Late Fr. Francis Ighorurhie: A Nightfall at Noon

(A Biographical Memoir)

Written by: Fr Preye Samson PAUL

The FAMILY AND FRIENDS of IGHORURHIE are mourning! The MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ST PAUL is weeping! The DIOCESES OF BOMADI AND WARRI are crying loudly! HUMANITY is wailing and; HEAVEN is rejoicing because a saintly and great human being has gone Home!

Late Rev. Fr Francis Ighorurhie, MSP was born on the 3rd day of April, 1978. He is an indigene of Okpara Inland community, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State Nigeria. He attended Holy Martyrs of Uganda Minor Seminary, Effurun, in Delta State, Nigeria. Fr Francis later proceeded to the Major Seminary of St Paul, Gwagwalada, Abuja for his Priestly Formation. He was ordained priest on the 25th day of June, 2011, and was subsequently posted to St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ovom Yenagoa in 2011 as assistant parish priest to Very Rev. Fr Joseph Opelema in the Catholic Diocese of Bomadi. After a year of active service in Ovom, he left for an African mission in Botswana as obliged by his Congregation. After three years or so, he came back to the Diocese of Bomadi to serve. Due to his pastoral impactfulness, he was further posted and made Parish Priest of Our Lady Queen of Nigeria, Sagbama, Bayelsa State and, shortly after that, he was transferred to St Joseph Catholic Church, Kaiama, Bayelsa State, under the Catholic Diocese of Bomadi in 2019. Until his death, on the 15th of October, 2020, he was the Parish Priest of Kaiama and a member of the Board of Consultors in the Diocese of Bomadi.

Narrative of his death

As was reported, on Thursday 15, October, 2020, Late Fr Francis was said to have travelled to Bomadi and later to Ughelli to purchase some goods around 5 O’clock in the evening. On his return he parked his car beside the Rectory on the highway and went to the Rectory through the wooden bridge. Unfortunately, and perhaps as it was already dark, his feet slipped off the bridge and eventually fell into the flood waters. Again, since it was night he may not have clearly seen the right path to utilize because a part of the bridge was already submerged. In addition, the depth of the water was above 5-feet.

However, no one knew that he had such a fatal accident as he embarked on the journey all alone. Having anticipated his return without any sign of his return to the house, the two boys living with him became apprehensive. They searched his car parked at the usual place in his residence but they could not see him. Immediately, one of the boys called his mother and inturn she called Sir Dr Gabriel Ororogha KSJ. and other parishioners and security personnel to come to their aid. This was already 10:30pm. Shortly, after searching for the priest, several thoughts crossed their minds, such as if he, the priest was abducted by kidnappers or involved in serious accident. At this point they suddenly saw the items the priest bought from Ughelli floating on the surface of the water. It now dawned on them that something more disastrous had happened to the Priest. Quickly, they called some divers from the neighbourhood to carry out a search on the water. And few hours later, precisely at 12am of Friday, they succeeded in discovering the body in the water, but it was too late to revive him as all attempts failed. And through the order of the competent ecclesiastical authority, Fr Isaac Alari (from Agudama) and Fr Michael Ogbor (a neighbouring parish priest from Sagbama) and other parishioners, took the remains of Late Fr Francis’ body to the Mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State at about 1:20am of Friday.

This is a very painful tragedy that has befallen the Dioceses of Bomadi and Warri.

MAY THE ANGELS OF GOD LEAD YOU INTO HEAVEN. MAY YOU BE IN THE BOSOM OF ABRAHAM.

MAY THE SOUL OF FR FRANCIS IGHORURHIE, MSP AND THE SOULS OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED, THROUGH THE MERCY OF GOD REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

May God grant fortitude to the:

• Bereaved family and friends of Ighorurhie,
• Congregation of St Paul and;
• the entire laity and clergy of the Catholic Dioceses of Bomadi and Warri. Amen.