By Pamela Eboh
The Anglican Bishop of the Niger, RT Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo on Sunday commissioned dormitory and classroom blocks donated by Godwin and Patricia Okeke Foundation to the special school for deaf in odo-akpu Onitsha, Anambra State.
The foundation owned and managed by the founder of GUO Motors, Sir Godwin Okeke equipped the classrooms, classrooms, dormitories and vocational centres with modern learning facilities.
Speaking during a thanksgiving service in celebration of 160th anniversary in Consecration of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the 1st bishop of the Niger at All Saints Cathedral Onitsha, Rev. Owen Nwokolo described Sir Godwin Okeke and his wife Patricia Okeke as two people who dedicated their whole lives in serving the less privileged.
The Bishop prayed God to continue in blessing them, even asche urged well meaning individuals in the society to key in to such gesture by remembering the less privileged in the society.
In an interview with journalists shortly after handing over the structure to the School management in Onitsha, Sir Okeke said the gesture was his way of giving to the needy in the society and also accord the students a sense of belonging and access to quality education.
According to Okeke, he and his family chose to invest on the less-privileged to enhance a conducive learning environment
He encouraged other wealthy individuals in the society to come out and invest in the less privilege, particularly people living with disabilities.
Okeke added,“We are happy doing this and will continue to do this, hoping that God is the one that will pay us back. The foundation decided to build this edifice just to assist people with disabilities.
“I have also given out over N30 million in cash to the less-privileged and the elderly, yet we are ready to do more. And I, my wife and my children are doing all this to tell the world that such people need help.
Responding, the Principle of the School for deaf, Ify Felicia Agu, thanked the benefactor for his kind gesture.
She said the structure is equipped with learning facilities as a ultra-modem hosted facilities for boys and girls with attached caregivers, ultra-modern kitchen tor pupils and students.
She disclosed that a set of sewing machines for practical training, renovation of classroom as well as office block, payment of Incentive of N30, 000 as motivation for the entire staff of the school and compilation of SSCE (WAEC) for the year 2023 were part of the programme atrached to the official commissioning of the dormitory and classroom blocks.
