… Donates N1.4 Million to Indigent Widows, 100 Bags of Rice to 117 Other Indigents, Total Scholarships to Pupils
By Michael Nnebife and Jessica Akubueze
The atmosphere in Awka, the Anambra State capital, was filled with joy and celebration on Saturday, October 18, as the entire members of the Catholic Women’s Organization, CWO, Awka Diocese, converged on St Patrick’s Cathedral, for the grand finale of the CWO’s 2025 Triennial Convention.
The event began on Friday October 17 with a lecture and a final quiz competition, both on church teachings, among other activities.
The highlights of the event included, N300 million fundraising for CWO projects, empowerment of 117 indigent members of the organization with a bag of rice each, cash empowerment of 14 widows and some other indigent members with N100, 000 each to support their small businesses, presentations of award of honour to the past executives of the organization and a number of other individuals in appreciation and recognition of their outstanding services and support to the organization and the Church.
The event which began with a Holy Mass presided over by the Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, attracted a number of religious men and women, including the Vicar General of the Diocese, Rev Fr Peter Akaenyi; government officials, who included the wife of the Governor of the State, Dr Nonye Soludo, represented by the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon Beverly Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche; the Senator representing Anambra Central in the National Assembly, Sir Victor Umeh; the Labour Party and All Progressives Congress’ candidates for the November 8 Governorship Election in the State, Dr George Moghalu and Hon Nicholas Ukachukwu, respectively, among others.
In a homily during the Holy Mass, Bishop Ezeokafor admonished the CWO members to take parenting responsibilities as a priority above every other engagement, with a view to personally teaching their children how to pray, the dos and don’ts of the Church and society, among others, to enable the children to grow into useful adults.
The Bishop lamented that many parents of today had deliberately failed to assume the responsibility of total parenting.
‘They see their child as a disturbance. That is why we are having in our society today so many young people that wear everything human being, but in their character, they are beasts,’ Ezeokafor lamented.
‘But I want to tell you, your child is the greatest asset you have. If you don’t have a responsible child, all your effort to make it in life today will be a mess in a later day,’ the Prelate told the CWO members, reminding them that the sole responsibility of training their child to become useful, lay mostly on their hands as mothers.
‘The priests and the school teachers can only help to make your effort in training him fruitful.
‘You’re the one to teach him how to pray, have good morals, the dos and the don’ts in society. By yourself, put these into practice so that he will see them.
‘Make out time to be close to him; monitor and supervise all he does, both in school and elsewhere,’ the Prelate advised the women.
He however, congratulated them on the convention, thanking them for their services and support to the Church.
‘We are happy with you, our mothers; without the CWO, I don’t know how some Church engagements today would have been,’ the Bishop said.
In his remarks, the Chaplain of the Organization, Rev Fr Jonas Unegbu, thanked the Prelate for his support and care for the organization; all the religious men and women, including the guests that graced the event, for making out time to identify and support the organization.
While presenting her address of welcome, the Director of the Organization, Lady Sabina Ngozi Ndigwe, highlighted the uniqueness of the event, which, she said, provided opportunities for the Catholic Women from all the parishes to gather together for spiritual exercise and social interaction.
‘In the course of the 2025 Convention, Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy was held in all the parishes for the intentions of the members, families, the organization, the Church, the state, and Nigeria at large,’ the Director said.
She explained that the organization had earlier offered ‘total scholarship’ to eight Js1 students, and three undergraduate students of Federal Universities, to mark the event.
According to the Director who said that the scholarship for the eight students would run from Js1 to Ss111, at Rosary College, Nise, the beneficiaries were selected from the three regions of Awk Diocese: two persons from each, and additional two others from St Felix, Nise the host Parish of the College.
She further explained that the beneficiaries of the undergraduate scholarship were selected from the three regions, one person each.
‘Also, this is the first time our sisters in the CWO, Awka Diocese, USA Chapter, joined us in planning the activities of the Triennial Convention,’ Lady Ndigwe added.
Ndigwe further said that after the last convention, renovation and upgrading work were done on the organization’s Cana House Complex to restore its former glory and pride as the number one event centre in Awka metropolis.
‘We still need two ton standing inverter AC, eight in number; OX industrial fans, 30 in number; and solar electricity in the complex.
‘Furthermore, we need funds for the development of our social centre, a full skill acquisition centre, at Agu-Awka, to enable us to train our children and our women in various skills,’ the CWO leader said, and appealed to the guests and public spirited individuals for financial support.
In a vote of thanks, the Chairman, Planning Committee, Dr Uche Achebe, expressed gratitude to the guests for honouring the organization’s invitation, and its benefactors for their various donations and support.
In their separate responses, the award recipients, who included the wife of the State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo; the wife of the Senator representing Anambra Central in the National Assembly, Lady Prisca Umeh, represented by her husband; an Anambra State House member, Hon Jude Akpua, among others, appreciated the CWO, for the honour.
In press interviews, some beneficiaries of the empowerment who included Mrs Grace Mkpume and Mrs Angela Ezeani, expressed gratitude to the organization, and pledged to do their best for realization of the objective of the empowerment.
Queen Competition, various cultural dances, performances showcasing various farming practices by the CWO Deanery members, among others, added glamour to the event, which was a carnival of sorts.
