Bishop Eneja’s philosophy of ‘Get your own broom’
In one certain Parish, Bishop Eneja was on pastoral visit. On that faithful late afternoon, the weather was very hot, such that staying inside was not an option at all.
The saintly bishop decided to have his teaching outside, under the Avocado pea tree, at the center of church premises. This impromptu change of arrangement caused a lot of running around for the Parish priest and other major office holders of the Parish council.
The drama happened when the Parish priest returned with a conference table and discovered that the Bishop had already picked a broom at the front of the church and started sweeping.
On sighting the Bishop bending down with a broom in his hand sweeping, the Parish Priest shouted ‘My lordship, please don’t do that to me! Give me the broom, let me do the sweeping myself!
Despite his insistence, the Bishop refused to allow him. On the contrary, he told the Parish priest, ‘go and get your own broom’.
In obedience, the Parish priest went and picked his own broom and started sweeping.
It did not take long when the Catechist arrived at the scene and saw both the Bishop and the Parish priest sweeping and he nearly fainted! He rushed the Parish priest to collect the broom from him but the Parish priest told him, ‘go and get your own broom’.
The same continued until everyone that came for the conference got his or her own broom. Just within minutes the whole compound was clean and the Bishop continued with his catechetical instruction.
I think the problems in Nigeria can be solved with all of us ‘getting our own brooms’ and joining in the sweeping’. If everybody is to sweep the front of his or her corner, the whole nation would be swept within minute.
It is all about starting small and starting it by yourself now.
By Fr C. Obe.
