Archbishop Okeke Celebrate Birthday With Inmates

 

By Tobias Ekirika

The Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace Most Rev Valerian Maduka Okeke Celebrated his 72th birthday with Inmates in Onitsha correctional center on Monday 20th October 2025.

The epoch making event started with a Holy Mass officiated by the Archbishop himself and attended by over fifty priests, Catholic faithful and none Catholic, including top politicians, civil servants, students and different media houses, among others.

In his homily,  Archbishop spoke extensively on the importance of Anniversary and gratitude, according to him, anniversary is a unique date, a date history was made that need to be remembered or celebrated annually, such as ones birthday. 

The prelate further revealed that gratitude is showing appreciation to God or person for something good he has done for you. The  chief shepherd of Onitsha archdiocese said  showing gratitude is important to God as according to him it attract more blessings. 

He words showing appreciation to God or anyone that does something good for would make such person to do more, I am telling you the children of God to always show appreciation to God as much blessings are attached to it. There are many ways one can show appreciation, you can do that through giving arms to the less privileged in your mist, donate to motherless homes and so on, he continued.

Archbishop pleaded with spirited individuals, organizations to assist in any way possible by providing solar energy in the skill acquisition center and Custodial Education center for a steady power supply or any other thing that could better the lives of the inmates according to him, they are our brothers and sisters that needed education or other stills that could make them useful to themselves and the society when they finished their jail terms in the correctional center.

The chaplain of St Maximilian Kolbe Champlaincy Onitsha Custodial center,the  Rev Fr Bartholomew Okpalaugo expressed his gratitude to the Archbishop who has made it an annual event to celebrate his birthday with Inmates in Onitsha correctional center. According to him, the Inmates are always hopeful for every 20th October for the Archbishop's visit which he said always attached with heavenly blessings and celebrations among the Inmates.

Fr Okpalaugo prayed to God to shower his blessings to the Archbishop with long life, good health and God's wisdom. He also thanked all other persons who have been assisting the inmates in any way possible to show them a sense of belonging.

In his remarks, the controller Anambra correctional centers Mr Aselem Ike extolled the Archbishop for his special love and care to the Inmates which he said is visible and prayed to God to reward him with good health and long life.

In his response, the Archbishop thanked all that have shown love to the Inmates in any form, urging them not to relent. He  commended Chief Paul Chukwuma, the YPP governorship candidate in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election for donating two caws for the inmates, while the Archbishop donated bags of rice, and cooked rice,detergent, toilet paper, toothpaste, biscuits and many other items that could serve all  the Inmates in the facility.

In an interview, Chief Uche Ekwunife, APC deputy governorship candidate in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election and Chief Dr Mrs Vera Nwadinaobi Chairman of ASUPPEB applauded the Archbishop Okeke for what he has been doing for the Inmates and prayed to God to bless him with good health and long life.

The highlight of the event was the cutting of the birthday cake.