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By Madu Obi
About 800,000 members of the Block Rosary crusade drawn from 120 Parishes in Nnewi s Diocese in Anambra State were yesterday feted during the 70th birthday celebration of an Nnewi - born businessman, Sir Louis Onwugbenu.
The event coincided with the Feast of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven.
Onwugbenu, a Papal Knight of St Gregory the Great, KSG, has been sponsoring activities of Block Rosary for over 40 years and offered scholarship to hundreds of the less privileged ones in the society.
The Chaplain of the Block Rosary in Nnewi Diocese, Rev. Fr. Hyginus Aghaulor said while the industrialist has been spending millions of naira on the children over the years without expecting any reward, the only gift the children could give him is prayer.
The clergyman said that as part of this year's celebration, prizes ranging from N200,000 -N50,000 would be awarded to deserving winners in various competitions instituted by the philanthropist.
"He has been celebrating this over the years. He was a Mass server and a member of Block Rosary crusade at a very young age and since then, he has not looked back," Fr. Aghaulor said.
Speaking in an interview, Onwugbenu said he is delighted to be born on the Feast of Assumption, which is a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church.
He said: "I was nurtured early in life in the percepts of Christianity and was well groomed by the Irish Priests led by Fr. Kettle. Monsignor Basil Onwuasomba also mentored me greatly.
"As a Mass server (Alter Boy, Altar Knight), I was so privileged to have been raised with a solid religious background, especially when one also considers the strict discipline inculcated into me by my parents.
"So, I strongly attribute my success in life to my upbringing and of course, handwork and vision.
"Of course, as a human being, I faced certain challenges in life. The biggest low point yet for me was coming face to face with death on April 10, 2020 at the early stages of Covid-19.
"I was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Reston Hospital Centre in the United States of America, USA. My whole family was also down with the pandemic. My last daughter was already in serious condition. I couldn’t sleep at night because of worrying and over thinking.
I must say from my experience that over thinking and anxiety are the major causes of death for people suffering from Covid-19.
"As I was being attended to, I witnessed people dying from the virus. I felt I was going to die particularly after my doctor who was my age mate told me that the chances of those in our age bracket surviving the virus when the disease had reached such an advanced stage, was remote.
"I called and notified my friend priests telling them the critical condition of my health, I urged them to pray for me and my family. I called Dr. Innocent Chukwuma (Innoson) who had been so worried with my condition, to take care of my family as I wasn’t sure of my survival.
A deeply shocked Innoson was scared and called his close friend, Chief Uchenna Umeaneto (Ucheson Mary) to engage the services of prayer warriors to seek God’s intervention. Masses were booked in the process.
"To God be the glory, gradually, I miraculously regained my strength. All my family members, including my last child, Juu-Juu who was in critical condition after we had given up hopes, also miraculously regained her consciousness.
If God can save me and my family from Covid, there’s nothing He cannot do for me."
Onwugbenu said he would continue to rededicate himself to the service of humanity.
He added that his intention is to establish a university in the nearest future, to complement the Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools he had already established.
On his 70th year anniversary, Onwugbenu said: "Attaining the biblical age is something I owe God a huge gratitude. I can’t thank my God enough for His mercies and choicest favours. "I’m also using the occasion to assist the Block Rosary groups in some of their projects.
I want to inculcate that spirit of generosity in them and make them know that they can replicate such gesture when they grow up or even surpass what I’m doing today.
"It is my honest belief that after my exit from this world, many of these young children from Block Rosary will be the Louis Carter of their time and also help humanity just like I did."
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