By Sunny A. Ijomah
The Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha has distributed a sum of N27 million to the victims of a recent fire incident at Ochanja Market in Onitsha, the Commercial City of Anambra State.
On October 16th, a fallen petrol tanker had sparked fire which caused the death of a woman and her child and burnt shops and their contents in a nearby market.
In a statement issued by the Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Reverend Valerian Okeke, on Tuesday he announced the gesture as an offering of “spiritual and financial support to the victims of the fire outbreak in Onitsha that destroyed properties and lives, on the 16th of October, 2019.”
He explained that the financial support of N27 million would be distributed “to all the affected individuals without discrimination or favour of any religious denomination because we are all the children of one God.”
Most Reverend Okeke in the statement said: “With gratitude to God, and on behalf of the priests, the religious and the good people of Onitsha Archdiocese who contributed generously, we as a family of God in Onitsha Archdiocese, are today (Tuesday) offering our spiritual and financial support to the victims of the fire outbreak in Onitsha that destroyed properties and lives, on the 16th of October, 2019.
“The Onitsha Archdiocese after celebrating the Holy Mass at the Market today (Tuesday) handed over the victims to God and also will distribute the financial support of N27 million to all the affected individuals without discrimination or favour of any religious denomination because we are all the children of one God.
“To those wounded, I pray for God’s divine healing and to those who lost their lives, we continue to pray to God to accept them among His saints and console the family. Amen.”
The event saw the Priests coming out in their numbers to pray for the victims and the market in general including the Archbishop’s representative and Chief celebrant, Msgr. Gregory Adibe, Rev. Fr. Dr. Prudentus Emeka Aroh (the Archdiocesean Chancellor), Rev. Fr. Justin Oguama the General Coordinator of the event, the Spiritual Director of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, host of other Priests and a mammoth crowd of faithful.
It was indeed a heartwarming event to behold as many victims of the fire incident were in tears to be shown such a huge kindness and love.
