By Elizabeth Uwandu

Knights of St. John International, KSJI, a family apostolate Order in the Roman Catholic Church, in commemoration of its 40th anniversary in Nigeria, is to build a retreat and empowerment centre to be known as KSJI Centre of Excellence.

Nnia Nwodo

A statement by Secretary of the Fund Raising Committee, Sir Peter Osamgbi, said the Chairman of KSJI’s 40th Anniversary Fund Raising Committee and President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia John Nwodo, who is also a Knight of St. John International, in a speech entitled: “Refocusing the Order in Nigeria” said, the Centre of Excellence which is to be located in Enugu would serve as a national base of KSJI in Nigeria.

The statement added that Nwodo, who spoke to journalists stated that KSJI’s choice of Enugu as its headquarters “is apt as KSJI  first berthed in Enugu, on arrival in Nigeria over 40 years ago.”

In the same vein, former Supervising Minister of Foreign Affairs and Supreme Subordinate, Ladies’ Auxiliary Nigeria President, Professor Viola Adaku Onwuliri said the other facilities in the centre will include, an Empowerment/ICT unit to help train youths in order to arrest restiveness; a retreat centre and modern sporting facilities for individuals and groups as well as a free medical clinic for indigent members of the society.

The statement further quoted Supreme Subordinate Commandery President KSJI Nigeria, Sir Anselm Okafor, as saying: “No doubt, this KSJI Centre of Excellence” will outlive our generation; hence we are making concerted efforts to leave behind a positive legacy for those who will come after us.”