… As Obi Splashes N120M on School, Centenary Celebration
By Jude Atupulazi
The heights attained by Holy Rosary Girls College, Nsugbe and the infrastructural development in the school would not have been possible without the intervention of the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi. This is according to the Regional Leader of the Holy Rosary Sisters, Sr Ifeyinwa Muoegbunam.
Sister Muogbunam who disclosed this last Sunday during the visit of Obi to the school, recalled how Obi as Governor of Anambra, had virtually overseen the provision of most of the infrastructure in the school and pledged a donation of N20m while leaving office, in addition to all he had done. Sadly, she noted, his successor failed to release the money.
But ten years after, Obi returned to the school to redeem the pledge, regretting the inability of his successor to release the money which, he, Obi, had signed and wanted him to give the school as one of the ways of drawing goodwill from the people of the state.
Obi had worshipped with the students of Holy Rosary Girls College in Nsugbe, marking a significant occasion as the Holy Rosary Sisters celebrated 100 years, since their foundation by Bishop Joseph Shanahan in 1924, just as the College at Nsugbe also celebrated its 10th Anniversary.
It will be recalled that Obi laid the institution’s foundation in 2013 and his visit formed part of a series of activities commemorating the centenary of the religious order, renowned for its commitment to education and healthcare apostolates.
Earlier, on Saturday, Mr Obi had also attended a special Mass at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity in Onitsha, where the Holy Rosary Sisters and their well-wishers gathered in honour their century-long legacy of service.
Speaking after the Mass, Mr Obi praised the sisters for their unwavering dedication to education and healthcare, urging them to continue what he described as their invaluable work that had shaped lives and communities.
Later, at Holy Rosary College, Nsugbe, next day, (last Sunday) Obi demonstrated his continued support for education and healthcare by presenting the institution with a cheque of ₦120 million for their headquarters at Enugu. ₦100 million of the donation was intended to support their educational and health outreach programmes, reflecting Obi’s commitment to those critical sectors, while ₦20 million was specifically for the College at Nsugbe, which was a redemption of a cheque he signed for them when he was Governor but was cancelled when Obi left.
During the ceremony, Mr Obi emphasised the vital role of the Holy Rosary Sisters in nurturing the next generation through quality education and compassionate healthcare. He remarked on the significant impact they had had over the years, describing them as pillars of progress and development in Nigeria.
He appealed to them to continue rendering services to humanity without division based on creed or any other unwholesome consideration.
The Chaplain of the school, Rev Fr James Okafor, a Friar, in his sermon, spoke about the legacy of the Holy Rosary Sisters, highlighting the selfless sacrifices they had made over the past century. He called on the students to embrace the values of discipline, hard work, and service that the Sisters embodied. He also called on Nigerians, especially the privileged, to learn how to give back to society from Mr. Obi.
Obi’s participation in the centenary celebration and his financial support were part of his broader vision to uplift education and healthcare across the country. The event concluded with a special prayer for the continued success of the Holy Rosary Sisters’ Mission and for the future generations of students who would benefit from their work.
Earlier, while interacting with the students after Mass, Obi expressed happiness to be in their school for the celebration of the centenary and Tenth Year Anniversary.
He came to worship with them and to unveil his support for the school and told the students that he was once like them and urged them to work towards achieving their dreams and ambitions. He recalled how he and others, as young primary school pupils, had years ago, queued on the road to welcome then Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon, but had later made it, rising from the ranks and becoming a chairman of a bank one of those on the entourage of Gowon (Gen Magoro) was.
Obi urged them to take education seriously as it could take them anywhere in the world, while attributing his achievements to education. ‘When I look at you this morning, all I can remember are my days in CKC Onitsha,’ he said.
He said the progress of any society was based on the quality of its education and cited some Nigerians who had made it through education like Okonjo Iweala and Adichie.
‘Take your education seriously. You must learn and learn and you’ll never go wrong with learning,’ he told the students, while reiterating his resolve not to be desperate to be president but to see the country work.
He urged for passion and care, noting that they were what the country lacked.
Obi recalled how a bank approached him on his 50th Birthday to build a N120m house for him but he directed them to build dormitories of N40m each with that money for three schools, noting that those schools were his home.
He later presented a cheque of N100m to the sisters to be spread over two years, while donating four bags of rice to the students to complement the two they had. He also donated N20m as a redemption of the pledge he made in his time as Governor which he signed and left for his successor to give as one of his first actions but which his successor cancelled.
He urged the students to live a life devoid of complications, noting that the reason he made public presentations was to prove to those from whom he got money to help society that he delivered.
The Principal of the College, Sister Oluchi Nnoli, said, after laying the foundation stone as Governor, Obi had continued supporting them and built virtually all the structures in the school, including supplying the big lister and school bus.
‘If not for him, this school will not be standing here. From 59 pioneer students, we’ve grown to this number, graduating five sets of students after ten years,’ Sister Nnoli said.
One of the students, Mary Jane, a Senior Secondary student, noted how the school had impacted on her in her academic work, winning laurels in both state and national competitions.
