By Michael Nnebife
The atmosphere at St John of God Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State, was filled with celebration, Saturday, June 13, as the Management, staff, students, including their parents and the alumnae of the school, gathered for the grand finale of its Inter-house sports competitions after 13 years of the event in the school.
The event, which was the first of its kind recently, in the annals of the school, featured among others, choir, fashion show, and oja (local flute) competitions, alongside sporting games competitions, which included ncho, chess, scrabble games, football, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, relay races by Arinze, Obiefuna, Okafor, Umerah, Ndigwe and Camillus Houses.
Other houses that participated in the event, included Ezeokafor and Old Girls-Regina Caeli Houses, which were newly created by the school’s Management in honour of the Proprietor of the school and Bishop, Awka Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, and the alumnae of the school, to recognize their tremendous contributions to the growth of the school.
In the event, described as not just a celebration but also a compendium of music/art, culture and sporting competitions by the School’s Manager, Rev Fr Malachy Maduewesi, Camillus House emerged overall winners, garnering six gold, three silver and three bronze medals.
Bishop Ezeokafor, represented by the Chancellor of Awka Catholic Diocese, Rev Fr Charles Ndubuisi; the Education Secretary of the Diocese, Rev Fr Maximus Okonkwo; the Director, Awka Zone, Anambra State Post-Primary School Service Commission, Mrs Ngozi Chukwujekwu, represented by the Head of Planning, Research and Statistics Department of the Zone, Mrs Chinyere Nwizu; among other prominent personalities, graced the epoch-making event which took place at the school field.
While speaking with Fides, the School Manager, Rev Maduewesi, said the event was greatly unique for many reasons.
’For over 13 years now, the school has not held any inter-house sports, and this is the first time we are having an Inter-house fiesta.
’On the third count, we have just created two new houses to honour our most important stakeholders, the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, who is very hard working in the education sector and human capital development. In addition, the second house we newly created is called Regina Caeli-Old Girls House,’ the Manager said.
According to him, the tripartite event offered the school an opportunity to discover enormous talents hidden among the students.
He pointed out that the student who represented the school at the Anambra State school tournament recently could not qualify for the semi finals in the same games during the Inter-house sports, stressing that certain unexpected students clearly outperformed her.
Earlier, Fr Maduewesi expressed gratitude to Bishop Ezeokafor for his fatherly support given to the school and to numerous other individuals and groups for their support to the success of the event.
In his remarks, the representative of the Bishop described the event as remarkable, noting that the Church emphasized healthy body while training students to be intelligent.
’Inter-house sports offer you opportunities to participate in physical activities that make you healthy.
’They also provide you opportunities to compete. If you compete, you automatically prepare yourself for the real world.
’This is why this event is very important,’ Fr Ndubuisi told St John of God students, thanking the School Management for organizing the event.
In an interview with Fides, the Education Secretary of the Diocese, Fr Okonkwo, stressed that careers abound in sports, and noted that St John of God Secondary School was doing well, urging the students to continue excelling and shining.
In their separate remarks, the President of the School’s Old Girls’ Association, Prof Ifeoma Abana, represented by her Deputy, Dr Ngozi Agbata, and the Chairman of the Parent-Teacher-Association, citationtion, Prof Gabriel Ogbozobe, commended what he described as the enthusiasm and spirit of sportsmanship the students exhibited.
They also advised the students to stay focused and take their studies seriously for them to actualize their ambitions.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the Senior Prefect of the School, Miss Uju Ejiofor, added that many gifted athletes emerged, future champions identified and young stars shone during the competitions.
’This event proved beyond doubt St John of God Secondary School is blessed with exceptional sporting talents capable of excelling even at higher levels of competition,’ the Senior Prefect said.
The Prefect, who emphasized that the event proved beyond that doubt that St John of God Secondary School was blessed with exceptional sporting talents capable of excelling, at higher levels of competition, appealed to public spirited individuals to come to the aid of the school in funding the completion of procurement and customization of 1,500 pieces of house jerseys and track suits, for moderators, which, she said, would totally cost six million, five hundred thousand Naira, among others.
The event, chaired by Mr Augustine Okeke, also featured march-past by the eight houses, the school’s All Stars Football match, sack and egg races by the staff of the school, 400 meters relay race by invited schools, among others.