NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: The first ordained Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Kaduna, Very Rev Fr GG GONI has looked back with gratitude his journey in the Priesthood over five decades.
Fr. Goni was ordained in 1972 by late Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Most Rev Dr P.Y. Jatau, thus making him the first ordained priest of the Archdiocese.
In an interview with the Managing Editor, NewsdailyNigeria (NDN) Frederick Peters ( Sir), in Kaduna, over the weekend, the revered cleric bare his mind on the priesthood, Church and polity among other things.
Excerpts…
NDN: Good Evening Fr. May we meet you
GONI: I am Fr Galadima .G Goni, the middle G stands for Godwin, l am a Priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna and presently, residing in Holy Family parish, Barnawa, Kaduna. I was ordained Catholic priest in 1972 by Most Rev Dr. Peter Yariyok Jatau., making me by God’s grace the pioneer ordained priest of the Archdiocese.
NDN: Congratulations, and as the first ordained Catholic priest of the Archdiocese, by Archbishop PY Jatau, how has the journey been all these decades?
GONI; The journey has been very wonderful I will tell you, but the times just passed so fast like you don’t really realize it, until you have reached a certain milestone, For example when I celebrated my 25th Anniversary/ Silver Jubilee, then suddenly, I came to my 40th Anniversary, after my 40th anniversary, then the 45th anniversary came and guys were just saying hi you will be 50 soon and I said humm, who knows about that and fortunately, I came to 50. WelI, part of is that my life has been good, with family and friends.
NDN: Fr. Looking back how can you assess the Priesthood/ Church.
GONI: The priesthood on my part has been very wonderful. Life has been very great and good for me, there had been up and downs but the big process is that there is no life that has not had its ups and downs, married people have it, let alone we single people, but the large percentage of it is that it has been wonderful and good, like I said earlier fellow Priests and my family have been very supportive.
NDN: As a nation/ country Nigeria, are you satisfied with what is happening or what calll do have for Nigeria?
GONI; oh, Nigeria has been a very wonderful country in its way; There have been ups and downs as it has been in other African Countries.We had a nasty war between 1967- 1969, which almost destroyed our country, Thank God the Nigerian Army was able to halt the fight. However, the mistrust within the country took a long time to settle. At the moment insecurity, poverty and divisions in the polity have brought in another big problem, but we hope that will be settled amicably.
NDN: Thank you Fr. for this honor.
GONI: You are welcome and God Bless You.