Enugu Diocese unveils statue of Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria in landmark Maria Art Symposium

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu on Saturday, August 8, 2026, hosted the unveiling and blessing of the statue of Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria (Regina Nigeriae).

The unveiling formed part of the Maria Art Symposium and Solo Exhibition, held at Jubilee Hall, Holy Ghost Cathedral, Ogui, Enugu, under the theme: “Inculturated Art, Festivals, and Media for Cultured-Eco Wellbeing and Evangelization.”

The event was organised in partnership with Regina Cultura and The Global Centre for Advanced Studies, with Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, Catholic Bishop of Enugu, serving as Chief Host.

The newly unveiled statue presents the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria, with the image intended to serve as a focus for prayer, reflection, devotion, unity and evangelisation among Nigerians.

The gathering attracted priests, religious men and women, scholars, artists and lay faithful from different parts of Nigeria.

Among the distinguished guests were Rev. Mother Mary Trinitas Obianika, DMMM, Superior General of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Mercy; Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Christian Anieke, Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University; Dr and Mrs Christian C. Arukwe; as well as numerous priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful.

Bishop Onaga calls Nigerians to pray with Mary

In his welcome address, Bishop Callistus Onaga highlighted the importance of using culture and creativity to communicate the Christian faith.

He said the Church must continue to find meaningful ways of presenting the Gospel through the cultural expressions of the people, particularly in a country as diverse as Nigeria.

Reflecting on the statue of Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria, the Bishop described Mary as being close to the Nigerian people. He encouraged the faithful to turn to her in prayer amid the challenges facing the country.

He urged Catholics to “pray to Mary, live Mary and love Mary.”

A significant cultural moment followed when Bishop Onaga prayed over the kola nut, a traditional symbol of hospitality, communion and fellowship in many Nigerian communities.

The gesture reflected the central message of the symposium: that Catholic evangelisation can engage positively with African cultures and use authentic cultural expressions to communicate the Gospel.

Archbishop Nwachukwu explains the place of Marian images

The keynote address was delivered by Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization in Vatican City.

The Archbishop reflected on Marian images and apparitions within the Catholic tradition, explaining the role sacred images can play in prayer and meditation.

He noted that a Marian image should not simply be viewed as an object of artistic beauty, but can help the faithful contemplate Mary and, through her, the mysteries of Christ.

He placed the Regina Nigeriae image within this wider Catholic tradition, comparing its devotional purpose with familiar representations of the Blessed Virgin Mary around the world.

Archbishop Nwachukwu also shared the story behind the statue, revealing that its development followed approximately two years of interaction with Sr. Marylucy Okwuowulu, DMMM, the sculptor, researcher and exhibiting artist.

The story highlighted the interplay between the Church’s pastoral and theological vision and the artist’s creativity.

Sr. Marylucy Okwuowulu tells the story behind the statue

Sr. Marylucy Okwuowulu, DMMM, later took participants through the artistic journey that led to the creation of Regina Nigeriae.

She explained how the concept developed through conversations and reflections involving Archbishop Nwachukwu and Bishop Onaga.

Her presentation showed that the statue was not created in isolation but emerged from a process of dialogue, discernment, research and artistic interpretation.

For the artist, the project was an opportunity to explore how a universal Catholic devotion to Mary could be expressed through forms capable of speaking to the Nigerian experience.

The unveiling and blessing therefore marked both an artistic culmination and a spiritual milestone.

As the statue was unveiled, the atmosphere at Jubilee Hall became one of prayer and celebration.

The image was presented as a Marian representation intended to speak to Nigerians across ethnic, regional and cultural boundaries.

Solemn Mass places Christ at the centre

The unveiling and blessing were followed by a Solemn Eucharistic Celebration at noon.

The Mass placed the artistic celebration within the heart of Catholic worship and reinforced the Church’s teaching that sacred art ultimately points beyond itself to Christ.

In his homily, Archbishop Nwachukwu reflected on the role of Mary in the life of Jesus and the Church, drawing from the Gospel account of the Wedding at Cana.

He highlighted Mary’s faith and her role in directing people towards Christ, encouraging the faithful to deepen their devotion to her and imitate her example of faith.

The Eucharistic celebration thus became the spiritual centre of a programme that had brought together theology, art and culture.

Five scholars deepen the conversation

The symposium continued in the afternoon with five lead papers exploring the relationship between faith, culture, art, media and evangelisation.

Rev. Fr. Prof. Luke Ijezie, Rector of the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), delivered the first lead paper.

The second was presented by Rev. Fr. Prof. Cosmas Uzowulu, followed by Prof. Mrs Ngozi Agujuobi, who delivered the third.

Rev. Fr. Eric Samwin presented the fourth paper, while Rev. Fr. Prof. B. A. Obiefuna delivered the fifth.

The presentations broadened the discussion beyond the newly unveiled statue, examining how the Church can use culture, art, festivals and media in communicating the Gospel in contemporary society.

The cultural performances were among the most colourful moments of the celebration.

Traditional dances representing Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba cultures brought music, movement, colour and traditional costumes into the gathering.

The performances offered more than entertainment. They reflected the diversity of Nigeria and demonstrated how cultural traditions can become vehicles for celebrating identity, community and faith.

The different cultural groups performed alongside one another, offering a visual expression of unity in diversity.

For the organisers and participants, this was an important dimension of inculturation: culture is not necessarily an obstacle to evangelisation but can provide a language through which the Gospel speaks to people in familiar and meaningful ways.

What does ‘Queen of Nigeria’ mean?

The title Regina Nigeriae — Queen of Nigeria carries a strong spiritual and national symbolism.

The image seeks to express Marian devotion through a Nigerian cultural and national lens while remaining rooted in the Catholic understanding of Mary as the Mother of Christ.

It is intended to speak to families, young people, communities, clergy, religious, artists and scholars, while reflecting the hopes and struggles of the Nigerian people.

The project also draws attention to values such as peace, justice, dignity, solidarity, care for creation and the wellbeing of society.

A central question raised by the Maria Art Symposium was whether art can serve the mission of evangelisation.

The celebration in Enugu offered a clear example of how it can.

A statue can invite people to prayer. Music can move hearts. Dance can preserve cultural identity. Festivals can bring communities together, while media can carry the message of faith beyond the place where an event takes place.

For a culturally diverse country such as Nigeria, these forms of expression can help the Church communicate the Gospel in ways that are both faithful to Catholic teaching and meaningful to the people.

The Regina Nigeriae project represents one such attempt to bring Catholic faith and Nigerian cultural identity into conversation.

As the celebration unfolded, the gathering became a reflection of Nigeria’s diversity.

People from different cultural backgrounds came together for prayer, theological reflection, artistic expression, the Eucharist and cultural celebration.

The presence of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba cultural performances offered a simple but powerful message: Nigeria’s diversity does not have to prevent unity.

Within the Catholic context, Mary was presented as a figure who points people towards Christ and, symbolically, as a motherly presence capable of bringing people together.

The title Queen of Nigeria was therefore presented as a Marian symbol for the nation rather than one ethnic community.