lt is a true privilege and honour for me to share this 65TH birthday tribute to our father, mentor, and leader, His Eminence Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, the third Prelate and sixth head of Methodist Church Nigeria. I have witnessed a strong anointing and calling on His Eminence as long as l have known him, 1993 to date. I first came to know Papa His Eminence Uche in 1993 through the Literature Department, Methodist Church Nigeria. I became very close to him during His Eminence Sunday Mbang’s apostolic tour to the Northern archdiocese including Kano circuit. I had a very prayerful fellowship with him during my stay in his manse in Kano. His Eminence Uche is a very tender hearted servant of God who really has made the Lord Jesus Christ first in everything in his life, ministry, and family. His Eminence breathes it, he speaks it and most of all he lives it. Many will agree with me that His Eminence Uche with humble beginning has been a blessing and inspiration to countless people, home and abroad, through his ministry, marriage, his acts of compassion; his prophetic witness; his ecumenical and socio-political engagement.

Prelate Uche has a distinguished record as a Christian leader and ecumenical engagement in Nigeria, and as a fearless fighter against the evil and inhuman system of exploitation. Using the four letters of his name U C H E, His Eminence stands for Unity, Caring and Conversion of souls, striving for Holiness and peace, and Eternal life. He is renowned for selfless commitment to the poor, the oppressed and downtrodden. With his independence of mind and fear of God, Prelate Uche’s most characteristic quality is his readiness to take unpopular positions for God’s mission without fear. According to Professor Bill Isaacs-Sodeye who walked and worked with Prelate Uche as leaders in the Northern chapter, Christian Association of Nigeria during the religious 1990-92 crisis, Prelate Uche is a mission strategist, field evangelist, and mission enabler.

On how to build religious harmony in Nigeria, Prelate Uche explained that “We must adopt what I will call tolerance, forbearance and forgiveness. For instance, if you go through my compound where I’m living here, I have some Muslims working for me. I’m not afraid of employing them because they are Nigerians. When I was in Kano I had more Muslims working for me, more than five of them. Even in the church compound, I allow them to pray in their Islamic ways. There must be religious tolerance. That’s why I like Yoruba people. They are tolerant. In a family in Yoruba land, you have a Muslim, you also have a Christian and you also have a traditionalist, and they all live together in peace. Nigeria is a pluralistic society and we must be accommodating. What we must value is the sanctity of human lives. Any religion that teaches shedding of blood is not a good religion. I don’t think any religion teaches killings.”

Prelate Uche was born to Evangelist Thompson Kanu and Nneoma Janet Ebere Uche of Amagu Autonomous Community, Ihube Okigwe on January 29, 1953 at General Hospital Okigwe in Imo State Nigeria. His Eminence attended Local Authority School (LA) Eziama Nneato (1959), Nneato Central School Ebelebe  (Methodist) (1960), Amuda Isuochi Group School (1961 – 1962) and Isuochi Central School Nkwoagu (Methodist) (1963 – 1965). He further attended Boy’s High School Ihube, Okigwe, former Methodist Boys’ Secondary School (1970 –1974).

Prelate Uche was trained a Methodist Minister at Trinity Union Theological College Umuahia between 1976 and 1979. He obtained his Bachelor Degree and Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from University of Jos (1994 – 1999) and (2010 – 2011) respectively.

He holds Diploma in Religious Studies/Diploma in Theology Distinction (1979), Bachelor of Arts in Religious Education (1999), Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration (2001) and Doctorate Award, Doctor of Theology (Honoris Causa) by Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, USA.

He served the Church as Ministerial Cadet (1975/1976).  He was accepted into the Ministry of the Church in 1976, commissioned a Deacon in 1979, ordained a Priest in 1982, appointed a Presbyter in 1990, elected a Bishop at 1998 Conference held in Ode Aye in the Diocese of Igbobini.  He was consecrated Bishop at Methodist Church of the Trinity Tinubu, Lagos on November 21, 1998.  He was enthroned Bishop of Owerri on February 14, 1999, elected Archbishop of Enugu on Aug. 15, 2009, Invested at Methodist Church of the Trinity, Tinubu, Lagos in November 2009 and was enthroned as Archbishop of Enugu on January 31, 2010.

He served at Aba (1979-1981) and Umuokpara (1981-1984) in the Diocese of Umuahia, Amechi Section (1985-1989) and Ngbo Section Abakaliki (Jan-March1990) in the Diocese of Enugu. He was the Presbyter of Kano Circuit (March 30, 1990-Oct, 1998) where God used him to bring peace among Methodist people in the Northern Diocese and put an end to Tribal Differences. He was also instrumental to the laying of the foundation for the creation of the Dioceses of Kano and Jos as he also served as the Synod Secretary of the Diocese of the North (1991-1998).  While he served in the Diocese of Owerri, he transformed the Diocese from obscurity to prominence and was part of the vision for the creation of Umuahia East and West Dioceses under Late Most Rev. Dr. R. O. Uwadi in 2008. As the Archbishop of Enugu, he brought about aggressive Spiritual and Structural transformation in the Diocese of Enugu.

Prelate Uche was the Treasurer, Christian Association of Nigeria, Kano State (1991-1994), Chairman, Kano State Christian Welfare Agency (1991-1995), Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Kano State with 47 Local Government Chapters (1994-1997), Member of Nine Man Committee for the Imo State Civil Service Salary Structure (1999), Member, Imo State Secondary Education Management Board (2001-2003), Member, Board of Trustees, OWERRI CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT FUND (2004 Till Date), Member of the Transition Committee under Chief Ikedi Ohakim (2007), Member, Imo State Council on Vision 2020 (2009), and Grand, Patron Anti Corruption Volunteers Corps (ICPC) Imo State (2008-2011).

He also served other Christian Groups as Patron, Scripture Union, Owerri Area (2000-2005), Patron Nigeria Fellowship of Christian Students (2000-2009) Area Patron of S.U. Imo State (2003-2008), Grand Patron, Methodist Campus Fellowship of AICE, FUTO, IMSU (2002-2009) and Member, Enugu State Mediation Committee on Minimum Wage (2011). Prelate Uche is married to Florence Nnenna Uche and the marriage is blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren.

On behalf of all the Nigerian Methodists in diaspora, we wish to leave our father, His Eminence Uche with this encouragement as found in Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”