13 January 2022: Before 8.00am, I set out with Fr Matthew Obiekezie for Ikot Ekpene - the venue for this year's Annual Reunion of Bigard 85 Priests, that is, the priests who were ordained in 1985. We are also called Centenary Priests because we were ordained in the year when Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province celebrated the 100th anniversary of the coming of the First Missionaries to our own part of the world.
          Because of the security concerns, we avoided taking a shorter route through Ihitte, Arondizuogu, Okigwe, Umuahia to Ikot Ekpene. Instead we travelled through Owerri, Mbaise, Umuahia to Ikot Ekpene. We happily arrived the venue of the reunion - Cardinal Ekandem Pastoral Centre. Wow, some of my classmates were there: Obinwa, Obilor, Okpalonwuka, Ochemba, Dimude, Ukoh, Akpan, Abue, Essien, Umoh. Soon we were at table for lunch. Jokes. Stories. Ecce quam bonum.... After lunch, we went in for siesta.
          At 4.00pm, we were on our way to the GRA Ikot Ekpene to visit Mons. Peter Inyang Etoh, our then professor of Psychology. He was on top form. Wonderful interaction. Inyang-guy!
         From the GRA, we drove to the Bishop's house to pay a courtesy visit to Bishop Camillus Umoh. Good interaction.
          Back to Cardinal Ekandem Pastoral visit. Fraternal dinner. Beautiful interaction. Plenty of jokes. We sang part of psalm 113:
In exitu Israel de AEgypto, domus Jacob de populo barbaro,
facta est Judaea sanctificatio ejus; Israel potestas ejus.
Mare vidit, et fugit; Jordanis conversus est retrorsum.
Montes exsultaverunt ut arietes, et colles sicut agni ovium.

          14 January 2022: Bigard 85 participants in the Reunion gathered at St Anne's Cathedral Ifuho at about 6.15am. Holy Mass with and for the People of God. Bishop Donatus Akpan presided. After the Mass we had group photograph.
          I made out time to visit the Priests' cemetery behind the cathedral. Among the graves, I saw that of my friend, Fr Gerald IniObong Etim. Adieu. Requiescat in pace.
          Breakfast at the Cathedral Administrator's house followed. We were happy that our Classmate, Fr Chris Umoh, was the administrator. Soon after, we waived goodbye to Ikot Ekpene.
          It was a very happy and well organised Reunion!
          With Fr Matthew Obiekezie, I set our for our homeward journey. We called in at the Spiritans' house in Okija to visit Fr Desmond Agbaka, who did not attend our meeting. I was very happy we saw our own Fr Nonso Odiaka and used the opportunity see other spiritans in the house.