Thaddeus Akpa Thaddeus Akpa is a Catholic Priest from Kogi State, Nigeria. A United States Mandela Washington Fellow, an avid reader and author of many books including: Iye! The Cry of A Mother, and Echoes of Mercy. He desires to attain his dream of being a published writer and author. Born on the 9th of July, 1982 in Makurdi, Benue State; to the family of Mr. P.Z. Akpa and Mrs Martina Akpa, a family reativehildren of which he is the last but one child. He is from Okenyi Parish of Idah Diocese. He had his primary education at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Nursery and Primary School Makurdi(1988-1990), Makurdi International Nursery and Primary School Makurdi (1990-1991) and St. Anthony Nursery and Primary School, Lokoja (1992-1993).In 1993, I gained admission into the prestigious St. Kizito Seminary Idah for his secondary education. During this period of schooling, I held many positions including the post of the Senior Prefect (1997-1999). At the minor seminary, he was member and President of the Periscope Press Club, Debating Society and Quiz Club. He was into music at that time where He played the Keyboard, Bass Guitar and Jazz drum. He entered the spiritual year formation house,St. John of the Cross Ekpoma in 1999 which lasted for nine months. For the duration of his stay at the spiritual year campus, he was a choirmaster. Thereafter,he was posted to commence his Seminary training at Ss.Peter and Paul Major Seminary Bodija, Ibadan where he finished in June, 2008. He was raised to the order of deacons on 14th December,2008 and ordained by Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, the Cardinal Archbishop of Lagos Archdiocese. During his Seminary days that spanned a period of nine years(2000-2008), He was a Choir Master for four years where he played the Keyboard, Bass Guitar, Saxophone, and Flute and taught Gregorian Chants. In the aspect of writing, he belonged to the editorial crew of the Bodija Link Newsletter, of which he became the editor-in-chief in his final year. He was in charge of the team set in place by the school to oversee the documentation of the history of Bodija for its centenary celebration. This involved gathering facts from the archives that will last a life time. He was also one of the editors of the seminary magazine, The Voice as well as an editor in the Pax Christi publication of the seminary. In the course of his pastoral year that spanned between 2004/2005, he worked at the Minor Seminary of St. Kizito as the Ist Auxiliary. He served at the Cathedral of St. Boniface Idah after his Seminary Training 2008-2009, as a deacon in the pastoral team; where he served at Mass in the proclamation and preaching of the Word,exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on a daily basis and at Benediction. In the course of his apostolic work he have served in the following parishes: Anyigba(2000), Ankpa(2001), Akpanya (2002), Awo-Ogbagbala (2003), Sheria (2004), Idah(2004/2005 Pastoral Year)Odomomoh (2006), Ogugu (2007), Itobe (2008).He is a graduate of Philosophy from the University of Ibadan,Nigeria and The Urbanian University, Rome. He is a columnist at the Premium Times Online Newspaper. He was Editor of the Voice Magazine and Bodija Brief, Newsletter. He was ordained a Catholic Priest in 2009. He is a researcher on Igala History and African History. He is a mentor to youths and adolescents on creative writing, public speaking and essays writing. He was a secretary to the Bishop for three years He worked as an Associate Parish Priest at Holy Spirit Catholic Parish, Imane (2009-2010), Assistant