Onitsha — In a reversed sphere of life, Most Rev Valerian Maduka Okeke, the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha and Metropolitan of Onitsha Province, would have passed excellently for an accomplished diplomat, perhaps a renowned university don, or an eminent jurist of international acclaim, or even a successful international businessman dictating the economic affairs of nations from boardrooms.

But in the present sphere, he is a celebrated priest, a caring pastor, an accomplished professor, a distinguished former university (Bigard) administrator, a revered archbishop- a prelate who has accomplished many responsibilities and for whom many profound responsibilities still await in the Church.

At 56, Archbishop Val as fondly called by members and loved ones, is relatively young. For as Victor Hugor said, "Forty is the old age of youth, fifty is the youth of old age". The Archbishop has stepped into the threshold of life. Such a stage in life is always a time of retrospection, introspection, stocktaking and critical reassessment in which the person looks back either with regret or fulfillment.

For him, God has been gracious. He looks back on his yester-years with thanks-giving, joy, fulfillment and above all gratitude to God.

As a boy from Umudioka, in the 1960s, he was a well-behaved boy who gravitated towards everything that was the Lord's. While at C.K.C Onitsha, he distinguished himself as a mass-server: "One of us was studious, very focused and dedicated and very often inspired to assist others", Prof Pat Utomi testifies.

At All Hallows Seminary he was a levelheaded seminarian, in fact a model for other seminarians. Even at Bigard Seminary, a toast of his fellow seminarians.

Ordained a priest in 1981, Father Val left indelible legacies wherever he was posted on pastoral assignments. According to Bishop Hilary Okeke of Nnewi Diocese "...he displayed brilliance, commitment, compassion, availability, vision and resourcefulness which made his priestly career a distinguished one."

As Rector of Bigard Memorial Seminary, he was easily one of the most illustrious rectors the seminary has seen. Credit is given to him as the administrator who lifted the seminary to great heights in the areas of aestatics, spirituality, academics, renovation and sports. In the words of Rev Fr J.Obi Oguejiofor; "during his tenure as the rector of Bigard Memorial Seminary the then Father V.M. Okeke encapsulated the qualities, the thoughts and actions that made him stand out as a visionary leader.

Bigard Seminary became the first institution of its level east of the Niger to be equipped with a computer centre." Fr Val was also credited to have constructed the first-ever dam in Enugu metropolis at Bigard, which solved forever the perennial water scarcity in the institution. And his days in Bigard are considered the golden age of that great citadel of learning and formation. Any wonder, the papal Bull of his appointment as Archbishop stated: " we turn to you, beloved son, who while in the major seminary, Enugu carried out diligently a very useful spiritual work, and seem suitable to discharge the aforesaid duty " Fr Val's tenure is truly remarkable.

As the Archbishop of Onitsha even the blind could see that the archdiocese would never be the same again. In a lightening move, he embarked on serious structural and human development programmes, which in short time facilitated the elevation of the cathedral to the enviable status of a basilica, the only in Nigeria! As a matter of fact, no single volume can effectively encapsulate all that he has done and is doing in Onitsha.

One has only to visit the Basilica to confirm what the Lord is doing through him. In so short a period; the Archbishop has put in place several human capacity-building projects and other apostolate that have the archdiocese from analogue to digital. These include the youth welfare foundation, construction of the multi-billion naira Holy Family Youth village, scholarship schemes, Reverend Apostolate, feed-the-poor Apostolate, prison Apostolate, completion of abandoned projects and construction and maintenance of infrastructures, interventions in the political crisis in the State, grass-root evangelisation, youth apostolate, and other social engineering packages. His ministry these few years has given life to millions of people in the Onitsha Archdiocese and beyond.

No article on Archbishop Val on the epochal 56th birthday will be complete without a mention of his great intellectual prowess no matter how casual. A man possessed of pedagogy in learning, yet untainted and unsullied with the overbearing lofty mien of a demagogue, and while didactic in erudition and teaching, yet with a method that is disarming and utterly devoid of pedantry and sophistry.

Archbishop Okeke is also prolific writer with an almost encyopaedic mind. Already, he has to his eternal credit, a number of published works of international repute, as well as of other publications mainly pastorals and other contributions in sundry areas.

A learned Nigeria jurist once equated the appreciation of greatness to the ovation of the gullible. The celebration of great insofar as it is serves primarily to inspire the youth, should not and must not be limited to grave-side orations; and if what inspires the mind to loftier and nobler heights should be so trivialised, then cherished goals of humanity are in serious straits.

However those proximately or remotely connected with Archbishop Val can attest that here is a man whose potentials and uncommon ingenuity, dynamism and drive have positively impacted on the wider society, and which in different ways have given zest, impetus, focus and direction to the youth.

Since the Archbishop at 56 has distinguished himself in pastoral duties, spirituality, academics, philanthropy, good leadership, social engineering, infinite good humor, defense of the catholic faith and morals, promotion of family and life and healthy inter-personal relationship, perhaps it is his Christian upbringing, efforts and personal discipline that have shaped and nurtured those successes, making the Archbishop a truly transformative leader of our time to the Glory of God.

Little wonder, he shepherds "that they may have life" in gratitude to the Power of Grace. That is Archbishop Val for you at 56.

Adimike, Press Secretary to the Archbishop Writes from Onitsha