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From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
For his numerous interventions towards the welfare of prison inmates in Onitsha since his consecration as Archbishop of Onitsha 21 years ago, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke has been awarded the first ever Grand Patron of Inmates in Custody in Nigeria by the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa.
Archbishop Okeke marked his 70th birthday yesterday inside the Onitsha Correctional Centre and the Controller General, represented by his Deputy, S. N Nwakuche while conferring the award on him thanked the Archbishop for making the Onitsha Correctional Centre a reference point in Nigeria through his numerous interventions like renovation of cells for the inmates, provision of water facility, recreational materials and the multi million naira skill acquisition centre for the inmates commissioned yesterday.
Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke in a homily noted that gratitude to God is the greatest sacrifice to offer.
He identified helping other people in difficult situations as one of the best ways of showing gratitude to God even as he noted the need to give those languishing in prisons the opportunity to be better persons while their stay lasts so that they can contribute meaningfully to the society on regaining freedom.
The one month-long birthday celebration of the Archbishop of Onitsha will also include visits to several hospitals in Onitsha, where he will pay the bills of patients who are unable to pay.
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo pledged support for the prison ministry of the Archbishop and also also laid the foundation stone for the secondary school that will be built in the centre.
Soludo said he was impressed by the Archbishop’s commitment to helping inmates at the correctional center and described the Archbishop’s work as a reminder that everyone deserves a second chance.
Former Governor, Peter Obi, Speaker House of Assembly, Rt Hon somtochukwu Udeze, SSG, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu, Chief of Staff, Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, Sen. Victor Umeh, Sen. Tony Nwoye, Sen Chris Ngige, National Chairman APGA, Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa, Papal Nuncio to Czech Republic, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo amongst others attended the mass.
