Photo: Arichibhop Okeke (middle)L to R; Chief Casmir Okeke donor
By Emmanuel Udodinma
A joyous gathering of personalities, including prominent sons and daughters, families, friends and workers of the Catholic Community of St. Paul’s Parish, Ideani on Sunday, April 19, 2026, when the Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, paid one-day pastoral visit to the parish where he blessed and commissioned a Chapel of Perpetual Adoration built and donated to the Parish by an illustratous son Chief. Casmir Okeke.
The epoch-making event attracted respected dignitaries, friends, and well-wishers who came to receive the Archbishop and to cheer up the donor of the chapel, Chief. Okeke.
In his homily, the Prelate urged Christians to spread the gospel by exhibiting good characters embedded in love, compassion, forgiveness, and charity.
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He explained that preaching the gospel with our mouth is not enough, stating that our lifestyle as Christians should be the real gospel that communicates Christ to others.
“A preacher with a bad character who cannot be compassionate, charitable, and who cannot forgive the next person is just an entertainer.”
The Archbishop also commended the donor of the chapel and offered special prayers on him.
The Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Prudentius Aroh, who spoke at the Mass, rained accolades on the donor of the Chapel, Chief Okeke, stating that the Catholic community now stands to gain more blessings from God by visiting and praying at the chapel.
The Parish Priest, Fr. Martin Iwudo, in his speech, extolled the Archbishop for visiting and for blessing the chapel. He also praised the donor of the Chapel for his love for God and his Catholic community, praying God to bless him abundantly.
The chapel donor, Chief. Casmir Okeke, expressed great joy over the event, thanking God for giving him the resources to build the chapel.
He poured encomiums on the Archbishop for blessing the chapel and as well thanked the Parish Priest, Fr. Iwudo, for his great support. Others he commended are his lovely mother, Mrs. Regina Okeke; other Okekes including Patrick, Stephen, Chinedu, Ikechukwu, Chekwube Okeke, and Obianuju Nwolisa.
He also appreciated all the of charity is worthy of emulation. “He is not just a good man, but a humble and compassionate Christian,” he explained.
