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Valerian Okeke

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Valerian Maduka Okeke// ⓘ (born 20 October 1953) is a Nigerian Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Onitsha since 2003.[1]

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Valerian Maduka Okeke
Native name
Maduka
ArchdioceseOnitsha
ProvinceOnitsha
SeeOnitsha Ecclesiastical Province
PredecessorAlbert Obiefuna
Orders
Ordination11 July 1981
by Francis Arinze
Consecration9 February 2002
by Osvaldo Padilla
Personal details
Born
Valerian Maduka

(1953-10-20)20 October 1953
Umudioka,Anambra, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
DenominationCatholic
ResidenceBasilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha
ParentsGabriel and Catherine Okeke
EducationChrist the King College, Onitsha

All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha

Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu
MottoUt Vitam Habeant (Jn 10:10)
Coat of armsValerian Maduka Okeke's coat of arms
Website: archbishopvalokeke.org

Biography

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Okeke was born in Umudioka, Anambra State and ordained to the priesthood on 11 July 1981 by cardinal Francis Arinze, who was then the Archbishop of Onitsha.[2] After his ordination, he worked as a parish vicar at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha, under Emmanuel Otteh. Valerian Okeke later served as parish priest of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows' Parish, Umuoji (1983- 1986).

He served as the Rector of the provincial seminary, Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu, before he was appointed the co-adjutor Archbishop of Onitsha by Pope John Paul II, on 28 November 2001. He was consecrated on 9 February 2002, by Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla.[3]

Since his ordination, Okeke has served on various committees of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, and as chairman of the conference Pastoral Affairs Department, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria in 2017.[4] Presently, he is the chairman of the Catholic Bishop's Conference commission on Seminaries.

He oversaw the increase of the number of parishes in Onitsha Archdiocese from 70 to 183 over 15 years.[5][6] He has seen to the dedication of many churches in the archdiocese.[7] He has priests on loan to the diocese of Belleville, Illinois.[8] His contacts extend to the Igbo Community in Ozone Park, Queens, New York, where he drew over 400 mostly Igbo for a Confirmation service.[9]

Okeke personally visits the Onitsha prisons three times every year.[10][11] The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Chief of Prisoner services honored him with the prestigious award of grand patron of Nigerian correctional services.[12] Through the Archbishop Valerian Okeke Foundation (AVOF) he is able to send young ambassadors of good will to countries like Ghana.[13]

Archbishop Valerian encouraged the state government to return the mission schools in Anambra State to the church. When the Schools were eventually returned by the Governor Peter Obi-led administration,[14] Archbishop Valerian spearheaded the massive reconstruction and rehabilitation of Mission schools which were taken away from the Church by the military government after the civil war. He initiated policies for proper holistic formation of the individual. These policies included training of teachers, training of Priests as specialists in education fields, school science competition,[15] re-introduction of priests as manager/principals to the secondary schools and proper religious education[16] These unprecedented reforms in Mission Schools under his watch have resulted in Mission schools winning laurels in both local, national and international competitions.[17][18]

Publications

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  • The nature and identity of the church : Nigerian theological perspectives, Nsukka (2002).[19]
  • Christian witness : essays in memory of Archbishop Stephen Nweke Ezeanya, with Valerian Maduka. Enugu: Delta Publications (2003).[20]
  • Go, make disciples of all nations. Enugu: Snaap Press (2006)[21]
  • Bigard diamond jubilee reflections. Nsukka: Fulladu (2000).[22]
  • Pastoral Letters -
  1. That they may have life (2004)
  2. The Measure of love (2005)
  3. Our Glorious Heritage (2005)
  4. If only you have faith (2006)
  5. Go Make Disciple of All Nations (2006)
  6. You and the Common Good (2007)
  7. The Family and human life (2008)
  8. Our Greatest Legacy (2009)
  9. The Splendour of Prayer (2010)
  10. Gratitude (2011)
  11. The dignity of Labour (2012)
  12. Living Hope (2013)
  13. Catholic Education and National Development (2014)
  14. Democracy and Christian Values (2015)
  15. Blessed are the Merciful (2016)
  16. Blessed are the Peacemakers (2017)
  17. Mary Our Mother (2018)
  18. The Holy Eucharist: Our strength ( 2019)
  19. The Sacraments; Our treasure (2020)
  20. The Priesthood; Gift and Sacrifice ( 2021)
  21. Holy Spirit: Man's Helper and Friend ( 2022)
  22. The Hour of Glory; Suffering in the Life of a Christian (2023)

References

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  1. ^ "Nigeria is Increasingly Pro-Life". Pontifical Council for the Family. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  2. ^ Cheney, David M. (30 August 2018). "Archbishop Valerian Maduka Okeke [Catholic-Hierarchy". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Archbishop". www.onitsha-archdiocese.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)". www.cbcn-ng.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Transcript of Grace: A tribute to Archbishop Valerian Okeke @ 65". Vanguard. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  6. ^ "Statistics". www.onitsha-archdiocese.org. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Archbishop Okeke dedicates Ebube Muonso's 10,000 Capacity Church Parish". Kiki's Talk. 30 December 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2019.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Diocese welcomes two new Nigerian priests". The Messenger. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  9. ^ Negro Chin, Maria-Pia (15 June 2016). "Nigerian Prelate Celebrates Igbo Mass in S. Ozone Park (with slideshow)". The Tablet. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  10. ^ Ekpunobi, Dom (24 October 2017). "Archbishop celebrates birthday in prison". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  11. ^ Okoro, Anslem (25 December 2018). "Obi celebrates Christmas with prisoners, motherless babies". New Mail Nigeria. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Why Nigerian correctional service honours Archbishop Okeke with grand patron award – Deputy controller". Trinitas News. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  13. ^ Onyejekwe, Percy (18 June 2019). "Archbishop Okeke urges youths to be good ambassadors". Daily Champion. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  14. ^ Ujumadu, Vincent (22 November 2011). "Obi hands over 1,040 schools to original owners". Vanguard. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  15. ^ Osiberoha, Osibe (23 December 2022). "Catholic Archbishop sponsors science competition to promote STEM". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  16. ^ Ezeja, Victor (14 April 2022). "Top Secrets Of Catholic Priests Running Top-notch Schools Revealed". Prime Business Africa. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  17. ^ Mbamalu, Marcel (13 August 2018). "How 'little' Onitsha Catholic school shocked the world at Technovation". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  18. ^ Attah, Aloysius (3 April 2019). "Anambra school wins bronze in world scientific competition". The Sun. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  19. ^ Okeke, Valerian Maduka, ed. (2002). The nature and identity of the church: Nigerian theological perspectives. Nsukka Nigeria: Fulladu Pub. OCLC 51687990.
  20. ^ Ezeanya, S. N; Okeke, Valerian Maduka (2003). Christian witness: essays in memory of Archbishop Stephen Nweke Ezeanya. Enugu, Nigeria: Delta Publications. OCLC 56787153.
  21. ^ Okeke, Valerian Maduka (2006). Go, make disciples of all nations: post-synodal pastoral exhortation to the clergy, the religious, and the lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Onitsha. Enugu, Nigeria: Snaap Press Ltd. ISBN 9789780497316. OCLC 868316941.
  22. ^ Okeke, Valerian Maduka (2000). Bigard diamond jubilee reflections. Nsukka, Nigeria: Fulladu Pub. Co. ISBN 9789782967442. OCLC 71344290.
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