Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer) & Anthony BAMITEKO

 

It was a unique Harvest Thanksgiving at St. Mary Catholic Cathedral, Oke Padi on Sunday 9th November 2025 where both Christians and Muslims faithful, gathered together in thanksgiving to God for 2025 Adult Harvest Thanksgiving of the parish held at the Church compound this year, due to the ongoing Church renovation, in order to give God a befitting place of worship.

The celebration which began with a thanksgiving Mass by the parish priest, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibadan, Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin also had the Cathedral Administrator and his Assistant, Very Rev. Fr. Julius Akinyode and Rev. Fr. Anthony Fasakin respectively, Concelebrating.

In attendance were the Special Guests that included Barr. Akeem Adedeji Agbaje and his wife; HRM Oba Sam Eddy Oyerinde; Alhaji Akinyemi; Mother of the Day, Mama Agnes Arinola Akande; Leadership of various Organizations, representatives of societies and parishioners, who were all welcomed to the Harvest Thanksgiving by the Archbishop at the introduction of the Mass.

The homilist was no other person than the Cathedral Administrator, Very Rev. Fr. Julius Akinyode who also welcomed His Grace, the special Guests, Mother of the day, and other dignitaries and the parishioners to the day’s Celebration which he described as an obligation for every human being. “Every harvest day is a day of thanksgiving, a day of giving, a day of reckoning, and gratitude to God is an obligation to every human being.” He said.

The Administrator tasked those present to examine themselves, whether they were at the Cathedral to thank God with their lives, resources, energy or they have just come to watch others thank God or they have come to clap for others as usual or even see no reason to thank God.

The homilist made it clear to all that God knows each one from the beginning to the end the same way he knew all about David but yet chose him (David) to be the King. Reference was also made to the offerings of Abel and Cain in Genesis 4 with an admonition to all to give their best offerings to God willingly and cheerfully since their offerings neither increase nor decrease the personality of God. The homilist said God knows the smell of a good offering. "What differentiated the sacrifice of Abel from that of Cain was that Abel gave the best of what he had. Don't just give for giving sake like Cain. The scent of Abel sacrifice rose to God. When you do it well, you will see it. That was why Cain saw the result at the place where the sacrifice was made. You might be wondering why some are doing better than you, some people you even know you are 'better' than, the secret is that they give more than you do. Stop giving God the smallest and the roughest denomination in your pocket.”

The priest warned against taking life for granted like the nine lepers that saw no reason to thank God after being cleansed. He urged all to count their blessings one by one and figure out what the Lord had done and that whatever they might have done at the day’s harvest, they should not think they have done more than their duties.

There were series of thanksgiving by various groups/societies, Special Guests and the Clergy, as coordinated by one of the Harvest Committee Members, Mr. John Takuro.

One of the Special Guests at the event Barr. Akeem Adedeji Agbaje expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the harvest thanksgiving even as he admonished that in the midst of the harvest celebration, the likes of widows, orphans and the poor should not be forgotten by being agents of hope to them as well. Barr. Agbaje thanked the Archbishop and prayed that God bless the entire Cathedral community.

The second part of the celebration witnessed series of activities such as: welcome speech by the Harvest planning Committee Chairman, Mr. Deji Alao, breaking of the kola, donations, unveiling of chicken, unveiling and cutting of Harvest cake, cultural display by CYON and Bazaar auction sales.

Vote of thanks was given by Mr. Deji Alao, while His Grace also thanked all and gave final blessing after the closing prayer by Fr. Julius Akinyode.