By Peter Nandi Bette

The village of Emmandack-Mbum which falls within St Francis Quasi Parish, Egbung, Ekajuk, in the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, Cross River state witnessed what appeared to have been an Apparition of the Blessed Mother, Mary, at the beginning of this year, 2023. It happened in the compound of Mr and Mrs Emmanuel Eyou Erim, a couple wedded in the Catholic Church. The event lasted for over a week.

It all began in early January, with the appearance, every late afternoon, for several days, of the rainbow in the middle of the compound. While this lasted, the couple kept praying and sprinkling Holy Water round the compound before retiring to bed each night.

Then on Saturday January 21, on returning from evening prayers in the church, Mrs Erim was shocked, when she went into the bedroom. She saw a sparkling white image that looked like a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary with legs resting on a pillow on the bed. She quickly called her husband’s attention, and in no time, a crowd gathered. The image later moved and rested on the wall to the right hand side of the room. It lasted far into the night, and then disappeared.

On subsequent evenings, usually from 5pm, there were flashes of lightening with the image, veiled in a cloud, descending from the sky. It hung, suspended in the air on different locations within the compound. On Wednesday, January 25 it hung on the ceiling in the sit- out in front of the Erim’s Bungalow.

On that day a little girl who claimed to have received a message requested the attention of Catechist Emma Arobor of the nearby St Gabriel Quasi parish, Mbock. She reportedly informed the Catechist that the Blessed Mother has instructed that the holy Rosary be put in a basin of water and placed in the middle of the compound. The instruction further said that the water could be used for healing.

Two days later on Friday, January 27, the image descended and hung on a Cashew tree within the compound. After the image disappeared the crowd reportedly took off the leaves, branches and even pieces of the bark of the stem, regarding everything about the Cashew tree as sanctified.

Some lay faithful who converged at the venue went home with either water collected from the basin, sand gathered from the areas where the image hung, or a piece from the cashew tree.

There have been unverified reports of persons claiming miraculous healings from long standing ailments, after praying and using any of the items collected from the apparition ground.

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, Most Rev Donatus Edet Akpan was recently approached for the view of the Church on this strange occurrence.

QUE: Greetings, my Lord. From what source did you get information about the Apparition?

BISHOP AKPAN: I got information about the said apparition from the pastor of the locality, Rev Fr Thomas Udenyi.

QUE: Did you go to witness the event?

BISHOP AKPAN: I did not go personally immediately to witness the event because we were in a diocesan Presbyterian assembly.

QUE: What was your first impression on sighting the supposed image of our Blessed Mother on video?

BISHOP AKPAN: The descending image of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary left no one in doubt. The videoed image that was sent to me online convinced me that an apparition actually occurred.

QUE: What is the official reaction of the Church in Ogoja to this Apparition?

BISHOP AKPAN: People from every part of the diocese and even beyond were attracted to the site. They saw and were convinced that something mysterious had happened. Even before I visited the site much later, I had commissioned the pastor of the locality to be saying Holy Mass in the family house where Our Lady’s image appeared on the wall. I equally encouraged the family to be praying the Holy Rosary there every evening. The Church is awaiting more signs/message before public announcement.

QUE: What is your personal observation on the Apparition which is something unique occurring during your bishopric?

BISHOP AKPAN: Apparitions of our Mother Mary have been occurring in many other places, even in Nigeria. It does not happen because of the sanctity of the priests or lay faithful; it is always for a purpose which has to be made known through a message. I feel humbled that this has happened in my diocese during my episcopacy. We are praying that if Our Lady has a message for her children in Ogoja Diocese, she would come again and be explicit.

QUE: Thank you my Lord for the audience

BISHOP AKPAN: You are welcome. We pray that our Blessed Mother comes again soon.

Over the years, there have been several reports of apparitions across the world. The first one to be recorded was as early as in the 16th century.

In Nigeria, for instance, an apparition was reported on 4th August 1994 in the remote village of Aokpe in Otukpo diocese. The place subsequently became a pilgrimage center.

It is our hope that one day, Emmandack- Mbum, Mbock may also become a pilgrimage center!

| Bette is Chairman, Diocesan Education Board, Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, Cross River state