By Michael Nnebife
The atmosphere at Tansi International College, Awka, was bubbling with excitement as the Management, staff and students of the College, including their parents, the old boys, as well as friends and well-wishers, gathered to receive the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, who was on a pastoral visit to the College.
‎‎The event, which took place on Sunday November 1, and incorporated the 2026 Feast of the College, featured the administration of the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation to 130 student candidates, awards for character and academic excellence to some students, among others.
‎‎Dignitaries that graced the double event, which began with a Holy Mass presided over by the Bishop, were the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev Fr Charles Ndubuisi; the Education Secretary of the Diocese, Rev Fr Angelo Obiakor, and a number of Catholic priests from the Diocese.
‎‎Speaking in a homily, during the Holy Mass, Bishop Ezeokafor emphasized the importance of Catholic education, which, he said, focused on two aspects – good moral integrity and academic excellence, to produce a balanced personality in the lives of the students.
‎‎’Here, we put in the students, fear of God and academic excellence together,’ the Bishop said.
‎He thanked the teachers in the College for their service, as well as commitment, and advised them, including the students, to take their respective responsibilities seriously.
‎‎’Teachers, you must be good role models to the students; teach with your words and actions. Young people imitate a lot. So your character before them matters a lot.
‎‎’Students, work hard and allow the education and moral values being inculcating in you to go through you. If you do this, you will come out fulfilled and confident in whatever field you may find yourselves,’ the Prelate said, while also enjoining parents to choose a school where their child could acquire not only academic excellence but also moral excellence.
‎‎Bishop Ezeokafor, who prayed God to bless Tansi International College through the event, expressed satisfaction with the pace of development in the College, and thanked the Manager, Rev Fr Hilary Okwunalu, for his service and effort to maintain and put things anew; and the old boys of the College, for their contribution.
‎‎Reflecting on the universal feast of the day, Solemnity of All Saints, the Chief Shepherd of Awka Diocese urged the Tansi International College community as well as their friends and well-wishers who gathered for the event to let their actions be such that should direct them to rejoicing with the Lord at the end of their earthly lives.
‎‎According to him, the journey to sainthood required a believer to live life according to the mind of God.‎
‎’Once you do the will of God – keeping His commandments, you are in the right track to see God in the end,’ he said, stressing that God gave everyone an opportunity to become a saint.
‎‎’So, don’t exclude yourself;’ he urged the gathering, pointing out that God expected human beings to come back to Him after life on earth.
‎‎In his remarks, the Manager of the College, Fr Okwunalu, appreciated the Bishop for his love for the College.
‎‎In his address of welcome during the second part of the event, the Manager described the event as a special grace upon the College.
‎‎He told Bishop Ezeokafor and the guests that the feast of the College that was celebrated along with the Bishop’s visit offered the College an opportunity to reflect on the ideals, values, and spiritual heritage upon which it was founded.
‘We renew our commitment to the ideals,’ Fr Okwunalu said, and prayed God to continue blessing his College, strengthening the teachers, guiding the students, rewarding the parents, and inspiring those who contributed to its growth and development.
‎‎He enumerated the achievements of the College in recent times to include what he described as its students’ remarkable performance in external examinations, provision of solar-powered sump borehole, massive electrification and installation of lithium battery systems in the hostels, classrooms, offices, renovation of dilapidated structures, among others.
‎‎Fr Okwunalu, who assured that the College would continue to grow from strength to strength and remain faithful to its mission of providing quality Catholic education through two fundamental pillars of academic excellence and discipline, highlighted some areas in the College, which, he said, begged attention and the support of Education loving individuals.
According to him, those areas included completion of the College’s gigantic chapel, provision of functional laptops for ICT development, and construction of some sports facilities.
‎‎The Tansi International College Manager appealed to education-loving and public-spirited individuals to come and help the College to enable it to provide holistic education.
‎He thanked the supporters and friends of the College for their contributions to its development, and all the guests that graced the event, especially the Chancellor of the Diocese; the Education Secretary of the Diocese; and managers of various schools of the Diocese who were present in the event, for finding out time to come and rejoice with the College.
‎Igba Umuoma and Atiliogwu cultural music dance troupes of the College added glamour to the epoch-making event which also attracted top government functionaries, who included the Managing Director, Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, Dr Ossy Onuko, represented by Hon Damian Nwafor; the Executive Chairman, Awka South Local Government Area, Hon Chinedu Okafor, represented by his Senior Assistant on Special Duties, Hon Chukwuma Ikebudu; the All Progressives Grand Alliance Candidate for Anambra Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 elections, Hon Dozie Nwankwo, represented by a former Executive Chairman, Anaocha Local Government Area, Hon Rome Ibekwe, among others.‎
