Joint National Associations of Persons with Disabilities, JONAPWD, Imo state Chapter have honoured Reverend Father MariaValentine Ogike, one of the Catholic Priests in Orlu diocese as their.
Presenting the award in an occasion which brought together great men and women including
Leaders and notable personalities in the Imo state Disability Community on Monday 2nd November 2020, the Chairman of Imo JONAPWD, Hon Bright Uzoma described the Priest as an epitome humility and compassion. He was awarded the Patron/Spiritual Director of Persons with Disabilities in Imo State. He further stated that the Priest had been taking care of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) since 2009 especially those who were bedridden. He narrated how the priest collected the phone numbers of those bedridden members/their care givers and had been visiting them with foodstuffs and medications without letting anyone know. He however explained that the Priest started this with the PWDs in Orlu zone and later turned it into a state affair. Fr. Val. as he’s fondly called has distributed over 1000 mobilty Aids( wheelchairs, crutches, cane guides) to indigent PWDs over these years and had refused to allow it go to the press because according to him ‘publicizing it amounts to taking the glory instead of giving God the glory’ he concluded.
Responding, Rev. Fr. Val thanked the Disability Community for recognizing his little but sincere contributions towards helping humanity. He described PWDs as his beloved friends he doesn’t toy with. Fr. Val told the mammoth crowd that his passion for PWDs especially those who are bedridden was not as a result of his vocation as a Priest but could be seen as something running in their family blood. He disclosed that he has a sister who is also a Reverend Sister in the Catholic church who is currently running a School where the Blind and the Deaf are being trained free of charge. He also informed his listeners that he is currently building a center in collaboration with some of his friends where persons who are bedridden would be comprehensively taken care of by providing for their Spiritual wellbeing, food and medications and that of their care givers he said. He finally urged the Disability Community to always hold tenaciously to God because according to him, God is our source of existence and He knows whatever anyone is going through in life.
JONAPWD is actually going against the humble wish of Rev. Fr. Val by going to Press not just to disrespect him but to remind others of the portion of the Scripture which says that ‘Whatsoever you do for the least of your brothers, that you do unto me’, JONAPWD stakeholders stated.
