■ “EIGHT DECADES OF SERVICE, SCHOLARSHIP AND PROPHETIC WITNESS”
Former Governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, has felicitated with His Grace, Most Rev. Anthony John Valentine Obinna, Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
In a tribute issued on Friday, Dr. Ohakim described the milestone as a communal celebration for the Church and Nigeria.
“At 80, life itself becomes a testimony. For Archbishop Obinna, eight decades have been lived in service to God and humanity. Milestone birthdays of public servants become communal celebrations, and today the Church in Nigeria and beyond pauses to honour a shepherd whose life has been defined by scholarship, pastoral care, and courageous advocacy,” he said.
Dr. Ohakim noted that Archbishop Obinna, an indigene of Emekuku in Owerri North LGA, was ordained a priest in 1972 and appointed Archbishop of Owerri in 1994. With over five decades in active ministry, the former governor said the Archbishop’s journey “from the classrooms of Bigard Memorial Seminary to the helm of one of Nigeria’s largest archdioceses mirrors the growth of the Catholic Church in Southeast Nigeria.”
“Longevity in ministry is rare; longevity with impact is rarer,” Ohakim stated.
The former governor praised Archbishop Obinna’s academic distinction as the first Nigerian to earn a Ph.D in Philosophy from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, and his tenure as Rector of Bigard Seminary. He said that scholarly depth shaped an episcopal ministry marked by homilies and pastoral letters that “engaged the mind, challenged injustice, and offered moral clarity during Nigeria’s most turbulent seasons.”
Dr. Ohakim also commended the Archbishop’s voice in the public square on constitutional reforms, restructuring, electoral integrity, and human rights.
“He understood that the Church’s social doctrine demands more than prayer at the altar; it requires prophetic witness in society. Some disagreed with his positions, but few doubted his sincerity or his commitment to the common good,” he added.
Highlighting his pastoral legacy, Dr. Ohakim said Archbishop Obinna expanded parishes, built institutions, and strengthened lay participation. Under his leadership, the Owerri Archdiocese became a hub for education, healthcare, and charity, with seminaries, schools, and hospitals continuing to form minds and heal the sick.
“His retirement in 2022 did not mark withdrawal from service. As Archbishop Emeritus, he remains a voice of wisdom for younger clergy and a moral compass in national discourse. At 80, Archbishop Obinna embodies the Igbo ideal of elders as the conscience of the community: not seeking power, but offering perspective; not chasing headlines, but speaking truth,” Dr. Ohakim said.
He concluded that Archbishop Obinna’s life offers an antidote to current challenges facing the Church and nation.
“The best way to honour him at 80 is to imitate his example – by pursuing justice without hatred, engaging politics without becoming partisan, and putting community above self. On behalf of my family, friends and associates, I wish His Grace many more years in good health and God’s continued grace.”
Signed:
Dr. Ikedi Ohakim
Former Governor, Imo State
