BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
THE Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese in Ebonyi State, Rt. Rev. Michael Nnachi-Okoro, has immortalised five pupils of St Michael’s Schools, Oshiri, in Onicha Local Government Area of the state, who were killed in an autocrash recently.
Bishop Nnachi-Okoro named the school bus stop after the five little accident victims as “Five Little Saints of St Michael’s Schools” to keep memories of them alive.
The Bishop, represented during the requiem mass for the deceased children by the Director Of Education in the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Edward Inyanwachi, also named the popular St Michael’s College Bus Stop after them.
He also encouraged the bereaved families, teachers, school management and the community to take solace in God.
“God wants us to make a meaning from the death and live righteously,” he said.
Recall that the five deceased pupils were crushed to death by a truck driver conveying water on their way from school on November 2, 2020, at a place known as Onunworieegu Oshiri in Onicha LGA of the state.
Speaking during the mass, the Director of the school, Rev Fr Maximus Obododike, disclosed that the victims were mourned and immortalised because they died innocently and thereby described them as the school’s Five Little Saints.
He said that the five children were pupils in both Nursery And Primary sections of the school.
“The Children are Chiemerie Ngwe, 5 years; Prosper Ogudu, 4; Tochukwu Nwafor, 5; Divine Nworu, 5; and Peace Ifeanyichukwu, 7 years. We want the state government to help us provide speed breakers in the area to avoid reccurrence of such tragic incident. The College Bus stop is now changed to 5 Little Saint Bustop in remembrance of the victims,” Obododike said.
The Deputy Speaker Of Ebonyi State House Of Assembly, Odefa Obasi, who is a native of the area, urged drivers to be careful on roads to prevent avoidable deaths at this period.
He also encouraged the affected families to take heart, noting that death was a necessary end of every mortal.
He advised parents and guardians to always go to school to pick their little children and wards to prevent reccurrence.
Meanwhile, prayers were also offered for the peaceful repose of the souls of the accused tanker driver and his conductor who were lynched by an angry mob after a hot chase that day.
