By Nna Anulumadu
As the great Archdocese of Onitsha set to celebrate the Chief Shepherd Most Rev Valerian Okeke at 70, the Chief Executive Officer CEO, St Charles Borromeo Specialist hospital Onitsha Rev Fr Dr. Izunna Okonkwo on Wednesday described the prelate as a great transformer.
Fr Izunna who spoke to Trinitas correspondent asserted that Archbishop Val is a game changer who has literally transformed the great Archdiocese of Onitsha.
” I came in contact with the Archbishop so many years before now. I knew him when he was a parish priest at Umuoji, when he was a lecturer at Bigard memorial seminary Enugu and later on, rector magnifics of Bigard Memorial Senior Seminary, Enugu. From there he became the Co-adjutor Archbishop of Onitsha with right/power of incumbency and later, he mounted the saddle as Archbishop of Onitsha.
He has made significant impact in the life of so many people of different ages: as a pastor, lecturer and Chief Shepherd of the Archdiocese.
As a priest, he influenced so many young men and women to enter into Seminaries, and religious life through his exemplary life. I was one of those he influenced, and eventually I entered into junior seminary. He was/is formator per excellence; he assisted so many seminarians who ran into crises in the course of their seminary formation. Today, by the grace of God, they are priests, not only in the Archdiocese of Onitsha, but also from different parts of the country. They are happy being priests, and doing very well in their different places of apostolate.
Immediately he assumed office as the chief Shepherd of Onitsha Archdiocese, the frequency in pastoral ministry and administration changed significantly. He moved up to the highest gear with regard to mentorship and influences. He has trained priests in sacred sciences, in music and secular studies in Universities scattered in different parts of the world. Some of them trained in Poland, some in Hungary, America, Rome, Germany and some in Belgium and I am fortunate to be one of those he trained in Belgium and America.
In the area of pastoral ministry, he is down to earth. At 70 he is young at heart. He mixes up with children, youths, religious men and women, politicians and people in other spheres of life, such as legal luminaries, Engineers, Architects and all rest of them. As a well grounded philosopher and theologian, he has holistic knowledge of many things. There is no area of discipline he cannot generate fantastic idea.
In the field of education, Archdiocese of Onitsha is second to none because of his influences. He revitalized all the schools returned to the church by government. For instance , Regina Pacis secondary school formerly known as Social Center, where house maids are enrolled, is now a world class secondary school, winning international Laurels including the golden cup they won at California USA. He revitalized Mater Amabilis Umuoji, St John Technical College Alor, Christ de King College Onitsha, St Charles College Onitsha and the rest.
In his health apostolate, he has trained so many priests abroad who are today managers in the various Archdiocesan hospitals. Interestingly, he has a foundation for the poor and vulnerable! . He sponsors the students among them under his scholarship scheme.
He transformed Onitsha prisons into becoming the best correctional center in the country. He celebrates his birthday anniversary, Easter, and Christmas with prisoners. I have not seen any prelate spending such time with prisoners and resources to improve life of those in prison the way Archbishop Val is doing.
In a sincere effort to reform the inmates into becoming polivalent persons when they eventually regain their freedom, he established skill acquisition center at Onitsha prisons.
As a father who is so passionate about education of the youth, he has established a nursing school, named College of Nursing Sciences, St Charles Borromeo specialist hospital Onitsha. The college which was established in 2017 has recorded tremendous achievements and graduated nurses who are performing excellently in different parts of the world, job opportunity took them to. In other words, the college is growing in leaps and bound, emerging 100% success in almost all their external examinations.
The CEO also stated that Archbishop’s desire to produce graduates who can turn this country into an industrialized nation led him into establishing Shanahan University of Science and Technology that will soon kick off academic activities having acquired operational license from National University Council( NUC) At the same, time he made Onitsha city known for only commercial activities more popular by locating the University in Onitsha, a development that has repositioned the city and made it more attractive in the eyes of the world.
