Peter Obi on Friday joined the Catholic community in marking 140 years of Catholicism in Eastern Nigeria — a milestone that provided an opportunity to reflect on shared history, the transformative impact of mission schools, and the Church’s long-standing commitment to educational development.
Led by the Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, the delegation included the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, and the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Peter Ryan. Together, they visited notable mission schools in Onitsha, including Christ the King College (CKC), Queen of the Rosary College (QRC), St. Charles College, and also inspected ongoing development work at Shanahan University.
At each school, Archbishop Crotty offered warm words of encouragement and blessings to the students.
Their excitement and energy, Obi noted, were powerful reminders of the immense potential embedded in Nigeria’s youth.
Archbishop Okeke spoke on the history of mission schools in the region — how they flourished under Church administration, suffered decline after government takeover, and experienced remarkable revival following their return to the Church by the Anambra State government. Within just one year of this policy reversal, Anambra rose from the bottom of national education rankings to first place. Students went on to achieve global excellence, winning competitions in Chicago, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, and Zimbabwe.
Irish Ambassador Peter Ryan urged the students to dream boldly and reaffirmed Ireland’s historic ties with Eastern Nigeria, pledging to donate additional books to the schools’ libraries.
Archbishop Crotty brought the day’s activities to a close with a final blessing.
Reflecting on the visit, Obi said occasions like this strengthen his belief that Nigeria’s progress depends on sustained investment in education. “A nation that invests adequately in education will secure its future. Our young people remain our greatest resource,” he said.
