By Tobias Ekirika, Onitsha.
The Archbishop of Onitsha & Metropolitan of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke celebrated his 23rd Episcopal Consecration Anniversary on 9th February 2025 with praises all over the Archdiocese and beyond.
Indeed Archbishop Okeke is a Pastor with different.
God bestowed on Him the sterling qualities of Humility, Simplicity, and Intelligence. Above all He possesses a companionate understanding for the suffering and the persecuted. No doubt, you are a gift to the Archdiocese, the universal church and Indeed the general of our own time.
In Education, The impacts of the Archbishop on education are numerous, Archbishop has shown and exhibited his mighty in making the Catholic Church missionary schools in the Archdiocese as the best among equal. Most of the Catholic Missionary schools within the Archdiocese have won several awards, trophy both locally and Internationally.
The Archbishop Valerian Okeke Science Competition must not under scored as the students of the Archdiocese have proved themselves worthy competitors among secondary schools in the country and beyond.
The Youth Village built for our sons and daughters studying at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka must not be taken for granted. It is a home like no other, providing the best environment for scholarly and formative activities.
The Newly Shanahan University that just kick started last year still remains the talk of the town as the only Missionary University in the country that awarded scholarship to over five hundred (500) students, the only University that has the most moral values and zero tolerance for coltisim and all other evil verse that rocks some of our higher Institution in the country.
Your Grace, your contribution in health sector is worth celebration.St Charles Borrommeo Specialist Hospital remains the best equiped, affordable among missionary hospital in the country. Other hospitals worth mentioning within the Archdiocese for providing proper good health services to the public include; Waterside, St Martin's Ugwuagba Obosi and many others. Indeed, His Grace Most Rev Maduka Okeke is learned and masterly not only in his call as a Bishop in Catholic Faith but in all spheres of life.
No wonder the Controller General of Nigeria Correctional center ( Prisons) gave the Archbishop His Grace Most Rev Valerian Maduka Okeke the Grand Patron of Correctional centers in the country, a position that nobody has ever occupied in history of Nigeria. The Archbishop has made it an annual event to celebrate Christmas, Easter and his Birthday's with the Inmates in Onitsha Correctional center to show them a sense of belonging.
It is an event the Chief Shephard of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese puts smile in face of the Inmates. Above all, He single handle built a Skill Acquisition Center for the Inmates with the aim of making the Inmates useful to themselves, families and the Nation at large after serving their jail terms through leaning of one or two skills in the Acquisition Center.
Your Grace, 23rd Episcopal Consecration Anniversary is indeed worth Celebrating. You have proved that you are an Ebullient, Dynamic, Intergated and hardworking Bishop. You are a Man of faith who believe he can move where there are road blocks.