ADCWO Celebrates 5th CWO Day with Pomp .Launches 2025/2026 Calendar .Presents Trophy to 1st Position in 2025 Cathedraticum
It was jubilation galore as the Aba Diocesan Catholic Women Organization (CWO) celebrated her 5th CWO Day with unprecedented pomp.
The joyous occasion held at the Christ the King Cathedral (CKC), Aba on Saturday, May 31, 2023.
It was well-attended by the ten Vicariates in the Aba Diocese, distinguished personalities, reverend fathers/sisters, relatives, friends and well-wishers from far and near.
Members of ADCWO turned out in their numbers in their beautiful uniform to celebrate the momentous occasion.
The 2025 CWO Day with the theme, “A Hopeful Woman Walks and Works by Faith” commenced with the celebration of Mass by the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. Prof. Augustine Ndubueze Echema.
He congratulated the women on their 2025 CWO Day describing them as a strong pillar of the Catholic Church as well as quintessential home builders.
He urged them to put all their trust in God and do not allow their faith to waver because of the prevailing economic hardship across the nation adding that God would continue to sustain them despite all odds.
After the celebration of Mass, the President General of Aba Diocesan Catholic Women Organization (ADCWO), Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha (LSM, JP) presented her welcome address.
She expressed profound gratitude to God for making the celebration a reality as well as granting them a clement weather.
She appreciated the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. Prof. Augustine Ndubueze Echema, the Vicar General, Rev. Fr. Dr. Anthony Chukwuma, the Judicial Vicar, Rev. Dr. Peter Nwosu, the President, Senate of Priests, Rev. Fr. Dr. Jephthah Asuoha, Monsignor Innocent Ajuonu, Ezi Ukochukwu Ndi Nne 1, Very Rev. Fr. Magnus Nwagbaoso (Diocesan Chaplain, ADCWO), the Sister Adviser, Rev. Sister Harriet Okafor, DMMM (Adaoma Ndi Nne), the Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Fr. Dr. Casmir Uzosike, Mother Uzoigwe, all the Priests and the Religious, chairman on the occasion, Sir Thaddeus Uzoma Agbasi, Mothers of the Day (Papal Medalist, Lady Mary Otigbuo, Akpu Nne 1 and Nneoma Lady Gloria Ordor, JP), the executive and entire members of ADCWO, distinguished ladies and gentlemen for their presence and support.
According to the beautiful, popular, pragmatic, ebullient, eloquent and indefatigable President General of ADCWO, Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha, the CWO Day is an annual celebration, which they look forward to with glee because it affords them the opportunity to showcase their talents in religious and other spheres of life including march past, dancing and beauty parade/contest.
She said that it is also a period they usually raise fund to meet their financial obligations in the Diocese, Province, National and World Union of Catholic Women Organization (WUCWO).
She disclosed that the ADCWO is well known for its numerous philanthropic gestures, charity works and distribution of palliatives to the needy adding that they embark on visitations to Motherless Babies Homes, Correctional Centres and also reach out to the indigent widows.
She pointed out that they also do their best in their different parishes in terms of Food Apostolate to their priests while the central body does its own Apostolate to the Bishop’s House, Amaudara and Azumiri Seminarians.
She reiterated the importance of taking good care of their priests as the hallmark of the ADCWO under her watch.
She expressed profound gratitude to Prince Paul Ikonne for his unprecedented magnanimity to them disclosing that the notable philanthropist and (Ome Nke Ahuru Anya) of ADCWO has helped them through the empowerment of 200 of their members with the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000.00) each adding that another 100 women would be empowered with the same amount before the end of the occasion.
She also lauded him for his immense contributions towards the renovation of Nneoma House and prayed God to continue to bless and protect him.
She noted that the prevailing economic hardship across the nation has made it so difficult for them to raise the much-needed fund to offset their debts in the Province and National (CWON) and solicited the support of all to be able to actualize their goals.
She thanked her core and enlarged executive for their unwavering cooperation, Gracious and Glorious Singers, Nneoma workers, the chairperson, CWO Planning Committee, Lady Chinwe Otigbuo and her team for a job well done.
In his remarks, Very Rev. Fr. Magnus Nwagbaoso (Diocesan Chaplain, ADCWO) thanked God for keeping them alive to celebrate the 2025 CWO Day.
He appreciated the Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese, Most Rev. Prof. Augustine Ndubueze Echema for finding time to be with them.
He also thanked the Vicar General, Catholic Diocese of Aba, the Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Fr. Dr. Casmir, Rev. Sister Harriet Mario Okafor (Sister Adviser, ADCWO), other reverend sisters, Mother Uzoigwe, the President General of ADCWO, Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha and her executive.
He lauded them for the remarkable way they have been piloting the affairs of ADCWO and gave them resounding kudos for hosting the 2025 CWO Day in a grand style.
He prayed God to strengthen them and give them the grace they need to continue to do His work.
He expressed gratitude to all their guests for finding time to come and celebrate with them including Rev. Fr. Omeonu, Rev. Fr. Kelechi Anyanwu, Rev. Fr. Chukwuka, Rev. Fr. Dr. Nwala, Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Nwosu, representatives of all the ten Vicariates and the Choir for their spectacular renditions.
Thereafter, the CWO 2025/2026 Calendar and trophy for the first position in the 2025 Cathedratica were unveiled.
The chairman on the occasion, Sir Thaddeus Uzoma Agbasi (KSJI) set the ball rolling by launching the Calendar with a handsome amount of money and others followed suit.
In his remarks, Sir Thaddeus Uzoma Agbasi, a renowned businessman, ex-seminarian and the PRO of Aba Diocesan Council of Catholic Men Organization (ADCCMO) commended the ADCWO for their giant strides in the Diocese and in their various parishes.
He described the 2025 CWO Day as a joyous occasion and thanksgiving to God and encouraged them not to relent in their service to God and humanity adding that God would not fail to reward them.
He assured them of his unalloyed support and called on other women to join them stressing that it pays to serve God.
Similarly, Prince Paul Ikonne represented by Chief Cyril Obinna Ogugbuaja, a consultant and lecturer at Covenant College of Education, Aba congratulated the women on their CWO Day wishing them a happy celebration and God’s abundant blessings.
He used the opportunity to announce that some members of ADCWO would receive alert before the end of the occasion as part of Prince Paul Ikonne’s empowerment programmes for them and urged them to use the money for the purpose it is meant for, not to buy food or clothes with it.
On his part, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Stephen Ikechukwu Ezema represented by Sir Donatus Nwabueze (KSM) appreciated members of the CWO, Aba Diocese for the good work they are doing in the Diocese and their various parishes.
After the launching of the Calendar, the first segment of the ceremony came to an end with a benediction by His Lordship, Most Rev. Prof. Augustine Ndubueze Echema while the second part comprising march past, queen parade and other events continued at the field.
In his opening remarks, the chairman on the occasion, Sir Thaddeus Uzoma Agbasi expressed delight with what the members of the ADCWO are doing in their various parishes as well as in the Diocese and prayed God to bless them.
He appreciated them, especially the President General, Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha and her executive for the remarkable way they have been piloting the affairs of ADCWO since their assumption of office.
Thereafter, all the Vicariates in Catholic Diocese of Aba namely CKC, St. Eugene, St. Ambrose, SS Peter and Paul, St. Anthony’s, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Paul’s, St. Mary’s, Regina Caeli and Holy Trinity participated in the march past.
At the end, St. Mary’s emerged winners with 19.5 points, Our Lady of Fatima came second with 19 points and St. Eugene’s took the third position with 18 points.
In her remarks after the presentation of the trophy to the winners, Lady Rita Onuigbo, the first queen of Our Lady of Fatima Vicariate also known as the Queen Mother appreciated all the Vicariates that participated in the march past with handsome amount of money for entertaining them.
She urged them to keep it up adding that as they are vibrant in their march past, let them also be vibrant in their families and ensure that they bring up their children in the way of God.
The 2025 CWO Day was a huge success and climaxed with great merriment.
In a chat with newsmen, the President General of ADCWO, Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha and others bared their minds on the memorable occasion. Excerpts.
Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha (LSM, JP) (President General, Aba Diocesan Catholic Women Organization, ADCWO)
I feel so elated and I want to thank God for the clement weather He gave us today. Our 2025/2026 Calendar is apt in the sense that most of the presidents are going out this year. So, we used the opportunity to showcase all the presidents and secretaries. I call on every woman to bring up their children in the way of God because most mothers today, do not care how their children behave because of their constant struggle to make ends meet. It is wrong and makes the children not to be disciplined. So, I advise them to take care of their families first and then any other thing can follow. They should look on to Mother Mary as their role model. Like what we read in the Bible today, Mother Mary heard that Elizabeth had taken in, she went and stayed with her for three months in order to help her. So, we should help others, especially those in need. Coming to the present economic hardship across the nation, I advise women to be more prudent now. They should prioritize their needs, not want. They have to manage the resources they have very well. They should not look at other women or compete with them. Competition would not help them, instead, it would lead them astray. They should be satisfied with whatever they have. Coming to my headship of ADCWO, it is not easy to lead women. It is just by the grace of God that we are doing our best to keep them together and happy. Besides, you have to be very firm so that they do not push you around and at the same time, you do not have to be partial. When you see the truth say it not minding whose ox is gored.
Nneoma Lady Joy Ubah (LSM, JP), President CWO, CKC Parish and Principal, Community Secondary School, Umuaro in Obingwa LGA of Abia State.
I feel so excited. It is good to join your fellow women in whatever good thing they are doing, especially in serving God. So, I am very happy and grateful to God for keeping us alive to celebrate our CWO Day this year and we look forward to more celebrations in the years ahead. I appreciate our indefatigable President General, Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha and her able executive for the wonderful way they are piloting the CWO in Aba Diocese. My prayer is that God would bless all of us as we continue to labour in His vineyard. I urge other women to come and join us in serving God. They would not lose anything, instead, they would gain a lot.
Ambassador Mrs. Nkechi Kenneth (President CWO, St. Mary’s Parish, Abayi, Ariaria)
I am so excited. Right from the Cathedral to the field, everything is so captivating. I thank God for the clement weather. Our President General, Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha is really trying. She loves all of us. We always come first every year and we would lift the trophy again today.
Ezinne Anthonia Obianeli (CWO President, Our Lady of Fatima Vicariate)
I am so happy. The dance and march past alone have reduced my high blood pressure. My prayer is that God would continue to give us the grace to serve Him all the days of our life.
Ezinne Ijeoma Nwaeze (CWO President, SS Peter and Paul, Mbutu Ngwa Vicariate)
I do not know where to start thanking God. But it is a thing of joy and worthy of praise to God that we are alive today to celebrate our 2025 CWO Day. First of all, we thank our President General, Nneoma Chief Lady Florita Ngozi Anwuacha. She is an exceptional leader. We are proud of her and our prayer is that God would continue to bless her for her good deeds. And as we celebrate our CWO Day in Aba Diocese today it would be well with all of us in Jesus name.
Mrs. Uchechi Ori (A retired teacher)
I am highly impressed with the occasion. It is so interesting. The President General of ADCWO is my elder sister. I urge them to remain steadfast in their service to God and humanity.
Mrs. Anthonia Okoro (Secretary, Maria Assumpta Parish, Umuode)
I feel so excited. It is something we do once in a year. I thank God that we are alive to celebrate it this year, also. Women are home builders and also we play vital role in the church and society at large. Coming to the alarming incidence of moral decadence in the society today, as parents, we should be worried. Whenever I hear some parents complaining that their children do not obey them, I feel so much disturbed. Personally, I have not given birth to a child that would disobey me or decide what he or she wants to do instead of what I ask them to do. They are not the ones to decide for themselves. The Bible tells us to train up a child the way he should go and when he grows up, he would not depart from it. In fact, I am here today because of my mother. We are nine females and one male. We all are married and wedded in the Catholic Church. When we were still single, if you come to marry us, we would boldly tell you that we do not go to another church if not Catholic. If you like, you can come.
Mrs. Chidiebere Chiamaka Glory
I feel so happy. This is my first time of witnessing the CWO Day here in Aba. It is so interesting and heartwarming. I am overwhelmed. I pray that God would spare my life to witness it next year. In Catholic Church, we do not dress indecently or welcome those who do so in our midst. So, I advise those who dress indecently or live immoral lives to emulate us and turn around for good.
