Nigeria: Church Remembers Orphans

By Paul Okwuobi
Special to ASSIST News Service

ASABA, NIGERIA (ANS) -- Without the flow of the milk of human sympathy from any quarter, a bleak future awaits orphans. It is one of those inexplicable happenings in life – that some children are born into an already difficult world and soon father and mother are gone, leaving them to swim or sink. In Nigeria, particularly Delta State, orphans abound.

Nigeria AIDS orphans

Many of their parents had died due to sickness, diseases and accident. Apart from the few who are rich, many who should have shown concern are burdened with the challenges of taking care of their own children in the midst of growing poverty and lack.

In keeping with Christ’s given mandate to be agents of change (salt of the earth) the Church usually comes to the aid of those who suffer. This explains why the Anglican Diocese of Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria charged itself with the responsibility of building an ultra-modern orphanage/motherless babies home which gulped enormous financial resources.

The orphanage which was completed in a record of time of three years was dedicated recently at the All Saints’ Church Compound, Asaba. The event attracted large number of Christians from within and outside the Diocese of Asaba.

 Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh was present to perform the dedication. He said, “We cut this tape to declare this orphanage open for use, in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit”. A resounding “Amen” greeted his declaration after which he and the senior clergy men present went into the orphanage and consecrated the different sections.

Rt. Rev. Justus N. Mogekwu

What else could have underscored the importance attached to the dedication other than the fact that the dedication service was conducted by two very senior clergy men, namely the Bishop of Asaba – the Rt. Rev. Justus Mogekwu and the Archbishop of Bendel Province and Bishop of Esan Diocese – the Most Rev. F. J. Imaekhai.

While preaching a short sermon earlier, the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Revd. N. D. Okoh observed that Christians were saved to serve. Quoting Ephesians 2:10, he maintained that, “we were created for good works”. He also commended the Revd. Kingsley Dieli, Project Coordinator and Mr. Sheddy Agbagbara, Project Treasurer and others for their high sense of commitment which contributed immensely to the realization of the orphanage dream, calling on the Bishop of Asaba to ensure that whoever would be appointed matron for the orphanage must be a holy woman and not a conduit pipe through which resources meant for the motherless babies could be drained.

Continuing, Primate Okoh pointed out that the orphanage aimed at picking up those children who here been rejected by the society. Perhaps he was referring to the abandoned babies who are not better than the actual orphans. He quoted Psalm 27:10 to emphasize this.

Donations in support of the orphanage poured in as expected. The Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Revd. N. D. Okoh gave the orphanage a cheque for one hundred thousand naira. The Bishop of Enugu Diocese, the Rt. Revd. Emmanuel Chukwuma also gave one hundred thousand naira while Sir. Godwin Nduka gave one hundred and twenty thousand naira in support of the orphanage. Others who did not give money gave in kind while some made pledges.

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Paul Okwuobi is a Priest with the Anglican Diocese of Asaba (Church of Nigeria) after completing his his studies at St. Paul’s University College, Awka. He lives in his home town of Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, Nigeria, with his wife, Theresa, and their three sons. Paul is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and can be contacted by email at: gift2dworld@yahoo.com