Valerian Okeke

Valerian Maduka Okeke (born 20 October 1953) is a Nigerian prelate who serves as the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, and Metropolitan of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province.[1] He 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).

Valerian Maduka Okeke
His Grace
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
Birth nameValerian Maduka
Born(1953-10-20)20 October 1953
Umudioka,Anambra, Nigeria
NationalityNigeria
DenominationCatholic
ResidenceBasilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha
ParentsGabriel and Catherine Okeke
MottoUt Vitam Habeant (Jn 10:10)
Coat of arms
Website: archbishopvalokeke.org

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 Co-adjutor Archbishop on 9 February 2002, by Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla.[3]

Works

Since his ordination, Okeke has served on various committees of the Catholic Bishop's 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] Through the Archbishop Valerian Okeke Foundation (AVOF) he is able to send young ambassadors of good will to countries like Ghana.[12] He has the talent of nurturing young people with musical talent through his musical academy.[13] His passion for the youth lead to the construction of Holy Family youth village around Nnamdi Azikiwe federal university Awka.The aim was to create a serene environment for studies around the university where the youths will also be formed in moral values and principle to be quality members of the Church and Society.

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, re-introduction of priests as manager/principals to the secondary schools and proper religious education. These unprecedented reforms in Mission Schools under his watch have resulted in Mission schools winning laurels in both local, national and international competitions.[15][16]

Publications
  • The nature and identity of the church : Nigerian theological perspectives, Nsukka (2002).[17]
  • Christian witness : essays in memory of Archbishop Stephen Nweke Ezeanya, with Valerian Maduka. Enugu: Delta Publications (2003).[18]
  • Go, make disciples of all nations. Enugu: Snaap Press (2006)[19]
  • Bigard diamond jubilee reflections. Nsukka: Fulladu (2000).[20]
  • 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)

References
  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 News. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  6. "Statistics". www.onitsha-archdiocese.org. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  7. http://karensan (30 December 2018). "Archbishop Okeke dedicates Ebube Muonso's 10,000 Capacity Church Parish". KIKI'S TALK. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  8. "Diocese welcomes two new Nigerian priests". The Messenger. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  9. "Nigerian Prelate Celebrates Igbo Mass in S. Ozone Park (with slideshow)". The Tablet. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  10. Ekpunobi, Dom (24 October 2017). "Archbishop celebrates birthday in prison". guardian.ng. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  11. Okoro, Anslem (25 December 2018). "Obi celebrates Christmas with prisoners, motherless babies". New Mail Nigeria. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  12. Onyejekwe, Percy (18 June 2019). "Archbishop Okeke urges youths to be good ambassadors". Champion Newspapers.
  13. "Archbishop Valerian Okeke Music Academy displays talents at annual music festival". Vanguard News. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  14. "Obi hands over 1,040 schools to original owners". Vanguard News. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  15. Mbamalu, Marcel (13 August 2018). "How 'little' Onitsha Catholic school shocked the world at Technovation". guardian.ng. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  16. "Anambra school wins bronze in world scientific competition". The Sun Nigeria. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  17. CATHAN Conference; Okeke, Valerian Maduka, eds. (2002). The nature and identity of the church: Nigerian theological perspectives. Nsukka [Nig.: Fulladu Pub. OCLC 51687990.
  18. Ezeanya, S. N; Okeke, Valerian Maduka (2003). Christian witness: essays in memory of Archbishop Stephen Nweke Ezeanya. Enugu, Nigeria: Delta Publications. OCLC 56787153.
  19. 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.
  20. Okeke, Valerian Maduka (2000). Bigard diamond jubilee reflections. Nsukka, Nigeria: Fulladu Pub. Co. ISBN 9789782967442. OCLC 71344290.
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