German commits life savings to building medical centre in Ondo

THE people of Oka-Akoko in Akoko South West council area of Ondo State, recently trooped out in their hundreds in appreciation to a German-American Catholic faithful, Mrs. Johannah Schleichelt who donated her life savings to build a modern medical centre for them to meet their health challenges.

Commissioning of the 25 bed hospital at Iworin, Oka Akoko named Sancta Maria Catholic Medical Centre was part of the week long activities to mark the “Bishop’s Week.”
Santa-Maria-Catholic-Medica

Santa-Maria-Catholic-Medica

Johannah was said to have lived a moderate life to be able to save in order to realize her life dream of meeting the health challenges of people in any remote area in the sub Sahara in Africa. The donor declined that her photograph be taken while she lived. She insisted she wanted to be remembered for giving life to people who are sick by donating the hospital.

She was a waitress in New York and she had a dream that one day she would be able to give her life savings to build a modern medical centre for those who do not have a privilege of a hospital. To make her life dream come true, Johanna approached the Msgr. Thomas Modugno of the Archdiocese of New York in USA and relayed her wish to him.

Report had it that Johanna who had some inheritance worked tirelessly and also made some saving to make her dream of saving the lives of people she never met in life come to reality.

As fate would have it, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Rev Jude Ayodeji Arogundade was in New York and the grant was channelled through him in order to make the dream of Johanna come true . Speaking with Vanguard, the Director, Health Department, Catholic Diocese of Ondo Fr. Fidelis Olokunboro said that Johanna only request was that the hospital should have a chapel and that the names of her parents Carl and Hannah Schleichelt be engraved on its altar.

Olokunboro said that Johanna worked all her life. Lived a moderate life, saved and gave her life saving to build an hospital for people she did not know or ever met in her life. He extolled the giving virtue of Johanna and challenged Christians to borrow a leaf from the German. Delivering the homily during the mass which was attended by catholic faithful and priests from various parts of the world, traditional rulers, leaders of the Islamic faith among others, the Bishop emeritus of Ekiti Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Fagun charged everyone to emulate the life of the donor.

Fagun said for any human to pleased God as well as his or her soul, the act of giving to fellow human being particularly the needy must be inculcated. Also speaking the Bishop, Ondo Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade said the hospital will boast of world class medical facilities such as female and male surgical wards, delivery wards, blood bank, pharmacy and theaters that can allowed for eight surgeries simultaneously.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria Archbishop Augustine Kasujja in his goodwill message prayed that “ the 25 bed hospital with Out Patient Department will be a huge blessing for the people of Oka Akoko. The traditional ruler of Okaland, the Olubaka of Oka Akoko, Oba Yusuf Adebori Adewale commended the donor for the honour done the people of Oka Akoko whom she never known or met but decided to help by donating her life savings to meet their medical needs.

Oba Adewale urged well-to-do people in the society to always live for others and not for themselves and their immediate family. Meanwhile other activities to mark the Bishop’s week include international health summit on “ Pathology and liver diseases with Prof Swan Nio Thung, celebration of family life in recognition of awards to couples of 25years and above. Others include priestly Ordination and Mass of thanksgiving for 5th Episcopal anniversary of Most Rev. Dr. Jude Arogundade.