Community Spotlight: How It Takes A Village To Raise A Child In Obudu, Nigeria
Still focusing on our rural education series with spotlight on Fr. Peter Abue’s work, our reporter, Ibrahim Olalekan, again travelled another two hours to a town called Obudu in Cross River State. This community houses the official residence of Fr. Peter Abue, his Parish Centre he built with donations from friends and the Little Flower Nursery and Primary School.
Ibrahim Olalekan spoke with staff members of the school; Hon. Francis Agim, a representative of Ipong Ward in Obudu Local Governemt; Clan Head of Bebuagbong-Ipong-Obudu, His Royal Highness Utsu Francis Ada Apago and a chat with the selfless Priest, Fr. Peter Abue.
Hon. Francis Agim, Councillor representing Ipong Ward in Obudu Local Government Legislative Council, Obudu, Cross River State, speaks to RuralReporters on ways he is complementing Fr. Peter’s effort in the community.
As a representative of my Ward in the Local Government, I’m proud to say Ipong community is where the current Governor Benedict Ayade hails from.
No doubt, Fr. Peter is a man of taste and one can see perfection in whatever he finds himself doing. This is a Priest that has set standards for himself and always ensure there is strict compliance to it.
We as government representatives have identified with him especially with the Civic Centre he planned in constructing for the community members. This is a place youths can learn skills and become an entrepreneur. The government has seen the need for it in our community and would partner with him to make it a reality.
The benefit of whatever Fr. Peter does is not for him but for our children. The schools he built is for our children to get quality education and the Parish centre in Obudu is for the community to have a descent and standard place of worship. Also the civic development centre is for the benefits of our youths who will be gainfully employed after they might have gone through series of trainings and lectures.
In terms of teaching aid, we will mount pressure on the state government to transfer idle teachers from some schools to Little Flower Nursery and Primary School. Aside this, we working on how the government can adopt the teaching staff into the civil service structure so the monthly allowance of the teachers will no longer be a burden on Fr. Peter.
Fr. Peter needs our collective support; doing that means we are paying price for future benefits. For me, I will encourage everybody to support the vision of CorAfrica. If we support Fr. Peter, father, we are building a future for our children and God will bless us.
DISCUSSION FORUM WITH TEACHING STAFF OF LITTLE FLOWER NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL
Miss Agio Martina (Assistant Head/Pioneer Teacher): “Working with Fr. Peter has been a wonderful experience. He has deepest feelings for the less privileged reason he is providing quality education for the deprived.
“With 213 students in four levels of Nursery and Primary one through five, services here are paid for unlike the free educational services in St Joseph’s Primary and Secondary School in Ogoja. Here, the money earned from enrolment and school fee is structured to cater for the monthly allowance of the teachers.”
Mr Azy Fidelis (Teaching Staff): “Fr. Abue is offering academic service to the community at a very cheap and subsidized rate. The Cross River State government should come to his aid by providing the school with teaching staff or adapt the teaching staff into the civil service system.”
CLAN HEAD OF BEBUAGBONG-IPONG-OBUDU, UTSU FRANCIS ADA APAGO
His Royal Highness Utsu Francis Ada Apago, Clan Head of Bebuagbong-Ipong-Obudu spoke with Ibrahim Olalekan on the wonderful initiatives of Fr. Peter Abue in Obudu Community
Fr. Peter is one that carries everybody religiously, morally and spiritually in whatever project he finds himself doing. His activity has convinced many that he is truly doing the work of God.
Educationally, he has provided cheap and affordable education for the community; he is also assisting some orphans and widows and settle marital/communal dispute.
The community is proud to have him with us; we pray the government compliment his effort, by so doing our community will be at par with the developed world.
