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From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr George Adimike recently handed over the keys to a four bedroom bungalow to a widow, Mrs Roseline Ugwuezema at Amuda Ogbozalla Opi, Nsukka, Enugu state.
Fr. George, a native of Awka-Etiti community, Idemili South LGA, Anambra State was ordained a Catholic priest for Onitsha Archdiocese in July 2007. Having returned recently from the Vatican City, Rome after completing his doctorate degree, he is presently the Protocol and Secretary for the Public Affairs to the Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke and also Director of Social Communications of the Archdiocese.
Few of his friends who accompanied him on a long journey recently from Onitsha to Opi-Agu, Nsukka for the handing over ceremony were stunned to discover a fully furnished house he built for a poor widow whom he never knew from Adam or had any previous relationship with.
Giving an insight into how he got involved in the building project, Fr. George disclosed that it was a video post he saw on the WhatsApp status of a Rev. Sister who runs a charity organisation that prompted him to do something.
The priest said he was moved to tears after seeing the makeshift structure where the poor widow was sleeping, and he decided to do something for her.
“When I saw the short video, I enquired from the Reverend Sister to know if the widow actually lived in the thatch house and from there I got the inspiration to help her because every child of God deserves a decent shelter.”
Meanwhile, Fr George also remembered that his mentor, the Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, had before now built a house for a woman with a similarly challenging situation and it was also a Rev. Sister that called the attention of the Archbishop to the woman’s condition. He decided to toe the same line.
Fr George stated that when he solicited financial assistance, the initial support he got was very small because some people gave like N5,000, N3,000, N2,000 and such stuff. He said after the funeral of his dad, he received gifts from people and realised he had about N1.5 million to start with.
“I channelled the money into the project, together with my personal savings. But at some point, my elder brother intervened and supported me financially because the house cost N5 million plus. When the building commenced, other people supported and we were able to furnish it and also build additional structure at the back that contained the toilet, bathroom and kitchen,” he said.
Fr. George, in a chat with Saturday Sun, revealed that when the project commenced, some of his friends volunteered to supervise the project. Some even temporarily relocated to the village to ensure that work on the project didn’t suffer any hitches. He said he also visited the community up to 15 times from Onitsha while the project lasted.
He revealed that it was at that moment during the block fixing stage that the Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. (Prof) Godfrey Igwebuike Onah got wind of the project and showed keen interest in its development.
He said the Bishop, after encouraging him on the feat, volunteered to make time out of his busy schedules to personally come and dedicate the building on completion.
True to his words, the Bishop came with a retinue of other priests for the eventual dedication. People of the community were super excited to see the Bishop that day and he also did not disappoint in his great oratorical prowess and power of the word.
Speaking in the native Nsukka dialect, Bishop Onah sang local songs, preached about love and happenings in the country that all who came to the place left fulfilled.
Bishop Onah also appreciated the widow who now owns the house with an undisclosed cash gift,wrapper clothing and food items.
Roseline Ugwuezema, the widow could not hide her tears of joy as she spoke: “I have seen God in action. I have seen His hand in the affairs of man. A poor wretched widow like me that He has remembered. I feel like seeing heaven now. God bless Fr. George and all my destiny helpers,” she prayed.
Fr. George, while addressing the congregation, said he found fulfilment as a priest of God through the little things he does. He expressed appreciation to the Archbishop Okeke for his support and blessings.
“Each time I came here during the building process, the members of the community would always gather to assist in what we were doing. We sang praises to God and made merry after work sometimes. Those times gave meaning to my priesthood and gave me great joy as a priest of God,” Fr. Adimike said
Thanking Bishop Onah for his extra efforts to come and personally dedicate the house, Fr. George said the event wore a carnival mode like that all because of the Bishop’s gracious presence.
