REV. Fr. John Konyeke will on Wednesday, July 25th, 2018, be the Chief Celebrant at the thanksgiving Mass of Maris Academy.
According to a statement jointly signed by Chief Ken Olise, Chairman, Governing Board of the school and Comrade Fidelis Egugbo, Rev. Fr. Malachi Okonkwo of Catholic Church of the Ascension and his assistant, Rev. Fr. Innocent Ogbu, Rev. Fr. Mark Nwoko of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Ugbolu and Rev. Fr. Donatus Chukwuedo of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Okpanam are among the array of Catholic Priests and religious leaders who are expected at the thanksgiving service.
They stated that Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, his Deputy, Deacon (Barr.) Kingsley Otuaro, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, former Deputy Governors of the state, Prof. Amos Utuama and Chief Benjamin Elue have given assurances that they will grace the occasion which will take place at the school compound, Amachai-Okpanam, within the Delta State Capital Territory.
Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Chief Godwill Obielum, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Dr. (Pharm.) Nelson Ejakpovi, Prince Ned Nwoko, Surv. Paul Osaji, Arch. Kester Ifeadi, among numerous personalities across the state and beyond will also attend the commemorative thanksgiving Mass.
Comrade Egugbo had said, “Maris Academy is a dream come true; during the presentation of my book, ‘Memoirs Of A Journalist In Government Media’ eight years ago, I promised on the last paragraph of the acknowledgement page of the book that we shall immortalize my late daughter with the building of an institution in her name.”
“That 868 page book is an encyclopedia in a way, chronicling a lot of activities of government that almost all the political gladiators in Delta State have a space in that book which became a silent reminder on the need to fulfil a promise made in print and God used family members, friends, colleagues, philanthropist for us to have take-off structures for the school,” he said, adding, “death of any kind is bad but, losing a child is devastating and can cause a trauma one may never recover from; we thank God that without floating an endowment fund for the project, He has made a way when it was like an impossible task.”
He continued, “we appreciate all those who stood by us during the time of mourning, we thank those God has continued to use to assist us; we thank those who have personally called, sent messages and given assurances that they will join us on July 25, 2018 to thank God for seeing us through to this day; certainly, we cannot mention all your names but, God knows the heart of men and knows how to reward each and every one of us.”
