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By Merit Ibe
It was an atmosphere of joy and excitment on Sunday, September 24, 2023, when the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, The Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, along with the parishioners of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Iranla Ajah in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, gathered to honour one of their own for his outstanding contributions to the growth of the church and humanity.
On that day, friends, parishioners and family members of Dr Ikechukwu Okogbue JP, gathered in their numbers to celebrate a man who has been a pillar of impact to the church and numerous families from across the country living around the Ajah axis of the state.
It was a day the Okogbue family of Obowo, in Imo State, would not forget in a hurry as one of their own was honored with the “St Thomas More Award” in recognition of his contributions and service towards the growth of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.
The event which began with a holy mass at the Catholic Church Cathedral, Lagos Island, on Saturday, September 23, was rounded off with a thanksgiving service on Sunday with dignitaries from all walks of life in attendance. The unassuming Okogbue and his family have been members of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ira Nla Ajah since 2007 when the parish was established till date, and have contributed to both community and missionary development over these years.
According to Archbishop Martins, who officiated at the event, St Thomas More Award is given in recognition of persons who have given selfless services to humanity through excellence and exemplary leadership.
Therefore, in celebrating and honouring the founding council chairman of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (ICCC), Iranla,
Ajah, Lagos, Most Rev Dr Alfred Adewale Martins, restated the need for brothers, sisters, politicians and professionals alike to serve with all that they have for the growth of the kingdom of God knowing that all they have are gift from God almighty.
He pointed out that what we all have as humans are given to us by God, and that using all that you have in the service of the Lord, is what it means to give to the Lord.
The Lagos Archbishop emphasised the need for all Christians to play their roles as members of the church, noting that gone were the days when the church was seen as the property of reverend fathers and bishops.
While appreciating Okogbue for his numerous contributions to the growth of the church and the kingdom of God at large, Martins encouraged him to continue to do what he has always done and urged other parishioners to offer service to God and the church without counting what they stand to gain personally.
“God has a way of rewarding you beyond human understanding.” He enjoined the Christian faithful.
Presenting a plaque and symbol of the award to Okogbue, Most Reverend Martins emphasised the words of wisdom for the wise, that says: “Celebrate with those who are celebrating so that the same grace of God which brought that celebration into the life of the celebrant will activate your own celebration too in due season because it’s the Grace which you celebrate that you attract into your life. That’s the natural law of nature and of course, the law of God too.”
Responding on the honour done him, an elated Okogbue, a member of the association of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate of Mary, reeled out his contributions that led to the growth of the Parish, noting that all these were achieved through the Mercy and Grace of God.
He noted that at the inception of the church, ICCC, Iranla, Ajah, Lagos, at the late Engr. James Sani’s house, he had donated the first complete set of musical instruments and keyboard in the presence of the then catechist, Bro Emma Njoku, and other parishioners, to make the church a lively worship centre.
The award recipient had also sponsored priests from the eastern part of the country in agreement with the late Rev Father Adegbite to ICCC, Ira Nla.
Okogbue said with the help of Mr Nicholas Ntokon, two plots of land were secured for the parish after the payment of about 50 percent of the total amount in the princely Lekki axis before handing same over to the mission authorities in 2014.
Since then, he said the parishioners had made some part payments for 21 plots of land for the parish.
According to him, the zeal he had for the growth of the church propelled him to donate two buses for evangelism, which yielded great fruit as the number of worshipers increased exponentially.
During the building of the church cathedral, Okogbue said he had bankrolled the roofing and the ceiling of the Church to the glory of God, under the chairmanship of Chief J. C Ogu (the then chairman building committee).
But beyond supporting the work of God, Okogbue has remained an avid supporter of Ira Nla Ajah community development, having financed the grading of arterial roads for easy access of worshipers during the early growth of the church.
Through his foundation, The Ikechukwu Okogbue Foundation, he had organised several Roll Back Malaria (RBM) programmes that benefitted both parishioners and community members irrespective of their religious, political or ethnic leanings.
He recalled: “Through the foundation, we organised a football tournament for catholic churches in the present day Ajah Deanery as a way of bonding the all Catholic faithful, apart from Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Good
Shepherd Moba.
“I served as the chairman of the church council for about six years and six months under Rev Father Patrick Adegbite, Rev Father Stephen Enearu, Rev Father O’Leary and briefly under Rev Father Panachy Ogbede before we became a Quasi Parish.
“I introduced the Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate heart of Mary to us
at ICCC, Iranla with the help of Mama Otire from our lady of perpetual help Ajah and later
served as the president from 2008-2020.
“When the Redemptorists took over our Church in 2016, I was made the chairman of friends of the Redemptorists (FOREDS) till date. I personally financed the sewing of the
church choir ropes, church warden, mass servers and Lay readers ropes as well; most of
them are still being used to date.
“All these were achieved through the mercy and grace of our good God.”
It was, therefore, not surprising that the entire Archdiocese of Lagos gathered in their number to honour a man who has given so much to the church of God over the year.
A father, husband, mentor and role model to both the youth and adults in the Christian faith and the Catholic Church in particular, Dr Okogbue has pledged to continue to serve God in any capacity that he is called upon to do so.
He however appreciated the leadership of the Lagos Catholic Archdioceses under Most Reverend Adewale Martins for the recognition and honor done him, assuring that by the grace of God he would do more to support his Ira Nla Ajah community and the Lagos Catholic Archdiocese.
