Anambra’s political enemies came together on Friday in Onitsha, to celebrate the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, who turned 70.

They are the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, former governor and minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, presidential candidate of the Labour Party and former governor, Peter Obi.

Others are Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central, Tony Nwoye of Anambra North among others.

The renowned political heavyweights belong to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP)

The eminent politicians assembled at for the prelate’s birthday and the foundation laying ceremony of the Secondary school to be built by the Archbishop at the Onitsha Correctional Centre.

Addressing the crowd, Anambra state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo pledged support for the prison ministry of the Archbishop.

The mass was celebrated at the Nigerian Correctional Service Medium Security Custodial Center, Onitsha.

He was accompanied by his wife, Nonye, the speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon Somtochukwu Udeze, National Chairman of APGA, Sly Ezeokenwa among other government functionaries.

Soludo laid the foundation stone for the secondary school to be built in the centre and commissioned the skills acquisition centre built and donated by Archbishop Okeke.

The governor said he was impressed by the Archbishop’s commitment to helping inmates at the correctional centre, describing the Archbishop’s work as a reminder that everyone deserved a second chance.

He promised to pay NABTEB exam fees for 30 inmates who were preparing for the exams, just as he promised to install solar panels and inverters to supply electricity to the centre, which has a population of 1,125 inmates.

He said: “I am here today to celebrate the Archbishop of Onitsha for his commitment to helping those who are often forgotten.”

The governor advised the inmates to take advantage of the skills acquisition program at the centre to ensure they were productive members of society when they were released.

“I urge you to take the skills acquisition program seriously. When you are released from prison, you can use these skills to build a better life for yourself and your family,” he said.

In a homily, the celebrant, Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke, described gratitude to God as the greatest sacrifice to offer.

The Archbishop, who celebrated his birthday with inmates, has made many philanthropic gestures at the centre, including rehabilitating a borehole that supplies water to all the cells, renovating the prison cells, and establishing a skill acquisition program where inmates can learn various skills.

The month-long birthday celebration of the Archbishop of Onitsha will also include visits to several hospitals in Onitsha, where he will pay the bills of patients who are unable to pay.

The Archbishop was awarded the Grand Patron of Inmates in Custody in Nigeria by the Controller General of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, represented by his Deputy, SN Nwakuche. (The Nation)

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