As efforts continue in top gear to put the newly built and commissioned Solution FunCity, Governor’s Lodge and Government House into effective and immediate use, the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, and other Catholic Bishops in Anambra State, have toured and blessed the facilities, Constantine Echichechi Okoli reports.
The Catholic Bishops, who included Peter Cardinal Okpaleke of Ekwulobia Diocese; Archbishop Valerian Okeke of Onitsha Archdiocese; Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor of Awka Diocese; Bishop Dennis Isizoh of Aguleri Diocese and Bishop Jonas Benson of Nnewi Diocese, 14 May, undertook a guided tour of the new Solution FunCity, the new Governor’s Lodge and Government House, just as they blessed the projects.
Leading the inspection tour was the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who explained to the Bishops the details of the new projects in the Awka Capital City.
The Governor said the Solution FunCity was a major tourism and leisure project in Awka, developed on a 12.7-hectare site and featuring an amusement park, a water park, and a country club.
According to Prof. Soludo, apart from the FunCity serving as a tourism and attraction centre, it was expected to be a major driver of economic growth in the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, also took the Bishops on a tour of the Governor’s Lodge and Government House. He told them that the Government House comprised over 35 distinct buildings, having the main government structure, offices of the Governor, the Deputy Governor, an amphitheater, residential areas, a clinic, sports centre, banquet hall and many more.
‘Historically, we are breaking a 34-year jinx of giving Ndi Anambra a government house that is better described as a city within a city,’ Prof Soludo explained.
The visibly elated Governor reiterated what he had said in many fora that his administration was intentional about making Anambra State a destination and not a departure lounge.
‘For Anambra to become a destination point, there have to be things that will attract people,’ he said.
For their part, the Bishops who appreciated the milestone achievements of the Governor on infrastructural development, prayed and blessed the FunCity, Governor’s Lodge and Government House. Blessing the FunCity, the Bishops led by one of the Cardinal Electors in the just concluded Conclave, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, prayed in these words: ‘God, our all-provident Father, You have placed the earth and its fruits under our care, so that by our labour we will endeavor to ensure that all share in the benefits of your creation. We ask that You bless this recreational centre, that it may be a place of joy, where people can find rest and refreshment, and where healthy competition and community building can flourish.
‘May this centre be a place of positive social interaction, where individuals can connect with one another and find strength in their relationships. May it also be a place where individuals can engage in activities that foster physical and mental well-being. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.’
On arriving the new Governor’s Lodge and Government House, the Bishops, led by the Metropolitan of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, blessed the ‘Anambra State White House’, a monumental edifice, praying, ‘Almighty God, we humbly beseech you to bless this new Government House and all who dwell within its walls. We ask that you guide the leaders within with wisdom, justice, and compassion, that they may govern with integrity and serve the common good of our people. May this building be a place of peace, harmony, and productive labor. We pray for your protection over all who enter and exit, and for your blessing upon the work that is done within. May the spirit of unity and cooperation prevail, and may this house serve as a beacon of hope and progress for our nation. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.’
At the request of the Governor, his office was also blessed by the Bishops.
Speaking in appreciation for their prayers and presence, the Governor explained that those projects which were commissioned by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 8th May, having been blessed by the Bishops, were ready for use.
The Governor assured Anambra people and the Bishops that the FunCity would be accessible to all classes of people and that the new Governor’s Lodge and Government House were rightly the house (Obi) of Anambrarians.
