78 years old Catholic Knight celebrates birthday with mentally and physically challenged children,says,”I was motivated by Archbishop Okeke’s love for the less privileged”

By Ononye VC
A Catholic Knight of St John International (KSJI) Nobel Sir Mentis Emeka Agba JP during the week celebrated his 78th birthday with inmates of the St Joseph Providential Home for Mentally and Physically challenged children,Niger Street,Fegge,Onitsha where he delivered various bags and cartons of food items such as noodles,rice,beans,toiletries,child and adult pampers and cash donation.
Noble Sir Emeka Agba who visited with some members of his family also cut his birthday cake with the inmates sorounding him,shared cooked food and drinks with them and also danced with them using a small music box.
Noble Sir Agba also known as Oba Nnabuenyi Azia took time to inspect the various sections of the home where he sympathised with many of them who were bedridden and saddled with all kinds of ailments.They included children and adults.
Some of the visitors who accompanied Sir Emeka Agba were crestfallen,short of words and were visibly shedding tears at the sordid condition of some of the inmates.In that regard,Sir Emeka Agba challenged all who flaunt their wealth to visit the home and make sacrifices on what the Lord has done for them, at least for being able to move about freely and do their businesses without physical challenges.
The Sister in charge of the home who gave her name as Rev Sr Claret,said they faced a herculean challenge catering for the growing number of inmates.According to her,some parents came and dropped their children with various health and physical challenges and disappear without leaving their contacts,making it difficult for them to locate them and had no option than to admit and take care of them.
She lamented that with the current nationwide economic hardship,that feeding and taking care of the children and other physically and mentally challenged is posing a big challenge to them.
Sr Claret listed some of the immediate needs of the home to include food items,beverages and toiletries.
Other items needed urgently include a bus to enhance their mobility and emergencies,cooking utensils,energy bulbs,bedsheets,fuel,electrick cookers etc.
In his remarks,Noble Sir Emeka Agba who was almost speechless expressed deep sympathy to the inmates.
He pointed out that he was motivated and encouraged by Archbishop Valerian Okeke’s yearly visits to Onitsha Correctional Center and vowed to celebrate his 78th birthday with the the less privileged in any of the homes.
Archbishop Okeke’s charity visits even beyond the correctional centres he said,has taught him great sense of humility and charity and called on other well meaning privileged people to come to the aid of the home and others elsewhere.
Noble Sir Emeka Agba,a parishioner at the Immaculate Heart Parish,Fegge,Onitsha is one of the leaders of Fegge Community,Onitsha and hails from Azia town,Anambra state.