigeria, cannot have a comprehensive history without reference to his works”.
NAN reports that Hickey was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1936 and ordained a catholic priest in 1960.
He came to Nigeria as a Catholic missionary and served in Borno and Yobe states for 28 years, served for seven years in Lagos and also worked in Kaduna State before moving to Plateau.
NAN
-12, 2021 @ 18:15 GMT |
Tags: Gov. Lalong mourns catholic priest Hickey
