Introduction

This brief history of the mercy and devotion to divine mercy in Nigeria is better described as the journey so far. The history will be written in the near future to mark the 10th anniversary of the divine mercy academy (1998 – 2008).

The Divine Mercy Message in the Old Testament

(1) The book of Genesis in the Old Testament introduces the message of the divine mercy with first parents; Adam and Eve as the first beneficiaries of God’s mercy (read the 1st three chapters of the book of Genesis).

(2) The Mission of Moses: The Almighty and Merciful God visited and rescued His chosen people from Egypt. “but the Lord said, I’ve witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their tax masters and so I know well what they’re suffering. Therefore, I’ve come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey… come, now! I’ll send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Isrealites out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:7-10).

(3) King David appealed to the mercy of God: David said to Prophet Nathan, ‘I have sinned against Yahweh.’ Nathan then said to David, Yahweh, for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die. David said to God ‘I am very apprehensive… better to fall into Yahweh’s hands, since his mercies are great, than to fall into the hands of men!” (2 Sam. 12:13;24:14).

(4) The divine mercy message in the new testament: In the new testament, our mother, the blessed virgin Mary, the mother of mercy sang the mercy of God and gave us the mercy prayer. At the annunciation, our lady proclaimed: His mercy is from age to age to those who fear Him (Luke 1:50). On the 13th day of July, 1917 at Fatima, our Lady of Fatima, taught the three children the prayer to be said at the end of each decade of the holy rosary, ‘o my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who are in most need of your mercy”.

(5) The message and the promotion of the divine mercy devotion in our time: At the appointed time, Jesus Christ, the divine mercy incarnate chose a polish nun, by name Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) to promote the divine mercy devotion. Sr. Maria Faustia Kowalska died as a youth in the year 1938 at the age of 33 years. She was beatified in 1993 and canonized in the year 2000 in Rome by Pope John Paul II.

(6) Pope John Paul in the year 1980, he wrote an encyclical letter titled “dives in misericordia – God rich in mercy”. Also, through his pastoral visits to many countries in the world, including our country, Nigeria in 1982 and 1998 respectively. In his second pastoral visit to Nigeria, he beatified our brother, Blessed Fr. Cyprain Iwene Tansi.

(7) The message and devotion to divine mercy in Nigeria: The message of the divine mercy must have been in the hearts of our ancestors in Nigeria as they were also created in the image and likeness of the all-powerful and merciful God. There are many Nigerian names that invoke the mercy of God. Among the Igbo people, there are names such as Eberechukwu or Ebelechukwu meaning the mercy of God, Chidiebere or Chidiebele means God is merciful. Among the Yorubas, one hears them say “anu oluwa po” meaning that the mercy of God is great, this is to mention but a few among the many tribes and languages in Nigeria.

Devotion to the divine mercy in Nigeria: This devotion must have come into our country Nigeria shortly before or after the 1980 encyclical letter titled “dives in misericordia – God rich in mercy of the holy father, Pope John Paul II. Between 1974 and 1981, a few senior seminarians in the seminary of Ss. Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan, Nigeria, had the simple divine mercy prayer cards. The twenty years (1958 – 1978) ban on the devotion of the divine mercy by the church must have affected the promotion of the devotion in Nigeria, however, there were a few Catholic bishops in Nigeria who brought in some divine mercy materials into the country. The late, Archbishop of Jos, had visited the divine mercy international center in Stockbridge, MA, USA and had some prayer centers in Jos. The archbishop of Ibadan, Most Rev. Dr. Felix Alaba Job, Bishop Anthony O. Gbuji of Enugu and Bishop Albert A. Fasina of Ijebu-Ode are all lovers and promoters of the divine mercy.

In the year 1993, with the recommendation and approval of the Bishop of Illorin, Most Rev. Dr. Ayo-Maria Atoyebi, op, one of his priest, Rev. Fr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu (now Bishop Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, Bishop of Minna) was appointed the distributor for divine mercy international and authorized representative of Marians of the Immaculate Conception Marian Helpers, Stockbridge, MA 01263, USA to cover Nigeria and a few other countries.

In April 1996, Rev. Fr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu attended an international seminar for promoters and leaders of divine mercy devotion at Stockbridge, MA. In July of the same year, he was appointed a bishop of Minna by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. He was ordained a bishop and installed on November 30, 1996 as the bishop of Minna. The next year 1997, he attended the two days workshop for “American bishops” on invitation of the divine mercy international, Stockbridge, MA. Both the seminar and the workshop were organized and sponsored by the divine mercy international in association of Marian Helpers, Stockbridge, MA. In the year 1998, in October – November, on invitation, he also attended and spoke at the divine mercy conference at Tampa, Florida, USA. In December of the same year 1998, the divine mercy academy was established at Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. at the first leaders’ week-end course, 11th – 13th December 1998 held in the Divine Mercy Academy, Minna, Nigeria, the founder of the Academy, Bishop Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, the catholic bishop of Minna made a passionate appeal to participants – “there is an urgent need now in Nigeria to plan together, co-ordinate and moderate our divine mercy activities for more effective evangelization within and outside Nigeria”. We are happy to note the progress made in Nigeria within these few years. Today, there are some solid structures already in place here for promoting the divine mercy devotion in Nigeria, in fact in Africa and the whole world. Here are some of these structures.

(8) Solid structures promoting the divine mercy devotion in Africa as follows: Devotees, lovers, friends and soldiers of the divine mercy incarnate (1980); Pope Johne Paull II: dives in misericordia – God rich in mercy 1980; devotees, lovers, friends and soldiers of the divine mercy (1980); Pope John Paul II first pastoral visit to Nigeria (1982); Catholic bishops of Nigeria: prayer for Nigeria in distress (1993); Pope John Paul II’s second pastoral visit to Nigeria (1998); divine mercy academy, erana – Minna (1998); Missionaries of divine mercy congregation (2002); Family apostles of the divine mercy (2002); Association of priest and religious of the divine mercy (2002); Divine mercy pastoral letters (2003); Association of divine mercy seminarians (2005); Association of divine mercy volunteers (2005); The ‘divine mercy reporter’ (2006); divine mercy youth apostolate (2006).

(9) National conferences of the divine mercy devotion in Nigeria: The first was in Ibadan (Ibadan Ecclesiastical province) 1999; The Jubilee year in Abuja (Abuja Ecclesiastical province) 2000; Benin Ecclesiastical province 2002; Calabar Ecclesiastical province 2004; Jos Ecclesiastical province 2006.
The Journey so far: Today in Nigeria, the divine mercy devotion has taken roots in many archdioceses, dioceses, parishes, seminaries, religious formation houses, nursery/primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and most importantly in families the “domestic church”. May the name of the Lord be praised, now and forever, Amen.

Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu
Bishop of Minna
Ambassador for Divine Mercy
July 6, 2006.