By Praise Chinecherem
Nsukka Catholic Diocesan faithful in St. Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Awka Diocese, Anambra state have honoured Labour Party lawmakers for their contributions toward promoting evangelism of Jesus Christ.
The lawmakers include Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial zone, Victor Umeh; member representing Ogbaru federal constituency, Victor Afam Ogene and his Awka-South/Awka-North federal constituency counterpart, Prof Lilian Orogbu.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Awka the parish cathedral administrator, Rev. Fr. Anthony Nwafor on behalf of the zone presented a plaque and certificate with the inscription “Great Supporter Of Christ Evangelism” to each of the recipients as a symbol of the honour accorded them.
The Nsukka Catholics identified in the cathedral parish as members of “St. Charles Zone” also conferred the same title on the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Epo Oil and Gas, Chief Emmanuel Odoh; former leader of the Onitsha-North Legislative council.
Others were South East youth leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Hon. Chinedu Romanus Eze; immediate past acting registrar of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Mr. Obini Onuchukwu and about twenty others during the ceremony.
The honour presentation was part of the events members of the zone held to mark this year’s commemoration of their patron saint, St. Charles Lwanga, a Ugandan convert to Christianity who was martyred along his other 21 companions because of their Christian faith.
In his speech, leader of the St. Charles Zone, Mr. Okechukwu Obeta praised the recipients of the award for their contributions toward promoting Christ Evangelism.
He said, “We decided to honour these people because we believe that it is only those carry the deliver sermon during Church programme on carry the Holy Bible and go about preaching for repentance in other open place that evangelise Christianity.
” We lso believe that when you show empathy to the needy, or is involved in assisting the poor, pay hospital bills for the poor, assist widows, prisoners, etc, you are also evangelising Christ because those are what Jesus Christ charged His believers to do”.
Chairman of the ceremony, immediate past Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, Professor Frank -Collins Okafor; an eye-impaired member of the zone, Mr. Augustine Okunagu were also among the recipients of the honour.
The members also launched their constitution, as well as, formerly sent off the immediate past leader of the zone, a retired senior police officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ugwu who led the zone for over ten years.
In their separate speeches the parish cathedral administrator, Rev. Fr. Anthony Nwafor and Prof Okafor commended the initiatives of members the zone in identifying and honouring people for promoting Christ Evengalism.
They urged the recipients to see the gesture as a tonic for them to a source of encouragement for them to believe stronger in Christ and do more in promoting Christian values.
Rev. Fr. Nwafor commended members of the zone for their efforts in participating in the Paris activities and charged them to remain steadfast in their faith in Jesus Christ.
