By Michael Nnebife
History was on Monday, 21st April, 2025, made at Nawfia Community in Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State, as the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor, inaugurated Ave Maria’s Parish, carved out from St Anthony’s Parish, Nawfia, in 2018.
The Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev Fr Charles Ndubuisi; Bishop Ezeokafor’s Secretary, Rev Fr Evaristus Ifeanacho; a former House member who represented Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Dozie Nwankwo, represented by Chief Emmanuel Atuegbu; the Executive Chairman of Njikoka LGA, Hon Barr Chinedu Ononiba; the Traditional Ruler of Nawfia, Igwe Dr Ogochukwu Daniel Obelle, with his cabinet members; Nawfia indigenous priests and religious; the noble Knights and Ladies of the Ave Maria’s Parish, among others, were present during the inauguration, in which Bishop Ezeokafor also commissioned the Parish Pastoral Council.
The inauguration was a double-edged ceremony, as it came with a maiden Pastoral visit by the Bishop to the new Parish.
Speaking while delivering a homily, Bishop Ezeokafor expressed satisfaction with the infrastructural development in the Parish and thanked an illustrious son of the community, Chief Sir Victor Nwankwo, who singlehandedly spearheaded the development, for using his wealth to serve God and humanity at Nawfia Community.
According to the Bishop, wealth and all the good things that man had, came from God.
‘Man ought to use these to serve God and humanity; these are what Sir Victor Nwankwo is doing,’ Bishop Ezeokafor said, and urged other affluent individuals in Nawfia to emulate Sir Nwankwo, praying God to reward him and his family.
Reflecting on the Easter Season, the Prelate noted that the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which he described as the hope of Christendom, had brought what he called objective redemption to mankind.
He therefore, charged Nawfia People to strive to work out their personal salvation in order to have a share in the Resurrection of Christ through living evidence-based Christ-like life.
The Chief Shepherd of Awka Diocese, who, during the Holy Mass, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 147 candidates, thanked the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Emmanuel Ezenwata, and other priests that had served the Parish, for their services.
Responding, the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Ezenwata, who joyfully said that the inauguration and Bishop Ezeokafor’s episcopal blessings upon the Parish were earnestly desired for a long time, thanked the Bishop for making the dream of the parish inauguration and pastoral visit realities.
In an address of welcome read by Mrs Patricia Ichoku, during a reception, the Ave Maria’s parishioners continued to thank Bishop Ezeokafor for ensuring that the dream to lift Ave Maria Nawfia to parish status came to reality.
They recalled with joy that the Parish, since its creation in 2018, had recorded tremendous achievements which included a gigantic church building, a rectory, an adoration chapel, Grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary, parish hall, public toilets, security house, sacramental shop, among others.
The Ave Maria’s Parishioners were full of appreciation to God for blessing them with their son, Sir Nwankwo, who singlehandedly sponsored the whole projects.
The Catholic Women’s Organization’s Band of the Parish added glamour to the reception in which various groups and individual families of the Parish, especially that of Sir Nwankwo, who was unavoidably absent, but represented by Sir Linus Okafor, took turns to honour Bishop Ezeokafor with cash and material gifts.
