- Facilitated airlift of hundreds of Biafran children abroad
From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, the Catholic Church, Aba Diocese and Azumini community in Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State said they are making separate plans to immortalize Irish Rev Fr. Dermot Doran who died recently.
Rev Fr. Doran, the first principal of St. Mary’s Secondary School, now, National High School, Azumini, was posted to the school in 1963 from Ireland.
Doran who died at 88 in Ireland, was reported to have facilitated the airlift of hundreds of sick and malnourished Biafran Children to Gabon, Ivory Coast and other countries.
The Irish Catholic priest was said to have after the civil war, brought the children back to Nigeria and after keeping them at Dr. Dick Emuchay’s Cottage Hospital, Azumini for two years, reunited them with their parents.
Moved by Doran’s humanitarian gesture during the civil war, Ohanaeze said they are making plans to immortalize him.
Speaking at Azumini, Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Ambassador Okey Emuchay said the apex Igbo body did not loss sight of what Rev Fr. Doran did for Biafran children during the civil, and would therefore do everything to immortalize the priest now he was dead.
“We should not forget in a hurry the role played by Rev Fr. Doran during the civil war when he facilitated the airlift of hundreds of Biafran children who were suffering from diseases and malnutrition, from the Uli airstrip to countries friendly with Biafra, which included Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Gabon and others.
“The children were in those countries till the war ended and they were brought back in 1970.
“On the children coming back, arrangements were made for their rehabilitation and Dr. Emuchay made available his Cottage Hospital at Azumini for their rehabilitation for two years after which they sent back to their parents”.
Emuchay said nothing will be too much for Ohanaeze to do in an attempt to honour and immortalize Rev Fr. Doran.
Similarly, the Aba Diocese of the Catholic Church said it would also make arrangements to honour the Irish priest.
Rev Fr. Chinemerem Iheoha of the Catholic Church in Azumini, while thanking the missionaries for sending to the area, someone that did not only helped in developing the first Catholic school in the place, but also played pivotal role in saving the lives of dying Biafran children during the war. He promised to discuss with the Bishop of Aba Diocese on how best to honour Doran.
Equally, Azumini community has promised to do something to honour the Irish priest.
The traditional ruler of the community, Prof Edward Where Eule said Doran meant so many things to the community and that they are making everything possible to ensure his memory was kept alive.