Parish Priest of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Amaekpu Ohafia, Rev. Fr. Clement Kalu, has charged Christians to lead a life of obedience to God and service to humanity and shun evil acts if they wish to make heaven.

Rev. Fr Kalu gave the admonition during the one year memorial Mass for late Sir Jonathan Agbai Kalu, a retired Permanent Secretary in the Abia State Civil Service who died in May last year.

In his homily titled ‘As Christ’s faithful, come together only to be one in Christ’, the Catholic Priest further charged Christians to be free-minded and live in peace, avoiding strife and enmity.

He described life as heavenly race, stressing that only one’s deed would qualify him or her to be admitted to spend eternity in God’s kingdom, and described the late Agbai Kalu as one who dedicated his life to service of humanity as a topflight technocrat.

The Udo Mba Age Grade (which the deceased was a member) eulogized late Agbai Kalu who led the group for 16 years for his sterling leadership qualities and for laying solid foundation for the growth of the age grade.

Spokesman of the Age Grade, Sir Dan Ugbaga, recalled that during his reign, late Agbai Kalu introduced many innovations that made the group dynamic and result-oriented. He pledged that the group would not allow the dreams of their former chairman to die.

Wife of the deceased, Lady Mary Kalu, expressed gratitude to God for being with and strengthening their family for the past one year without their father and thanked all who stood by them during their trying moments.

“It has been one year since you dramatically left us to answer the divine call from your Creator. Your departure still looks like a mirage and fallacy to us. You were our icon, mentor and guardian.

“We are regrettably missing you for what you meant to us and the community at large. You were a wonderful husband, father, leader like no other. You were a father and husband in a million. We celebrate you even in death in a manner only fit for consummate personalities,” Lady Kalu said.

Late Sir Agbai Kalu, before his death, served as the Board Chairman of Abia State Physical Planning and Infrastructural Development Fund (PPIDF), a position he was appointed into soon after his retirement from the Abia State Civil Service where he rose to the rank of a Permanent Secretary.

He started his career in the Old Imo State and later climbed to positions of authority, including Director of Protocol in the administration of Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and was equally appointed a Local Government Area Administrator.

He was a Knight of the Catholic Church and at the time of his death, the National President of Ohafia Development Union.

The deceased, who hailed from Amaekpu Ohafia, was held in high esteem as one of the most intelligent and favoured civil servants in Abia as he got several juicy postings and appointments.

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