It was a gathering of who is who in the House of God on Wednesday at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike as the university community and special guests from Ebonyi and across the state were present at the site of Holy Family Catholic Chaplaincy to mark the 55th birthday of Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba.

To the chaplaincy and the university community, it was promise fulfilled and dream come true. Recall that in August, 2018, Prof. Nwajiuba proposed to celebrate his next birthday by July, 2019, on the Damp Proof Course (DPC), level, of the chaplaincy by the grace of God, even as the foundation was not laid, and then asked the Chaplain, Rev.Fr. Peter Agbo to do all he could to at least achieve DPC floor level before the date. That birthday of a man who works his talk was celebrated as proposed, to the glory of God.
Prof. Nwajiuba, an ecumenical leader and fervent member of Anglican Communion, organized the ceremony for the primary purpose of building house of God on campus even when he does not belong to Catholic denomination. Funds were therefore raised by good-spirited individuals and friends of Vice-Chancellor.

The thanksgiving service was under the ministration of the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, His Lordship, Bishop Michael Nnachi Okoro who was represented by Rev. Fr. Dr. Edward Inya Nwachi as Chief celebrant of the Thanksgiving mass.
Speaking during the Homily, Father Henry Ogodo expounded the teachings of Jesus in the Book of Matthew 13:1-9 about the parable of the sower and affirmed that the four categories of the germinated seeds reflect the following: indifferent Christians (fell by the way side); emotional Christians and miracle seekers (stony ground); functional Christians (thorny ground); and ideal Christians (good soil). He mentioned that a Christian is committed when his commitment is greater than his predicament.
Father Peter Agbo while welcoming the innumerable congregation said he prayed that the day wouldn’t come because of the enormity of work to be done on the site to meet the deadline as proposed by the VC but miraculously, funds came and work began and the dream of having VC celebrate his 55 birthday on the floor of the Chaplaincy come true.

Addressing the cheering congregation , Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nwajiuba thanked everyone for coming and said that the target God gave him to worship Him at DPC level in July, 2019 has been achieved. He reminded all that his mission was to work, make friends and that it shall be said of him at the expiration of his tenure that a child of God was here.

Highlight of the celebration was the presentation of portrait of the couple and award of titles- Omere-oha and Ada-di-oha- mma of Holy Family Catholic Chaplaincy, AE-FUNAI followed by the cutting of birthday cake. Dr Henry Alo, Director, Medical Services, in his vote of thanks, expressed gratitude to God for making the day possible and thanked all for gracing the occasion. He said it takes a man of Prof. Nwajiuba to have taken the young university thus far and therefore prayed GOD to continue to imbue him and family with the grace to continue.