Monsignor Paschal Nwaezeapu, the Parish Priest of the Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lekki, and the Episcopal Vicar, Lekki Region of Lagos Archdiocese, is the founder and convener of Unusual Praise, one in every of Africa’s largest Catholic reward and worship live shows. Nwaezeapu, alongside the Vice Chairman of Unusual Praise 2026, Tina Oruche, spoke on the upcoming version, the essence of the programme, and ideas on increasing the annual occasion past two cities. Ferdinand Ekechukwu brings the excerpts
What is the essence of this spiritual gathering and what are the defining factors of Unusual Praise?
When you discuss Unusual Praise there are various issues you may discuss. But there are three that may stand out; one is thanksgiving. We are saying that perhaps in the middle of the yr God has blessed us; it’s not as if we didn’t face challenges or something like that. Problems got here however that you’re nonetheless standing implies that God continues to be with us. So, all the things he has performed for us we aren’t taking something with no consideration. Going to mattress, waking up, is a blessing. Sunlight is a blessing; air is a blessing. During Covid-19 you noticed how individuals have been paying hundreds of thousands to have oxygen. So, we aren’t taking these issues with no consideration. What we simply determined on the finish of yearly we collect collectively to offer due to God by way of reward for all of the issues he has performed for us. The second one is evangelisation. The church was established for mission and that mission is known as evangelisation. Even as we collect individuals to offer thanks, we additionally form of perhaps attempt to proclaim Jesus to them anew for them to resume their dedication to Him and for individuals who haven’t been evangelise for them to return to religion in him. There’s this angle of evangelisation, fulfilling the mission of the church. But we perceive evangelisation has two dimensions. There’s what we name the transcendental dimension whereby you attempt to join individuals to God. But we’re additionally not oblivious that even right here on earth there’s what you name the horizontal dimension whereby it’s essential communicate to the scenario of individuals right here on earth and that’s the place ‘’Unusual Entrepreneur’ is available in. We can’t do all the things. The authorities could not be capable to do all the things even when the federal government has the intention to. So, in our personal little manner we try to do what we are able to do by empowering individuals as a result of you may’t inform a hungry man love Jesus and the person is hungry. A hungry man is an offended man. We need to see how we are able to empower individuals to allow them to know that additionally religion, Christianity isn’t just about come to God. It can also be about dwelling properly. Because God gave the human being dignity; it’s inherent in him. And something that assaults that dignity doesn’t glorify God. Extreme poverty assaults that dignity. Anything you do to liberate you from poverty turns into one thing that respects human dignity after which glorifies God. These three issues are key. But there may very well be different issues as I mentioned.
Can you communicate to us about this yr’s theme?
Talking in regards to the theme ‘Declaring His Glory Among the Nations’ I believe from what I’ve mentioned thus far, he has performed a lot for us. We aren’t blind individuals; we’re considerate individuals, individuals who can replicate. And as I mentioned, we don’t take something with no consideration. Like individuals say ‘oh my alarm woke me up’. But we all know that it’s not the alarm that wakes you up. Alarm can ring and nonetheless you don’t get up. God wakes us up every single day. The indisputable fact that we get up every single day we are able to see, we recognise it as a blessing. We see all of the blessing we are able to’t even identify all of them. When you discuss ‘declaring the Glory of God’ is to proclaim Him. It’s a mission that has been entrusted to us. We need to proclaim to the entire world that God is alive and God continues to be working regardless of the challenges we face He’s alive. And we’ve got a mission by advantage of our baptism to make it work. That’s why we need to declare His glory to the nations and we aren’t simply speaking about Nigeria as a result of Unusual Praise goes past Nigeria to no matter extent we are able to go.
How does the 2026 footprint fulfill your unique imaginative and prescient of this programme contemplating Unusual Praise has developed from a parish initiative to one in every of Africa’s largest Catholic reward and worship occasions?
We are nonetheless constructing as much as it. But all the things we’ve got been doing earlier than we’re nonetheless doing. And we try to see if we are able to even surpass what we’ve got been doing earlier than. So, speaking in regards to the unique imaginative and prescient of perhaps giving thanks, after all I do know that day individuals are coming to offer thanks. And there shall be thanksgiving. I do know that folks shall be reached for Christ in order that manner it’s to meet my imaginative and prescient. And then I do know for certain that folks shall be empowered. And that God shall be glorified.
What’s the thought behind the venues, particularly Onitsha? Any plans to increase?
The venue for the Lagos one is Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), on THE second Friday in December, which is eleventh. Then the venue for the Onitsha one is the Catholic Basilica in Onitsha, on Friday, November sixth. The fact is that we’re in Lagos and the factor needs to be held in Lagos. And we can’t however begin from the place we’re. But then speaking about Onitsha, at some extent we truly thought of shifting the programme outdoors Lagos. Onitsha was the very first thing placed on the desk and that was additionally as a result of the Chairman as on the time is from Anambra. And Onitsha being the Archdiocese in Anambra as a result of which means it’s the middle of the Catholic Church there. So that was why we opted for it. But that doesn’t imply we are able to’t go to different locations. As God supplies, we’d be capable to increase to different locations and naturally when individuals come on their very own and say we wish it and so they can assist plan it, fascinated about the various things concerned, then after all we go. Its evangelisation wherever there’s want and wherever we’ve got the chance. In addition, we’ve had Onitsha. We simply thought Unusual Praise shouldn’t simply be solely in Lagos. I imply the plan for Unusual Praise is that in years to return, we’d have Unusual Praise not simply in Onitsha. It shall be in different elements of Nigeria and in addition even worldwide. People from outdoors of the nation have been calling us, we need to host Unusual Praise in London; we need to host Unusual Praise in Canada. But by the Grace of God, we’re working in the direction of that. Onitsha got here as a result of that’s the second place we might host Unusual Praise and the Archbishop there and the entire parishioners there have been coming, saying you may’t cease, preserve coming again. We are hoping to go to different states in Nigerian in a short while. And then we predict that this yr could be a lot greater, than the earlier years’ editions.
How are the native communities and the Catholic Archdiocese in each areas collaborating to maximise the outreach?
It’s been quite a lot of work. We have committee members in several elements of Lagos within the archdiocese. As I communicate to you now, we’ve got committee members in Ikeja Deanery, Ipaja Deanery, Surulere Deanery, Yaba and so far as Ijaniki and Badagry. So Unusual Praise is for everyone; not simply even within the Lagos Archdiocese. We have individuals outdoors of Lagos, in Abeokuta planning Unusual Praise as properly to make it greater. There’s actually quite a lot of collaboration amongst parishes and in addition not simply even Catholics. Even these that aren’t Catholics, faculties have reached out to us that they need to be part of this yr’s Unusual Praise. We are actually trying ahead to an even bigger programme this yr.
Speak to us on the planning and expectation of Unusual Praise 2026?
We’ve been planning because the final version. Once 2025 ended we began planning for 2026. Planning has been ongoing. There’s been a lot going behind the scene. There have been quite a lot of actions, media, going to totally different parishes in archdiocese, a lot on the social media platform at Unusual Praise each on Facebook, Instagram, and there’s been a lot with making an attempt to organise our gospel ministers each the as soon as which can be native and the worldwide ones. We have an entire lot of ongoing actions behind the scene in the direction of 2026 Unusual Praise.
You talked in regards to the gospel artistes performing, how do you curate a steadiness between these artistes whereas sustaining a deeply religious atmosphere on the occasion?
You know I preserve saying ministers while you say artistes as a result of we have a look at them as not simply artistes however ministers. We aren’t simply working with these women and men of God as people who sing. We are working with them as individuals which can be coming to minster to the attendees on that day. We’ve been talking to them. They know Unusual Praise a few of them have been previously years’ editions. Some are simply coming for the primary time and we do imagine God that God will work wonders by way of these minsters on that day. They are actually aligned with what the imaginative and prescient for Unusual Praise is which may be very deeply religious to start with to win extra souls for Christ. And then after all the opposite a part of Unusual Praise which is the “Unusual Entrepreneur” to empower individuals. I imply it’s collaboration between parishioners, between people who need to attend and in addition between the gospel ministers.
How do you handle new conventional voices throughout the Church who see in another way this contemporary type of evangelisation – mixing conventional Catholic worship with modern gospel music?
You see it’s simple. I believe Pope John Paul II already addressed that within the ‘Mission of the Redeemer’. What stays fixed is the gospel. How you propagate the Gospel can change so long as it doesn’t take away the substance of the gospel. If you have a look at Jesus Himself Jesus didn’t play the organ. But organ got here from Europe. But the gospel has remained the identical in order that’s vital. It’s the gospel we’re propagating and even Pope John Paul II mentioned individuals ought to provide you with initiatives with which they will make the gospel attain the guts of the individuals of in the present day. And in our church, we’ve got the youths which can be going this different manner. The fact is a mix of the 2 will at all times present that you’re assembly these ones’ needs and assembly these different ones their needs as properly. I simply imagine that and other than that, from expertise, we’ve got additionally found that a number of the individuals we see or name as so conventional a few of them are keying into the entire thing.
Given the present financial headwinds, how essential is the church’s position in offering bodily empowerment to match religious revival?
I believe I’ve touched on that already by way of Unusual Entrepreneur we’re ready to do this. And is a key facet of no matter we’re doing as a result of evangelisation has two legs. We have the transcendental, and we’ve got the vertical and horizontal dimensions. We don’t simply inform individuals to simply come to God. But what we are able to do to assist them reside properly now we additionally do. I invite all to be a part of Unusual Praise 2026.
The turnout of worshippers at Unusual Praise typically turns into overflow. What plans have been made to accommodate the gang for safety causes and all that?
Last yr we noticed a better quantity totally different from the earlier yr and we all know that this yr shall be a lot greater once more. We are planning for that. Last yr the overflow was we had individuals at TBS and we all know that this yr we’d even have individuals on the overflow. We are actually planning in the direction of that and naturally for those who’ve been to Unusual Praise earlier than you’ll know if there’s one factor that stands out for Unusual Praise is safety. You wouldn’t see even with the surge, the gang you’ll not see any form of stampede. There’s at all times coordination from entry to exit to motion, all the things is at all times so seamless and so fantastically organized. We are actually making far more plan even with the Lagos State safety personnel; LASTMA, police individuals and we’re very certain nobody can have any points coming to Unusual Praise 2026 at TBS and even in Onitsha.
What message do you hope resonates with the viewers this yr and past?
When you speak in regards to the viewers, I do know which may be while you go to totally different international locations there are issues which can be explicit to them.
Like Nigeria now, what’s, perhaps, on the (middle) CENTRE of dialogue is 2027.
But one factor I imply stays clear to all people that God created the world; He is the proprietor of the world and we should acknowledge God in all the things we do. God should be on the middle of all the things we do. I imagine personally that after you take away God, mankind dies.
Once you take away God, society collapses. And go to any nation the place issues aren’t proper, you will note that in some way there’s an effort to push God to the facet and convey man to the (middle) CENTRE.
