From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Excitement rented the air on Sunday among people of Ogidi community, Anambra State as a former Special Adviser to Ex President George Bush of United States of America on Science and Technology, High Chief (Engr) Emeka Ken Nwabueze MFR (Ajie Okpala Ogidi) donated a secondary school which he singlehandedly built and equipped with modern facilities at Ogidi to the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha.
Nwabueze who announced the donation and handed over the keys of the school, named Assumption High School Ogidi to the Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke at Our Lady’s Catholic Parish Church Ogidi during the Pastoral visit of the Archbishop said he built and equipped the school for the Archdiocese to the glory of God and as part of his contributions to the development of Ogidi, Igboland and Nigeria.
Noting that God has blessed him and he had to extend God’s blessings to the society at large, Chief Nwabueze observed that the situation of things in Nigeria demands that children and youth should be enrolled into quality schools where they can obtain quality education good enough to prepare them to face and overcome challenges of life and also contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities and society at large.
He said that informed his decision to build the school and hand it over to the church.
The renowned Scientist commended the Archdiocese under Most Rev Okeke for what he described as good efforts in ensuring that the quality and standard of education in Anambra State remains unbeatable in Nigeria noting that he is optimistic that Assumption High School Ogidi will thrive to produce champions in various field of human endeavors and leaders of tomorrow under the care of the Archdiocese.
He assured the Archbishop that he will continue to give support to Our Lady’s parish and the Archdiocese to the best of his abilities.
Corroborating, the younger brother to Ajie Okpala Ogidi, Mr. Chudi Nwabueze (Ebeonadi Ogidi) added that the reason behind the decision of his elder brother to build School in their Community is to enable the Children and youths attend good School to equip themselves with knowledge of good life so that thuggery, cultism and petty social vices among youths would minimize or even be eradicated, urging other affluent in the society to invest locally and give life support to the less privileged and stop blaming politicians.
Dedicating the School, Archbishop Okeke while commending Nwabueze for his magnanimity in supporting the Church, the community and the society in all important area of education, reflected on the first reading, taken from the book of prophet Isaiah 43:16-21 where it was written that God would do a new thing for the people of Isrealities when they were in captivity noting that God has used Nwabueze to do a new thing at this point in time.
Appreciating the guests, traditional ruler of Ogidi Kingdom, Igwe Alex Onyido (Ezechuamagha) lauded Archbishop Okeke for visiting the parish to dedicate Assumption High School and to Confirm young parishioners.
Igwe Onyido who is a wealthy Church donor described the visiting Archbishop as a hard working shepherd assuring that he will always support the Church. The monarch also commended Nwabueze family for always making Ogidi proud wherever they are. As he put smiles on the faces of the parishioners by pledging to contribute to the completion of an ongoing project in the Church.
In his words, the parish priest Rev Fr Aloysius Agba said with happiness that the two years and some months of his missionary journey to the parish has been much fruitful owing to the massive support being given to the parish by the Igwe, Nwabueze and other prominent people of Ogidi together with the parishioners at large.
Fr Agba assured that the Church will not rest in its commitment to ensure that God’s blessings will never cease on the people of Ogidi hoping that the Pastoral visit of the Archbishop will manifest overflow of blessings upon the people