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, certainly one 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 speak about Unusual Praise there are various issues you possibly can speak about. But there are three that can stand out; one is thanksgiving. We are saying that possibly 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 signifies that God remains to be with us. So, taking a look at all the pieces he has completed for us we’re not taking something without any consideration. Going to mattress, waking up, is a blessing. Sunlight is a blessing; air is a blessing. During Covid-19 you noticed how individuals had been paying tens of millions to have oxygen. So, we’re not taking these issues without any consideration. What we simply determined on the finish of yearly we collect collectively to offer because of God by means of reward for all of the issues he has completed for us. The second one is evangelisation. The church was established for mission and that mission known as evangelisation. Even as we collect individuals to offer thanks, we additionally type of possibly 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 not do all the pieces. The authorities could not be capable of do all the pieces even when the federal government has the intention to. So, in our personal little approach we are attempting to do what we will do by empowering individuals as a result of you possibly can’t inform a hungry man love Jesus and the person is hungry. A hungry man is an offended man. We wish to see how we will empower individuals to allow them to know that additionally religion, Christianity is not only about come to God. It can be about dwelling effectively. 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 feel from what I’ve mentioned to date, he has completed a lot for us. We will not be blind individuals; we’re considerate individuals, individuals who can replicate. And as I mentioned, we don’t take something without any 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 day by day. The indisputable fact that we get up day by day we will see, we recognise it as a blessing. We see all of the blessing we will’t even title all of them. When you speak about ‘declaring the Glory of God’ is to proclaim Him. It’s a mission that has been entrusted to us. We wish to proclaim to the entire world that God is alive and God remains to be working irrespective of the challenges we face He’s alive. And we now have a mission by advantage of our baptism to make it work. That’s why we wish to declare His glory to the nations and we’re not simply speaking about Nigeria as a result of Unusual Praise goes past Nigeria to no matter extent we will go.
How does the 2026 footprint fulfill your authentic imaginative and prescient of this programme contemplating Unusual Praise has advanced from a parish initiative to certainly one of Africa’s largest Catholic reward and worship occasions?
We are nonetheless constructing as much as it. But all the pieces we now have been doing earlier than we’re nonetheless doing. And we are attempting to see if we will even surpass what we now have been doing earlier than. So, speaking in regards to the authentic imaginative and prescient of possibly giving thanks, after all I do know that day persons are coming to offer thanks. And there can be thanksgiving. I do know that individuals can be reached for Christ in order that approach it’s to meet my imaginative and prescient. And then I do know for positive that individuals can be empowered. And that God can be glorified.
What’s the thought behind the venues, particularly Onitsha? Any plans to develop?
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 not however begin from the place we’re. But then speaking about Onitsha, at some extent we really thought of transferring 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 meaning it’s the middle of the Catholic Church there. So that was why we opted for it. But that doesn’t imply we will’t go to different locations. As God gives, we would be capable of develop to different locations and naturally when individuals come on their very own and say we wish it and so they can assist plan it, enthusiastic about the various things concerned, then after all we go. Its evangelisation wherever there’s want and wherever we now have 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 might have Unusual Praise not simply in Onitsha. It can be in different components of Nigeria and likewise even worldwide. People from outdoors of the nation have been calling us, we wish to host Unusual Praise in London; we wish to host Unusual Praise in Canada. But by the Grace of God, we’re working in 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 all the parishioners there have been coming, saying you possibly can’t cease, hold coming again. We are hoping to go to different states in Nigerian in a short while. And then we predict that this yr can be a lot larger, 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 lots of work. We have committee members in numerous components of Lagos within the archdiocese. As I communicate to you now, we now have 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 effectively to make it larger. There’s actually lots of collaboration amongst parishes and likewise not simply even Catholics. Even these that aren’t Catholics, colleges have reached out to us that they wish to be part of this yr’s Unusual Praise. We are actually wanting ahead to an even bigger programme this yr.
Speak to us on the planning and expectation of Unusual Praise 2026?
We’ve been planning for the reason that 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 lots 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 attempting to organise our gospel ministers each the as soon as which might be native and the worldwide ones. We have an entire lot of ongoing actions behind the scene in direction of 2026 Unusual Praise.
You talked in regards to the gospel artistes performing, how do you curate a stability between these artistes whereas sustaining a deeply religious atmosphere on the occasion?
You know I hold saying ministers whenever you say artistes as a result of we have a look at them as not simply artistes however ministers. We will not be simply working with these women and men of God as people who sing. We are working with them as individuals which might be coming to minster to the attendees on that day. We’ve been chatting with 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 consider God that God will work wonders by means 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 initially 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 wish to attend and likewise between the gospel ministers.
How do you tackle new conventional voices throughout the Church who see in a different way this contemporary fashion of evangelisation – mixing conventional Catholic worship with modern gospel music?
You see it’s simple. I feel 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 essential. It’s the gospel we’re propagating and even Pope John Paul II mentioned individuals ought to give you initiatives with which they’ll make the gospel attain the center of the individuals of at this time. And in our church, we now have the youths which might be going this different approach. The fact is a mix of the 2 will all the time present that you’re assembly these ones’ needs and assembly these different ones their needs as effectively. I simply consider that and other than that, from expertise, we now have additionally found that a few 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 feel I’ve touched on that already by means of Unusual Entrepreneur we’re ready to do this. And is a key side of no matter we’re doing as a result of evangelisation has two legs. We have the transcendental, and we now have the vertical and horizontal dimensions. We don’t simply inform individuals to simply come to God. But what we will do to assist them reside effectively 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 can be a lot larger 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 might even have individuals on the overflow. We are actually planning in direction of that and naturally when you’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 type of stampede. There’s all the time coordination from entry to exit to motion, all the pieces is all the time so seamless and so fantastically organized. We are actually making way more plan even with the Lagos State safety personnel; LASTMA, police individuals and we’re very positive nobody could 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 discuss in regards to the viewers, I do know which may be whenever you go to totally different international locations there are issues which might be specific to them.
Like Nigeria now, what’s, possibly, on the (middle) CENTRE of debate 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 pieces we do. God should be on the middle of all the pieces we do. I consider personally that when you take away God, mankind dies.
Once you take away God, society collapses. And go to any nation the place issues will not be proper, you will note that by some means there’s an effort to push God to the facet and produce man to the (middle) CENTRE.
