(DDM) – The life and legacy of Rev. Fr. Dr. John Okwoeze Odey, a distinguished Catholic priest, theologian, author, and social crusader, came into focus on Saturday, October 4, 2025, as intellectuals, clergy, and community leaders gathered at the Women Development Centre (WDC) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, for the public presentation of his latest book, “Living in the Shadows of Death: Nigeria’s Descent into Ethnic Conquest – A Documentary.”
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the highlight of the occasion was a formal citation delivered by Okoro Chinedum Benedict, MA (Intelligence and Security Studies, University of Manchester, United Kingdom), who described Fr. Odey as “a moral compass and prophetic voice whose life reflects the fearless pursuit of truth and justice.”
In his tribute, Okoro said Fr. Odey has remained one of the few clerics in Nigeria whose priesthood bridges faith and activism, combining intellectual depth with moral courage.
He noted that Fr. Odey’s writings, public engagements, and pastoral work have made him “a voice of conscience within and beyond the Church.”
Born in Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Fr. Odey rose from humble beginnings to become one of Nigeria’s most respected moral theologians.
He attended Sacred Heart School, Otinyi Ngbo, completing his primary education in 1964, and was initially trained as a tailor under Mr. Mathias Agbo before following his strong spiritual calling.
He later joined the Catholic faith and chose the name John after the biblical John the Baptist, a figure known for moral courage and unflinching truthfulness.
Fr. Odey proceeded to St. Augustine’s Minor Seminary, Ezzangbo (1972–1976), and then to St. Augustine’s Major Seminary, Jos (1977–1984), where he obtained degrees in Philosophy and Theology.
He was ordained a Catholic priest on July 7, 1984, and served at Sacred Heart Parish, Onueke Ezza, where his deep concern for moral issues inspired his first publication, Ritual Circumcision in Ezza and the Christian Faith.
In 1987, he was appointed Cathedral Administrator of St. Theresa’s Cathedral, Abakaliki, and later travelled to Rome in 1990, where he earned both Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Moral Theology in record time.
His intellectual exposure abroad shaped his understanding of Liberation Theology, which he later described as the fusion of faith and social responsibility.
Upon his return to Nigeria, Fr. Odey was posted to St. Patrick’s Parish, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki, where his fiery homilies became widely known for addressing corruption, poverty, and social injustice.
According to Okoro, the priest’s influence transcended religion and extended into academia, politics, and civic morality, making him one of the most respected public intellectuals of the post-independence era.
He said Fr. Odey’s message is rooted in the social teachings of the Church, the belief that faith must inspire justice and that religion without compassion is empty ritual.
Among his over 50 published works are Active Nonviolent Resistance: The Moral and Political Power of the Oppressed, The Legacy of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Colonel Abubakar Umar: The Trumpet of Justice, and Africa: The Agony of a Continent – Can Liberation Theology Offer Any Solution?
Others include Nigeria: Search for Peace and Social Justice, My Life and Commitment (autobiography), and Living in the Shadows of Death: Nigeria’s Descent into Ethnic Conquest, A Documentary, the book unveiled during the ceremony.
Okoro also revealed that Fr. Odey’s impact has inspired what admirers fondly call Odeism, a philosophy anchored on truth, moral courage, and resistance to oppression.
He explained that the philosophy teaches that “no society can be free until its citizens conquer fear and speak truth to power.”
Fr. Odey’s career has also been marked by transparent and disciplined administration.
He spearheaded infrastructural and educational developments at St. Patrick’s Parish, Kpirikpiri, Annunciation Primary and Secondary Schools, Kpirikpiri, and Holy Trinity Parish and College, Umuogudu Akpu, Ngbo.
He currently serves as the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Parish, Ngbo, and continues to lead Holy Trinity College, where he is described as a “teacher of minds and mentor of morals.”
During the citation, Okoro paid glowing tribute to Fr. Odey’s intellectual influences, listing figures such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Frantz Fanon, and Archbishop Óscar Romero as moral guides who shaped his theology and worldview.
He observed that Fr. Odey, like these global icons, has chosen to live dangerously for truth, reminding the Church that “faith without social conscience is hypocrisy.”
Quoting Frantz Fanon, Okoro concluded that “each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it.”
He said Fr. Odey discovered his mission early, “to stand for truth, defend the poor, and bear witness to justice”, and has fulfilled it with uncommon courage.
The ceremony drew scholars, clerics, government officials, and social activists, all of whom described Fr. Odey as “a beacon of conscience, a champion of truth, and a faithful servant of God and humanity.”
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