Obaseki, Okowa Grace Event as 15 Get Pope’s Awards in Delta
Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Catholic Bishop of Issele-Uku Diocese, Most Rev. (Dr) Michael Odogwu Elue, has stressed the need for people, particularly Christians, to render humble and committed service to the society without counting the cost or in expectation of some reward or societal honour, saying they should be happy to serve and to rejoice with those privileged to be honoured for their selfless service.
Elue stated this on Saturday at the investiture ceremony for 15 recepients of prestigious papal knighthood awards and medals as recently announced in the Vatican by Pope Francis, held at Saint Paul’s Cathedral Church, Issele-Uku, Delta State.
The event, which climaxed with Eucharistic Celebration attended by thousands of worshippers and numerous personages, was also graced by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his Delta State counterpart, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented by Secretary to Delta State Government, Patrick Ukah.
According to Elue, “Now, my dear people, what we have actually come to witness today is the shinning examples of an ideal life; we have come to see how selflessness and dedication pay, already here on Earth, we have come to see loyalty and obedience and we have come to see good examples of loving God through humble services to humanity.”
While congratulating the recipients of the papal awards on the honour, the cleric charged them never to loose sight of the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was the standard in humble service to humanity irrespective of race and creed as he is the Light of the world.
The bishop harped on the need for selfless service in perpetual humility and whatever capacity people find ourselves, saying although most members of the church and society were deserving of similar honour and formal recognition, only a handful were often chosen to represent recognition and adulation of committed selfless service.
Among the eminent citizens of Delta State, who received the various honours with the paraphernalia of the awards for their outstanding contributions to the Catholic Church in particular and society in general, were Prof. Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge (SAN), former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and Mrs Rosaline Patricia Bozimo, former chief judge of Delta State.
The categories of the awards included Knight and Dame of Saint Gregory as well as Knight and Dame of Saint Sylvester as well as Papal Medallion.
Aside retired Justice Bozimo, a retired Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) and the wife of former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, the wife of chieftain of Delta APC, Mrs. Carol Enuha, also made the list.
Other recipients of the papal awards were Patrick Ikemefuna, who was invested as Knight Commander of Saint Christopher; Okechukwu Ofili, formerly Head of Service of Delta State; John U T Okolo, Joseph Emuezie, Henrienta Odume, Henrienta Ajuebon, Caroline Sotunde Patience Elumeze, Justina Nwaobi, NES, and Suzanna Nwabude.
Nonetheless, two of the 15 selected for the special papal honour received their award posthumously, having passed away before Saturday’s official investiture ceremony at Issele-Uku, which the bishop said further underscored the transience of life and nobility of faithful service to humankind.
“Two of them, Benedict Odiromiwe Chukwuma, KSS and Elizabeth Iwebunankiti Okwadi, Papal Medallist, Benemerenti, have gone ahead to receive the rewards in Heaven. They are, therefore, not able to be present for this investiture ceremony today, and they ask us to hold them excused with prayers that the gates if heaven might be opened to them; may they rest in peace,” Elue said.
