… You’ll See, Feel Our Impact – New President, Lady Obodozie, Assures Church
By Michael Nnebife
The Diocesan and Regional Executives of Life Members, Catholic Diocese of Awka, have been inaugurated to pilot the affairs of the Organization from now till next four years.
The new diocesan executive members are Lady Oby Obodozie, President; Lady Francisca Dilibe, Vice President; Lady Regina Alor, Secretary; Lady Cynthia Nnebedum, Vice Secretary; Lady Theresa Arinze, Financial Secretary; and Lady Ekpereamaka Achusi, Treasurer.
Others include Lady Gloria Aniagbasi, Public Relations Officer; Lady Pauline Chieme, Chief Provost; Lady Victoria Obeleagwu, Provost I; and Lady Florence Anyadiegwu, Provost II; with Rev Fr Evaristus Okafor as Chief Chaplain; and Rev Fr Emmanuel Akposionu, Deputy Chaplain.
The inauguration, which took place at CWO Cana House Complex, Awka, on Saturday, May 30, began with a Holy Mass, presided over by the new Chief Chaplain, Rev Fr Okafor.
In a homily during the Mass, the outgoing Chief Chaplain, Rev Fr Jonas Unegbu, emphasized the need for the executive members to understand and value the Organization for them to meet the demands of their positions.
Fr Unegbu said Life Members were expected to be directing young mothers on how to serve in the Church as members of the Catholic Women’s Organization, CWO, through their lifestyle.
’This is the position you occupy as a Life Member. One of the qualities every one of you must have as a Life Member is integrity. You must have some level of ability to represent the Church as the Blessed Virgin Mary did, that your character must be a model.
’As leaders of Life Members, you must live a life of respect to others,’ Unegbu told the new leaders of Life Members.
For his part, the new Chief Chaplain of the Organization, Fr Okafor, appreciated Fr Unegbu and the outgoing executive members for what he described as their services.
While speaking with Fides, Okafor charged the new executive members to be focused, humble and dedicated in their assignment for the Organization and the Church.
He expressed optimism that if the new executive members put on the virtues of humility, dedication and availed themselves to God, they would succeed.
In her speech, the new President, Lady Obodozie, who underlined evangelization as the Church’s expectations from the Organization, pledged to work assiduously with her team to ensure that the confidence the Church and members of the Organization had in them will never become dim.
Speaking with Fides also, Obodozie expressed the preparedness of her team to tackle and surmount the challenges facing the Organization.
While noting that members had to understand what the Organization was for – its objectives, and what the Church expected from them, Obodozie said her team would work to bring about the desired positive change and impact.
’Life Member is part of evangelical structure the Church uses to reach out to people in the hinterlands and in the town too.
’The Church will soon begin to see the change and the impact needed from us,’ the new President said.
’The change and the impact will be so pronounced that even the blind will soon begin to testify that there is goodness in Life Member,’ she added.
While presenting her scorecard, the outgoing President, Lady Oby Veronica Onyenwe, recounted her experience, which she described as a journey that was characterized with climbing top mountains and descending mighty valleys.
Lady Onyenwe however expressed happiness that through the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her team conquered the situations and had an excellent track record.
Onyenwe, who recalled that her administration inherited a cashless purse, happily told Fides that the administration established a bank account for Life Members after 20 years in existence.
’Life Members, Awka Diocese, got induction after over 10 years in existence; we also celebrated 40 years anniversary of the Organization – all under my administration,’ the outgoing President said, among other achievements.
She expressed gratitude to her team members for their cooperation and other numerous individuals, making special mention about her successor, Lady Obodozie; the Director, CWO, Awka Diocese, Lady Ngozi Dorothy Muo; Lady Dr Onyii Ezi from Nimo; Lady Dr Ngozi Ekwunife, and Senator Uche Ekwunife.
’I don’t know how to thank these people. The Lord used them, they came out and took the whole thing as if it was their own personal affair,’ Onyenwe said.
She advised the new administration to be tolerant, patient and prayerful in order to succeed in their programmes for the Organization.
In her goodwill message for the new Life Member executives, the Director, CWO, Awka Diocese, Lady Muo, said their assignment was to work for God for the good of the Church and humanity, urging them to emulate the Blessed Virgin Mary for them to succeed.
While speaking with Fides during the event, she pledged that the CWO would uphold harmonious relationship with them for holistic service to God and the Church.
The event also featured official handover of the Organization’s property to the new diocesan executive by the outgoing executive, and a talk on the origin, the rights and the responsibilities of the Organization, by Lady Dr Ngozi Muo.