…As St Joseph’s Church Building Dedicated
By Michael Nnebife and R.A. Yakubu
Umuawulu Community in Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State, was agog with celebrations like no other, on Friday, 25th April, 2025, as they gathered for a solemn dedication of the gigantic St Joseph’s Church edifice.
The event which was described as historic by the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Benjamin Odika, also saw the blessings of a magnificent two-storey parish hall building and St Joseph’s Grotto by the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor.
Present at the triple event were over 70 religious men and women who included the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev Fr Charles Ndubuisi, and creme de la creme of Anambra State, among whom were a former Governor of the state, Sir Peter Obi, represented by his Media Aide, Mr Valentine Obienyem; the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly, Sir Victor Umeh; a member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Prof Oby Orogbu; the Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Pius Okoye; among others.
The epoch-making event began with a Pontifical Holy Mass presided over by Bishop Ezeokafor, who described a church building as a sacred edifice standing tall with majesty and honour for an intimate fellowship with God.
Bishop Ezeokafor, who was speaking in a homily, charged the Umuawulu Catholic Community, their friends and well-wishers, who came from far and near, to rejoice with them and use the opportunity offered by the event to rededicate their lives to God for eternal life and bliss in heaven.
Ezeokafor maintained that the focus of every Christian here on earth should be heaven. He enjoined the Umuawulu Catholic Community to allow this understanding, guide their way of life.
The Bishop extolled the work done on the magnificent St Joseph’s Church edifice, the hall, the grotto, an asphalted road and the cleanliness of the church premises.
Recalling the previous attempt by the parish to dedicate the church building, the prelate thanked the incumbent Parish Priest, Fr Odika, whom, he said, came, saw and conquered.
He also expressed gratitude to numerous individuals who contributed to the work and prayed God to bless and reward them bountifully.
While performing solemn dedication rites, the Chief Shepherd of Awka Diocese prayed God to make the church edifice a house of salvation and grace where Christians who would gather in fellowship, might worship Him in spirit and truth.
Responding, the Parish Priest, Fr Odika, joyfully thanked God for what he described as a dream come true, giving Him ‘all the honour, glory, and praises ever and ever.’
Odika, who spoke with an emotion-laden voice filled with gratitude, thanked Bishop Ezeokafor for his passion and love for the things and affairs of God at Umuawulu in particular and in Awka Diocese at large.
He gratefully recounted the Bishop’s magnanimity for St Joseph’s Parish which included his swift approvals of modernization of the St Joseph’s Church Building, Construction of St Christopher’s Church Building, posting dedicated priests to Umuawulu, among others, and prayed for the Bishop for more wisdom, sound health and longevity.
Fr Odika also appreciated dignitaries that graced the epoch-making event for coming to rejoice with the Parish.
In his opening remarks during a reception, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Sir Emmanuel Ndubuisi, who described the event as the first of its kind in the annals of the Umuawulu Catholic Community, continued to appreciate Bishop Ezeokafor for blessing the community with Fr Odika.
In their address of welcome, read by the Secretary, Parish Pastoral Council, Mrs Dorothy Eziofor, St Joseph’s Parishioners also thanked the Bishop for posting Fr Odika to the Parish, saying since he was posted to Umuawulu, the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Faith in the community had been growing by leaps and bounds.
According to them, the situation had also resulted in the Parish having six zones for non-indigenes.
They however listed the challenges facing them to include office accommodation for the Parish Priest, missionary and school buses, while appealing to the Bishop to assist them.
Handing over the keys of the church to the Bishop during the Mass by the Parish’s Pastoral Council, planting of a dedication tree, awards presentation to numerous individuals by the Parish in recognition of their support to the Parish, among others, were parts of the highlights of the historic event.
