By Michael Nnebife and Chinonso Samson
It was an exciting moment for the entire children living at Achalla in Awka North Local Government Area, LGA, Anambra State, as an illustrious son of the community, Sir Dr Emmanuel Nwokoye, and his amiable wife and Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank PLC, Dr Adaora Umeorji-Nwaokoye, gifted the children with educational materials.
This is coming when the couple organized a special party christened, ‘Adorable Children Christmas Party’, to celebrate the 2024 Christmas with children in the community.
According to Sir Dr Nwokoye, the essence of the event was not only to unite and celebrate the children, but also to give them hope and sense of belonging in Christmas Celebrations.
Dr Nwokoye expressed concerns that many children in villages did not have opportunity for funfair to spice Christmas Celebrations unlike their counterparts in the cities and the developed world.
‘During Christmas, kids all over the world travel to places to have fun, but what of those in the villages? Are they part of it’? Dr Nwokoye queried.
He promised that the event, which, he said, started 10 years ago in Abuja, and had been taking place in Aguata LGA, would be sustained in his Achalla Country Home, if the children could comport themselves well.
Nwokoye believed that among the mammoth crowd of children who gathered for the event were potential medical doctors, lawyers, governors, among others, and prayed God to bless and give them grace to fulfill their potentials.
He advised them to behave well and listen attentively to the good advice of their parents, those of their teachers, and adults around them, for them to fulfill their good dreams.
The annual event which took place for the first time at Achalla on Sunday, 29th December, began with a Holy Mass at Holy Family Catholic Church’s field, Achalla.
The presiding Priest, Rev Fr Felix Efobi, charged the children to emulate the Infant Jesus, who, he said, was the reason for Christmas Celebrations, by being obedient to their parents and always be found in the church where they would learn what would help them become useful members of society.
While speaking with Fides, Rev Fr Efobi, who is the Priest in charge of Holy Family Catholic Church, Achalla, described the Adorable Children Christmas party as fantastic, noting that through the event, the sponsors were touching the nucleus of Achala Community positively.
Also speaking with Fides, the Parish Priest, St Paul’s Catholic Church, Achalla, Rev Fr Tobias Osigwe, said the event was an avenue to catch children in Achalla young for Christ.
Rev Fr Osigwe, who is the Chief Chaplain of Awka Diocesan Holy Childhood Association, an association that coordinates all the Catholic Children in Awka Diocese, looked at the spiritual dimension of the event, which, he said, did not only target giving the children gifts.
He said over 70% of the children who gathered for the event did not go to church but the event began with a Holy Mass.
‘Through the event, we are teaching them to know God and to be charitable to their neighbours and their classmates,’ Fr Osigwe said.
To the Traditional Ruler of Achalla Community, Igwe Ositadima Nwokedi, the event was an ‘akuluouno’ (think-home) philosophy and the first of its kind in his Achalla kingdom.
Igwe Nwokedi, Fr Osigwe, and Fr Efobi, thanked Dr Nwokoye and his wife for the kind gesture, praying God to reward them bountifully.
Distribution of school bags, Maths sets, books of different types, to pupils of nursery I to junior secondary school III; mascot show and dance with the children; Egedege cultural dance and Christmas Carols by the children’s choir of Holy Family Catholic Church, Achalla, among others, formed parts of the epoch-making event attended by the Chairman, Awka North LGA, Hon ThankGod Anagor.