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From Kaduna to the world, the Knights of St. Mulumba affirm democracy, integrity, and Nigeria’s rising voice in Catholic knighthood across twenty‑seven nations.

By Obiora Orji

The election night that witnessed the emergence of the new Supreme Council leaders at the 46th National Convention of the Honoured Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba in Kaduna was far more than a procedural exercise; it stood as a shining testimony to the enduring values of justice, fairness, and integrity within the Order.

Against the tide of suspicion that personal ambition, financial inducement, or tribal sentiment might sway the electorate, the Knights remained steadfast, demonstrating that leadership can indeed be chosen upon the solid pillars of track record, candor, and constitutional fidelity. In so doing, the Order offered Nigeria’s political class a mirror of virtue and a model of democracy worthy of emulation.

As Scripture reminds us, “Righteousness exalts a nation” (Proverbs 14:34), and here righteousness was enthroned through the ballot. Homage was also accorded to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, the apex body overseeing the spirit and letter of the Order, whose presence and responsibilities include reiterating the need for inclusivity, oversight on voting procedure, discipline, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility in all lay societies.

The voter behaviour at the 46th Supreme Convention reflected freedom anchored in fraternal ethics and informed conviction, transcending ethnic boundaries to affirm one united Order. Transparency was not a slogan but a lived reality, pushing back the corrosive culture of grievance and factionalism, while strengthening the electoral regulations enshrined in the KSM Constitution.

This was democracy baptized in fraternity—a paradigm shift from the spiraling fraud of secular politics to a covenant of truth and accountability. Indeed, as St. Paul exhorts, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40), the Knights have set an agenda and shown that order and decency can govern elections.

Within this sacred transition, two figures emerge as shining beacons of transparency from over 1,000 delegates: Commander Steve Adehi, SAN, and Engr. Sir Dr. Charles Mbelede. Adehi, through his profound articulation in his opening remarks at the inaugural plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria earlier in the year 2025, set the tone with the theme “Jubilee of Hope: A Light for a New Nigeria,” a vision that found tangible corroboration in the just‑concluded Supreme Convention.

He transformed hope from a sentimental abstraction into a moral compass for Nigeria’s rebirth. His three-pillar stature as Supreme Knight Commander of St. Sylvester, the President of Papal Knights-Medalists in Nigeria, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria grants him rare authority at the confluence of faith and law, enabling him to insist that renewal must be authentic, truth uncompromising, and the Church a guardian of integrity.

His vision elevates hope into a national charter for moral regeneration, echoing the Psalmist’s cry: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? Hope in God” (Psalm 42:11).

Sir Mbelede, by contrast, has elevated the Order to an enviable pedestal that embodies Nigeria’s ascension within the global fraternity of Catholic knighthood. His election as Deputy International President of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights situates Nigeria at the epicenter of Catholic solidarity across twenty-seven nations, amplifying the global visibility of the Knights of St. Mulumba.

His four years of leadership effervesced with milestones—organizational resilience, infrastructural development, institutional strengthening, and spiritual renewal—woven seamlessly with professional excellence in engineering and project management.

By marrying technical competence with spiritual stewardship, he has positioned KSM as both a beacon of faith and a model of organizational vitality, ensuring that Nigeria’s Catholic lay movement is locally transformative and globally influential, hence the imperatives of continuity by a credible strategic candidate.

Together, Adehi and Mbelede form a dual axis of transformation signposts Adehi grounding the Order in truth, justice, and authentic democracy; Mbelede situating it within international solidarity and organizational renewal. Their convergence harmonizes law, faith, engineering, and leadership into a single moral force, enabling KSM to serve as custodian and repository of Nigeria’s integrity and ambassador of Catholic fraternity worldwide. Under their combined vision, the Jubilee of Hope becomes both covenant and compass—nationally, a guardian of democracy and moral rebirth; globally, a testament to Nigeria’s spiritual leadership within the communion of Catholic knights.

The three contestants for the exalted office of Supreme Knight were eminently qualified, entering the race with conviction and a noble resolve to accept the verdict of the electorate, which played out with dignity and peace.

As Rev. Fr. Dr. Paschal‑Paul Okeke, the Worthy Supreme Chaplain of the KSM, together with the Secretariat of Nigeria, ensured that aspirants to the office of Supreme Knight adhered faithfully to the rotational principles enshrined in the Order’s Constitution between North and South, the transition unfolded under the binding provisions of the 2025 Constitution. It was a summons to look upwards—to God’s guidance, to unity over rivalry, and to enduring values of respect, honesty, compassion, and discipline. In this spirit, the Knights are exhorted to reclaim their dignity and identity, standing proudly as Catholic leaders in the Church and society.

For as the African proverb wisely teaches, “The beauty of a lion protects it”—so too the majesty of integrity shields the Order, ensuring that its roar resounds not in arrogance but in moral authority. The KSM, the Tiger, and the Tigeritude, an agenda is apparently set for its LSM and the YSM for keeping tabs on best practices.

Obiora Orji is the Secretary Nyanya Subordinate Council, KSM Abuja and writes via: 08151111300

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