The life journey of a Guru

A review of the biography of Rev. Fr. Dr. Raymond Chukwunyelugwu Arazu CSSp:
‘My Life Journey’

Ka’anyi mekene nnukwu njor: My first encounter with the Guru led me to the great sin that saved me

My Gururazu
At the peak of the disillusionment
When all the structures had collapsed
In the middle of life I stood lost
Only to wander by his presence

With fury and hilarity he blew the lid

The grand design to keep me blind for life
With humor he engaged my very core
Awakening a sleeping student with a jolt

Then the universe turned into shreds

With rioting feelings I could only scream

Gururazu has finished me

He has destroyed all I know
Through careful, clear intelligence
My old knowledge has lost her light
Vanquished under superior revelations

None other dare perform such onslaught

But he who possess divine genius
With fear for no man, only love for all

Gururazu, iga dilim ebi ebi

Destroy more for I am packed with rot
Only in truth will I be saved
The truth your being represents.

Though written by Fr. Arazu himself, it is a compilation of different accounts of different people who
have in one way or the other had encounter with the Guru; the author made a conscious effort to
articulate the many accounts in a manner that will add value to the life of everyone who reads this
elaborate work. The work is elaborate, yet it is difficult for me to articulate what I would consider
reasonable for this great assembly before which I tremble. Talking to my teachers about my Guru, who
they all have had personal and far more essential encounters with than what could be mentioned in this

Chukwuemeka Ezeulukpu, Ihembosi, Anambra State, Nigeria. 07.01.2016

review, cannot be easy. For I have witnessed people make testimonies that qualify Fr. Arazu for
sainthood, was sainthood attained by the living and awarded by unbiased institutions. The author
qualifies for the title ‘Refuge of Sinners’ as Baba Otu (Fr. Levi Udemba) fondly calls him.

The various chapters, though about one man, exposes virtues inherent in different individuals all packed
in one man. The author’s uniqueness is in combining different skills and deploying them for the ultimate
objective of human existence i.e. Self Realization! Different chapters of this book will strike individual
readers differently. There are aspects of the book that struck me out of the ordinary; those aspects I will
make effort to share what I understand of them, hoping it will help those listening to me appreciate the
wonderful and cosmic nature of the author. Like the blind men who presented their findings on what
they understood as the elephant, everyone who has made an effort to document what he or she knows
about the author ended up presenting individual views, each unique, exciting accounts with deep
lessons for the reader.

The Preface of the book presents the structure in which the entire work has been organized; with a table
of contents that enables the reader direct his search to benefit from this book which is beyond a
biography but for me a tool that can guide every mind (young and old) to liberation especially in these
times of severe socio economic hardship which has arisen due to the misplacement of priorities and a
seeming resolve of the human race to work against herself.

The author has been teaching the entire world, an analysis of the writings of the author published in this
book reveals a person who is totally people oriented in his arguments; we find objectivity driving
presentations without ethnic sentiments which would have been expected from a man who was sent
home to die for being Black.

Like a man driven by providence, he took the first and last positions in so many situations, first when the
situation required a leader; a first among equals, as witnessed by academic achievements and
excellence in service to the public and last in situations he had to stay alive to continue teaching the
world. He was in the last airplane that left the Enugu Airport before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil
war and will be guided to board a second airplane back to Biafra to avoid death.

It is obvious that the author is one who is readily available to take up responsibilities even when it
constitutes a huge burden for him to ensure that each opportunity he has is used to share with the
world the copious reservoir of knowledge which he continues grow. Providence ensured that the author
had access to very rare documents which were very helpful in molding his mind and gifted with
advanced intellect, he was able to utilize these for extrapolating relevant lessons he shared with the
world. We find a man that is never tired; this is still obvious in a man who very few younger persons can
compete with when it comes to hard work. I often wonder each time I walk into the study of the author
when I find open books which are being read by the author. I inquired once, and learnt in a practical
manner that as long as one lives on this side of existence, one must keep an open mind as we live in an
evolving world with new reality and revelations for those who stay wake.

The author provided information about himself that will help many people appreciate and clarify many
doubts around the man that many different and unkind stories has been told. The ‘De Profundis’

Chukwuemeka Ezeulukpu, Ihembosi, Anambra State, Nigeria. 07.01.2016

document which led the author to deportation to Biafra at the heat of the war is finally in the open for
the world to read and judge. In that write up, I saw a student teaching his teachers based on the
fundamental teachings of the institution which the teachers and the student represented, yet he
obediently followed the orders that should ordinarily lead to his death. The author did tell me some day
that the obedience he observed saved his life. Fr. Arazu is a complex being, who can only be understood
when one is able to understand all his facets, a situation that is impossible for any man. He allowed his
experience guide his life, evolving like life and approaches life with a huge sense of humor, like I have
seen in no other man.

When one reads the sermons that are included in this book, one reads a man who has a wonderful
understanding of Christ, he is real and objective in his analysis yet thoroughly convincing. Never
manipulating the truth for the benefit of any institution yet presenting to the listener the essential
information required for salvation based on the individual listener’s capacity and level of awareness to
comprehend.

His love for his roots remain very fascinating, reading through the book will give one an insight into what
would have formed the author to be so committed to his roots, however, his fierceness at defending the
truth even in the face of death remains unique. With the same commitment he has ensured that the
Igbo language is heard all over the world with his Music while he continues to represent the model that
can ensure a proper integration of the Catholic Church in Igbo land. The Abu-Oma masterpiece merged a
key component of the Spirituality of the Igbo Masquerade and the Spirituality of the Biblical Psalms.

As a Speech writer a find the author show example on how to work hard to achieve an objective. It is
obvious that the author’s zeal for doing the right thing gave him more work, yet he was ready to do
more. When compared to the modern day civil servant whose major proficiency is in hiding files, one
can only keep appreciating the author. Since I know the author as one who still reads consistently, I was
not surprised at the depth of knowledge he brought to bear in presenting his ideas on Speeches he
wrote for other people to read and take credit for. His satisfaction seemed to be derived in the positive
impact that the speeches made, not in the acknowledgement.

The author has a great sense of gratitude, through the book; one could learn how to appreciate good
that is done to one. His attention on the Past President General of Ihembosi and the Eze Ndi Igbo in
Benin Republic, is a testament to the author’s love for good done to humanity. The author has many
times told me about a wonderful young man in his community who remains dedicated and commits
resources to ensuring economic and human development in Ihembosi.
Fr. Arazu’s attention on ‘Numbers’ is not by accident, he thought me the little I know about Numerology
and an observant reader is bound to gain some knowledge on observing numbers. The book contains
important messages capable of saving our country, over time, the author has been articulating key
issues responsible for our setback and has been making recommendations on how to better our lot as a
Country, I think his contributions are even more relevant now. For the youths, it is obvious that the
author while working as a Civil Servant was totally committed to the point of presenting the youths with
a document that can guide proper deployment of their energy.

Chukwuemeka Ezeulukpu, Ihembosi, Anambra State, Nigeria. 07.01.2016

The author is always teaching as the book attests, beyond the individual, I believe that the author is one
of the greatest teachers the Catholic Church has had when it comes to teaching the Church herself.
Every system/institution/community etc must learn for growth if not it must die or begin to die (like the
Churches in Europe and America), the ability to learn allows for expansion and growth. Fr. Arazu
continues to teach the Church how to address the conflict between the Church and the Traditional
Institutions and religion. The Missionaries were n a hurry to establish the Church as a replacement of
what they did not and will never understand, yet the author helps one appreciate the oneness of God
and all His creation and provides a guide on how to ensure proper integration that will add value and
not confusion to the life of the people.

Whereas the Catholic Church until recently prohibited her priests from practicing Medicine, the author
found a way to ensure that people had access to affordable medicine. Since most of the medicine used I
Nigeria are imported, they are usually too expensive for the majority of the population. The author used
his natural knowledge to fill that gap. The Church has finally made allowance for Priests to study and
practice Medicine, many years after the author had set the pace. The author is obviously a prophet who
sees clearly into the future and remains unhindered by Dogmas. Today he is the Chairman of the
Traditional Medicine Board of Anambra State, with great ideas on how to improve traditional medical
practice; I pray he gets the support he needs to put Anambra State in the world map of Traditional
Medicine practice as the author has already established frameworks and structures for the
advancement of Traditional Medicine.

The Vatican honoured him with the award of ‘The Religious Musician of the Millennium’ for Abu-Oma
which many of us are beneficiaries of. Abu Oma shares ‘the wealth of Igbo cultural idiom and rhythm’
with the world (borrowing from one of the commentators in the book). The book reveals the background
and context from where the Abu Oma Music was composed and delivered to the world. Even the late
Ikemba Nnewi did recognize the effort being made by the author to indigenize the Catholic Church in
Igbo land and effort that has ensured that many people who would have had reasons to walk away (like
me when I was being harassed in a Parish) from the Church have had the opportunity of finding
something very worthwhile to hold onto in the Church with the Abu Oma.

His funeral orations like the sermons he provided on a Radio Station after the Civil war had messages
that restored hope to the hopeless. The wonderful thing about these talks for me is the way he utilizes
the truth to deliver his message. I have heard many priests talk like Mike Ejeagha from the pulpit, but
never this man. He is terribly blunt, even to family and he got good results, in this book you find
diplomatic maneuvers utilized when necessary, he is never shy no cry, thoroughly human too. The
author is a Complex Being (Mmuo na Mmadu)

His love for the Holy Ghost Congregation is unique for one who has lived through very disappointing
times, yet he has contributed hugely to the success of the Congregation in Nigeria. While serving the
Congregation, he was serving the public and made extensive effort to see the unification of Christianity.
Anambra State had been a battle field between Catholics and Anglicans, the peace which seem to be
taking control in these days could only be possible with efforts made by men like the author who remain

Chukwuemeka Ezeulukpu, Ihembosi, Anambra State, Nigeria. 07.01.2016

non discriminatory and very eager to entertain persons of other Faiths. He continues to teach that the
important thing is Spirituality and not Religion, a truth that sets one free. The lecture he delivered to the
Old Boys of St. Charles College is capable of reuniting the Christian Faith and take her to the realm of
spirituality and not the idle politicking related to organized religion.

The author had to travel to India to attend to his health, however I have a feeling that the visit was for
purposes beyond physical and human understanding. He remains strong and continues to serve as the
light that can save the Catholic Church in Igbo Land where we the Igbos remain the biggest enemy to our
culture as we pursue and collect all that is foreign to replace our own with false sense of Modernization.

I will like to end with this poem from the author:

We must have met before,

Sometime in a previous existence!
But if we never met before,
There must be someone the Who knows us both
In His All knowing mind
We must have met before,
Sometime in a previous existence

For all of us assembled here, I know now that it is not co-incidence; for my Gururazu taught me so and I
now know so; we are all witnesses to this great day and time when we celebrate our Best, I pray that
each and every one of us will have the Grace to be encouraged by the works of this great Soul who
represents the Past, Present and the Future.

Chukwuemeka Ezeulukpu, Ihembosi, Anambra State, Nigeria. 07.01.2016