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From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Nigeria and Permanent Observer to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, 36 other Bishops across Nigeria and over 400 catholic priests gathered at the Basilica Square of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha yesterday for the 20th Anniversary of the Episcopal Ordination of Valerian Okeke, the Archbishop of Onitsha.
About 13 other Bishops and Archbishops were represented at the ceremony while Governor Willie Obiano, Anambra Governor-elect , Chukwuma Soludo, Senators Ifeanyi Ubah, Uche Ekwunife and Victor Umeh including the PDP candidate in the last Anambra guber election, Valentine Ozigbo were in attendance.
Speaking, the Nuncio, Archbishop Fillipazi while impacting the blessings of the Episcopal anniversary on Archbishop Okeke applauded the Eucharistic thanksgiving which heralded the anniversary noting that the Eucharist means thanksgiving of the church for Jesus Christ, for prayers and for request for forgiveness.
Delivering a homily, Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Igwebuike Onah described Archbishop Okeke as a Man of Gratitude free of the spirit of Episcopal irritability.
He lauded the Archbishop’s pratical life of charity, absolute trust in divine providence and life of prayers which he said have been manifesting through his apostolate in the areas of education of the youths, hospital and prison outreach as well as his dedication in preparing the priests under his care for the mission.
Bishop Onah praised Archbishop Okeke for the various stabilising roles and critical interventions he made for the sake of peace and future of Anambra State during the last governorship elections .
He called on the Bishops and religious leaders to rise up and tackle different cultural practices hampering evangelization and threatening the spread of the gospel in the society.
President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) Most. Rev. Augustine Akubueze while felicitating with Archbishop Okeke described him as a “Great Moral Theologian of our Time” and a great listener urging Nigerians to emulate him by listening more to each other.
Archbishop Okeke in a vote of thanks appreciated all for the labour of love to attend the ceremony .He made a commitment to be more dedicated and available to his pastoral duties.
