From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Not less than forty seven Catholic priests, yesterday, attended the inauguration of the new Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev Jonas Okoye at the Assumption Cathedral Church of the Diocese.
The attendees include Archbishops and Bishops, President, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev Augustine Akabueze, his predecessor Most Rev. Alaba Job, Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyakan and Archbishop Valerian Okeke of Ecclesiastical Archdiocese of Onitsha and Archbishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto.
The new Bishop, Most Rev Okoye in his speech said that the main focus of his leadership in the Diocese of Nnewi was going to be on the development, upliftment and assistance to families.
The elated Bishop Okoye, also said that under his leadership Nnewi would have a University of Technology and Business School where the youths could be trained for all skills, saying that the Diocese in that regard would partner with Innoson Motors for the youths skill acquisition programmes.
Satisfied with the performance of his predecessor, Bishop Emeritus, Most Rev Hilary Okeke, Bishop Okoye promised that he would work with the priests in the Diocese to ensure that Okeke enjoyed his retirement more than anyone else.
“My vision and mission as the new Bishop of Nnewi Diocese is to be in practical help to families. We need to help, build, develop and assist families. We need to help them. We are considering building a University of Technology, and Nnewi Business School for skill acquisition for the youths.
“Let us do community service to the people, we need to help one another in this Diocese, people are suffering and they need help and we must offer them help as a Diocese, and I am happy that the people of Nnewi are the light and vitality of this Diocese, together with others we will do great things, ” the Bishop said.
In his homely the President of CBCN, Archbishop Akabueze, on behalf of the conference urged the newly inaugurated Bishop of Nnewi Diocese to tap from the resources and potential in Nnewi, to improve on the achievements of his predecessor.
“What has been established by Bishop Okeke in the last twenty years are enormous. You need to build and improve on what are on ground. We as CBCN will always be there to assist you, ” he said.
Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano called on the people of Nnewi Diocese to support the new Bishop like they supported his predecessor in order to succeed, adding that his success would be the success of every Catholic faithful in the State and Nnewi Diocese in particular.
Other dignitaries that attended the inauguration were People’s Democratic Party (PDP) former Vice Presidential Candidate in the 2019 presidential election and former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi; Anambra State Governor-elect, Prof Chukwuma Soludo; Senator Ifeanyi Uba; Senator Uche Ekwunife; Senator Victor Umeh; Chief Innocent Chukwuma; Chief Cletus Ibeto; founder of Cutix Plc, Chief Ajulu Uzodike and many other politicians and captains of industry.