Neiliezhü Üsou (7 July 1941 – 30 January 2009) was an Indian baptist minister and public leader from Nagaland. He was known for his interpretive skills, sermons and involvement with the State Government.
Early life, education and family Neiliezhü Üsou was born on 7 July 1941 to an Angami Naga family from Nerhema Village. His father, Putsolie Üsou, was the village head. His early education was at the village primary school. He came from a non-Christian family, and was inspired to become a missionary by witnessing B. I. Anderson, an American missionary, and his wife playing piano accordion during their visit to Nerhema Village Baptist Church in 1951, led by Kenneth Kerhüo. He was baptised by water on 13 March 1953, from Rev. Kevizelie.Neiliezhu Usou's profile "Profile Talk" in the MHBC Youth Quarterly Bulletin "TRAIL" 2005 He joined the Naga National Movement and went underground for sometime. He resurfaced and continued his schooling in Government High School, Kohima. He joined Eastern Theological College (ETC), Jorhat, Assam and did his Bachelor of Theology from 1960 to 1964. Seeing his interest in music he was sent to Leonard Theological College (LTC), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh by an American missionary, Dr. Frederick S. Downs, where he did his Religious Education in Church Music from 1964 to 1965.
Üsou joined Baptist English School in Kohima as teacher and married the youngest daughter of Rev. Zhapuzhülie Sekhose, Rüülhou-ü, on 18 December 1965, at the age of 24. Rev. Dr. Neiliezhü Üsou and his wife Rüülhou-ü had seven children: three sons and four daughters. They had two daughters-in-law, two sons-in-law and eight grandchildren. Most of the children are involved in Christian Ministry.
Ministry Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC)
After his theological studies he joined the Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC) as Superintendent of Mission Hostel under ABCC from 1966 to 1968 and also in 1971. He also served as Youth Director of ABCC in 1968, 1971 and as Youth Promoter in 1972. He started Nagaland Christian Youth Movement (NCYM) in 1970 and Angami Youth Gospel Team (AYGT) in 1971 as the Director respectively.A visionary Church Leader
The ABCC gave him license in 1974 and in 1975 he was appointed as Evangelist-at-Large and held the same post until 1977. He was the Vice President of the ABCC during 1987 to 1989.Positions held
Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC)
Üsou was the first Honorary Youth Director of Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) in 1972A Brief History of Youth Department www.nbcc.in and actively participated in the Billy Graham Crusade held in Kohima the same year.Billy Graham in Kohima pdfBilly Graham Kohima Crusade 1972 Christianity Today He became the Liaison Committee member of Nagaland Peace CouncilNagaland Peace Council "Dawn of Peace in Nagaland": Govt. of Nagaland website under the aegis of NBCC from 1975 till 2009.NPC observes Peace Day Rev. Dr. N. Üsou and NPC He led the Naga Choir as a Choir Director to India Youth for Christ convention in 1975 at Kolkata.
Üsou along with other members of Nagaland Peace Council met the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, and Home Minister, Giani Zail Singh, in October 1979 at the Prime Minister's Office, New Delhi in connection with peace work in Nagaland.detail of "NPC" members meeting Mrs. Indira Gandhi Naga struggle for sovereignty: its past and the probable future He actively took part in the movement spearheaded by Nagaland Baptist Church Council for total liquor prohibition in Nagaland which finally culminated in the Government of Nagaland passing the, still widely debated, Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act (NLTP) in 1989 in the Nagaland State Legislative Assembly.Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act 1989(NLTP) NBCC on total prohibition of liquor
He attended the 16th Baptist World Alliance Congress at Seoul, South Korea, 14–18 August 1990 and was among the 370 ordained ministers from 149 countries to take part in a mass Baptism at the Olympic rowing competition site in Misari Regatta, where 10,000 candidates received water baptism.BWA Congress 1990 at Seoul, South Korea A Survey of Baptist World Alliance Conversations with other Churches and some implications for Baptist Identity.
Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI)
In 1974 he was sent by the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India (CBCNEI) to Arunachal Pradesh to conduct a two-week music seminar. At this time, Arunachal Pradesh was known for persecution of Christians. He successfully carried out the dangerous mission, conducting music classes in the afternoons and Bible studies in the evenings.
Ministers' Hill Baptist Church (MHBC)
Üsou was installed as full-time pastor on 1 October 1978, at Ministers' Hill Baptist Church (MHBC), located at a hillock named Ministers' Hill Colony because it quarters Government ministers. He successfully completed twenty five years as full-time pastor and was conferred the title of Senior Pastor during the Silver Jubilee celebration held on 12 October 2003, attended by many Church leaders and believers from various Churches including the State Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio. The same evening a musical concert was organized to honour him. He opened the concert singing his favourite song "His Eye Is on the Sparrow". Many local musicians and veteran singers participated. He was ordained on 20 December 1981, by Rev. L. Bizo at Ministers' Hill Baptist Church (MHBC) and celebrated twenty-five years as an ordained minister on 20 December 2006. During his Pastorship the Church grew from strength to strength, the Church managed school Ministers' Hill Baptist English School was alleviated to Higher Secondary level, Ministers' Hill Baptist Higher Secondary School (MHBHSS), in 1998.Ministers' Hill Baptist Higher Secondary School, Kohima, Nagaland Rev.Dr.Neiliezhü Üsou, Pastor MHBC, 16 June 1998 The Church and the School has been producing many theologians and missionaries. His dream project "The new church building" was completed and dedicated by him on 22 December 2002.
The Royal British Legion (RBL) Üsou served as Officiating Chaplain of the Royal British Legion (RBL) from 1994 till 2009. Kohima is famous for the Battle of Kohima between the British and Japanese during the Second World War. The slain soldiers of UK, India and Nagaland are buried in Kohima War Cemetery.Kohima War Cemetery Commonwealth War Graves Commission websiteKohima War Cemetery Govt. of Nagaland website Every three years the relatives and war survivors from the United Kingdom visit Kohima for memorial services where he conduct these solemn occasions.Royal British Legion revisits war memories "Officiating Chaplain Rev. Dr. N. Üsou conducts memorial Service marking the 60th anniversary of the Second World War" Nagalim.NL News retrieved 10/16/2005
He chaired the Remembrance Day service along with some Agape members from Japan led by Keiko Holmes, recipient of OBE, working for reconciliation on 11 November 2002, at Kohima War Cemetery.Japanese war delegation in Kohima, Nagaland, India timesofindia.com retrieved 11/12/2002
Revival crusades He conducted several Revival Crusades in Nagaland and was invited to a number of such crusades and Churches to speak. He was considered to be one of the best interpreters in Nagaland and has interpreted renowned preachers including Billy Kim,Billy Kim in Nagaland Billy Kim's official website Frederick S. Downs and Roger Houstma.Roger Houstma in Nagaland, India Christian missionaries and Christian NGOs in India Preparing for the harvest truecongresspolitics.wordpress.com His interpretive skill was marked by speed, accuracy and enthusiasm.
Music Apart from his education in Church music, Üsou did a Condensed Piano Course from Kolkata in 1972 to equip himself better. He played several musical instruments with the piano accordion his favorite. He formed his family musical band christened "Üsou's Instrumental Praise" in 2002, where he played piano accordion; his three sons on piano, saxophone, acoustic and bass guitar, Hawaiian guitar, drum and a daughter on violin and cello. They are considered to be the only musical family in Nagaland and they perform in different concerts, government functions and Churches.
Üsou was a composer with many original songs, including a number of theme songs which are performed by the respective members on appropriate and specific occasions.
School of Music He established the first government-approved institute for Music studies in Nagaland, the School of Music, Kohima, on 13 August 1969, and held the position of Founding Proprietor until his death.Neiliezhu Usou, the founding proprietor of School of Music, Kohima nagalim.co.uk The school has been producing many amateur musicians and Church pianists and now offers programmes of study in voice, violin, piano, saxophone, drums and conducting departments under the music exam boards of ABRSM (the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) and Trinity Guildhall, London.
Governmental engagement Üsou was closely associated with successive Governments in Nagaland. Some of his notable engagements with the Government were: During the occasion of distribution of tickets to a Political party for Nagaland general election in 1987Nagaland General Election 1987 pdf by the then Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, he offered Dedicatory prayer for the candidates and for peaceful election.Indian Prime Minister Shri. Rajiv Gandhi in Nagaland pdf He dedicated the newly built Nagaland State Secretariat Building with over 200 rooms on 30 May 1994. He invoked God's blessings during the State level peace rally held on 13 March 1999, participated by thousands of people where Sonia Gandhi was the Chief Guest. peace rally/public meeting attended by Sonia Gandhi: headlines Oriental Times vol. 1 Issue 42-43 Mar 22 – 6 April 1999 He offered dedicatory prayer at the inauguration of the newly built Governor's Office, the Naga Bhavan,Naga Bhavan Raj Bhavan (the Governor's House) in Govt. of Nagaland website at Raj Bhavan, Kohima on 15 August 1999. He also invoked God's blessing for the Kargil War heroes on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Kohima on 26 July 2000. During the Indian Republic Day celebration on 26 January 2002, he chaired the farewell ceremony of the outgoing Governor of Nagaland, Om Prakash Sharma, and delivered the farewell message at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Kohima. He offered invocation prayer on the public reception to the new Governor of Nagaland, Shyamal Datta on 4 February 2002.Shri. Shyamal Datta assumes Office as the new Governor of Nagaland www.indlii.org He offered dedicatory prayer at the inauguration of the Multi Purpose Sports Complex at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima, on 1 August 2007, where Union Minister for Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mani Shankar Aiyar, was the Chief Guest.
Other community activities He was twice Chairman of Kohima Baptist Pastors' Fellowship (KBPF)Condolences for late Rev. Dr. Neiliezhüthe two-day joint workshop between the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (BPFNA) and the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), from 25-26 November 2002, at Japfü Hotel, Kohima the Kohima Town Baptist Pastors Fellowship (KTBPF) holding a special service with the BPFNA delegates at the Rivenberg’s Memorial Hall, Mission Compound, Kohima, on 24 November 2002 asiantribune.com in 1982 and from 1995 to 2004. Prompted by the resolution passed on 27 March 1984, by the Kohima Baptist Pastors' Fellowship that Tribal tunes and songs could be used in Christian worship, an Indigenous Tribal Music Concert was organized at Kohima College Auditorium under his chairmanship on 8 June 1984, which was wholeheartedly participated by all Naga Tribal Churches in Kohima.