Bishop Okoye Commends Outstanding Academic Achievements of ICIC

By Chioma Ndife

The auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye has commended the outstanding academic achievements recorded in various competitions by students of Immaculate Conception International College (ICIC), Umuchukwu, Orumba South, Anambra.
He made the commendation on Sunday, July 15, 2018 at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, Umuchukwu during his maiden Pastoral visit to ICIC and administration of the Sacrament of Confirmation on over 60 deserving students of the College.
The maiden pastoral visit of Bishop Okoye coincided with the cultural day Celebration of the College. The school during the event solicited for fund for the completion of the School Academic Block and Hostel Blocks to provide the students with conducive learning environment.
In his homily, Bishop Okoye highlighted the various trophies won by the school in the past 4 years, saying that the trophies were evidence of the total commitment which the church puts in education to ensure qualitative training of the children. He stressed the importance of education and dangers of examination malpractice in the life of students.
He disclosed that priests in various parishes and schools achieve great successes in any given apostolate due to the type of qualitative education imbedded in them during the seminary formation days. He maintained that the interest of the church in running schools was to replicate what had been done in the training of priests to make people excel in any given endeavour like priests do.
He thanked Dr. Godwin Maduka for his contributions towards the growth of the school which he constructed single-handedly and donated to the church for proper and effective management. He appreciated Dr. Maduka’s contributions in Umuchukwu Community, saying that his presence had brought light and transformation to Umuchukwu.
He beckoned on Umuchukwu Community and other public spirited individuals to assist the school financially for the completion of the school academic and hostel blocks. He stressed the dangers of leaving the school developmental projects to Dr. Maduka alone saying that such was enough to discourage him from carrying other projects in the community.
In his remark, the School Manager, Rev. Fr. Innocent Affusim appreciated God for his numerous mercies and grace upon the school. He thanked the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor and his Auxiliary, Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye for their fatherly support and advice. He revealed that the outstanding financial support of Dr. Maduka to the school had been the life wire that ensures the day to day running of the school.
Speaking at the occasion, the school Benefactor and CEO Las Vegas Pain Institute, USA, Dr. Godwin Maduka who was marveled by the performance and laurels won by the school in recent years thanked God for using him to impact positively in the lives of people. He reaffirmed his unalloyed commitment towards the development of the school and opined that the school in years to come would be transformed to technological hub of Anambra State where most electronics, gadgets and phones would be produced for exportation.
Also speaking, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Oliver Ike represented by Mr. Sunday Eric Ike charged Umuchukwu Community not to discourage Dr. Maduka by staying mute towards his contributions to the community but to compliment such effort by contributing their quota in a bid to achieve the intention of the Church. He noted that qualitative education of the students would be marred without the presence and management of the school by the church.
Highpoints of the occasion which witnessed the presence of various political officers and aspirants were traditional and masquerade dance displays.