Fr Johnmartins Chikani had his birthday on the 11th November,2016 and his achievements at St Teresa's college did not allow the day to just pass by without accolades and birthday wishes from the world over. Fr Johnmartins was the Principal of the college from 1991 to 2009. He is a man that his student do not forget in hurry. So, this year some of his students took to the Facebook and other social media to appreciate the great man on his birthday, Some of the profile update included pictures and wonderful write-ups. Here are a few we could compile.
" VERY REV. FR. JOHN MARTINS CHUKWUEMEKA CHIKANI
1. Today the 11th of 11th some 70 years ago, God gave a gift to humankind. That gift is the Very Rev. Fr. Dr. John Martins Chukwuemeka Chikani, our patriarch. A father, leader and administrator per excellence.
2. As today marks yet another milestone in his life, I thought it would only be fair to devour some of my time and writing today to pay tribute to this great man.
3. For those who may not know who I am talking about; Fr. Chikani was the (longest serving Principal) at my High School Alma mater, St. Teresa's College Nsukka.
4. He made far reaching sacrifices and took tough decisions that today ensured that myself and my brother STOBAs (St. Teresa's Old Boys Association) turned out good for ourselves, our families and even our society.
5. His methods maybe unconventional or unorthodox in today's age but verily effective. He lead by example! He woke earlier than us the students and gets to the school earlier than even those of us who resided in the dormitory.
6. He taught us how to be brave in the face of difficulties. He protected us from each other (Juniors from seniors and all of us from teachers alike). He imbued us with an undying will power.
7. He paid staff members with his personal money when government would owe them just so our education could go uninterrupted and yet our school fees was never even a kobo higher than that obtained in other public schools.
8. He engraved the ideals of our school motto "Bonum Eligere" (French for "Aiming at the Highest") into our conscious and sub-conscious minds and made us realise that the sky is not our limit but our "starting points".
9. He equipped us with a resilient and indefatigable spirit. He let his high moral rectitude permeate the very core of our beings and existence!
10. And so today, on behalf of myself and my numerous friends and brother STOBANs, we say thank you Okoh-Man and thank God for the gift of you to our lives. We pray for life, health and wellbeing of mind and body unto you OKO-MAN and we wish you a very happy birthday indeed. Ad Multos Annos; Bonum! "
Celebrating an Icon of Quintessential Discipline @69
Dear Rev. Fr. Dr. Johnmartins Chukwuemeka Chikani, I cautiously have to write your name in full and addressing you as The Headmaster because you were
emphatic when you instructed us not to call you principal as practiced in other secondary schools. In your belief, God is the principal of Saint Teresa's College
Nsukka. You were just instrument in His hands.
As my fingers dance on the keypad of my laptop while typing this, they involuntarily tremble and my heart quivers in apprehension for want of any demonstration
in my writing which you may find inappropriate. I'm still "scared" of everything about you till this day. Do you know the memories of the heavy cane you
lashed on my buttocks on your "Red Table" in my JSS 1 (JA2); it is still fresh in my mind. I nursed the pain for not less than two weeks before I could sit down comfortably in the class. I was really hurt.
It is sixteen years of that painful encounter with your cane which is popularly called "ekwensu rapumu aka" (Devil leave me alone) yet, it is still like yesterday.
The fear of that disciplinary cane still haunts me till today. Do you know that most nights, I see you pursuing me in my dreams with that mighty cane?
It happens mainly each time I derail to toe the least line of resistance. The cane is a reminder that we should always "Aim at the Highest Good" which is the motto of our great college; "BONUM ELIGERE."
Dear headmaster, in all honesty, it was after my colleagues and I left the college that we discovered that you are a man that saw tomorrow. Those years you subjected us
to draining disciplinary rigours, we thought you were wicked and evil. Some of us said you were heartless on us because you have no children of your own
(how my heart just got burnt on remembering this despicable statement of ours now). We never knew you were preparing us for the scornful and antagonizing adventure of life. We were naive, please forgive us!!!
When you made us wake up every day at 4:30am irrespective of our tender age, freezing early morning weather and heavy rain, to attend morning devotions, engage in excise and
timely preparation for school, we thought you were drilling out our innocent life. We never knew you had already seen where we would be working as employers
and employees which entail maximum punctuality and negligence of such timeliness could ground immediate termination of contract, sack or dismissal. We never saw this. Please forgive us!!!
You taught us that lateness is when we are ten (10) minutes earlier than any scheduled activity. You said we should always be at the venue of any activity thirty (30) minutes before
the official time. Sir, we are enjoying the benefits. You are passionate with punctuality. Do you know that each time we demonstrate this culture,
the society would say that we are suppose to understand what is called "African time?" But we are resolute not to get landlocked in such disastrous mindset.
When you were vigorous against the act of examination malpractices of any form and shape and expelled any student who engaged in it; when you insisted on the regulation that anyone who
fails in exam, fails out of the school, we were mourning such restriction of "liberty" during examinations. We never knew you were teaching us to
be independent in the pursuit of life goals. We saw many fall victim of your caution and you know what, they plunger in the ditch where you chastised us to avoid. We have learnt our lesions, please forgive us!!!
Dear Sir, we all have grown now. We have seen everything. Everything you did, which all I can't exhaust if mentioned was all in our best interest. You saw tomorrow and you prepared us
ahead. You saw where we are today 16 years ago and beyond, and you were equipping our arsenal.
In your language I quote "you were drilling us, crushing us, purifying us, sanctifying us, caving us shaping us, moulding us and excavating the decomposed parts of our lives which may
not enable us stand firm in the turbulent society." We have seen the results and the testimonies are everywhere. Bear with us for we never saw
today a few years ago. Please forgive us!!!
Your boys are now men! Many of us are your image in our various schools, offices, churches, companies, institutions, organizations etc. The fire you have lit in us burns with ferocious
sparkle that we are excellently conspicuous in every environment we find ourselves. We always go by your word: "Only the Best is good enough."
We never forget your quote; "Either you are, or you are not. No two ways about it."
Dear headmaster, we have all sworn never to let you down. We are all your ambassadors every moment, we are conscious of the citadel we came from. Till today, white remains my best colour.
The colour continually reminds me dignity in neatness and peace.
We have taken our destinies in our hands and aiming for our ambition vehemently with the fire inside us that drives people to find a path to success that zigzags around the maze of standards
doors that won't open. We have refused to give up till we embrace a solid society. We promise never to fail you, not even in our wildest imagination.
As you celebrate your birthday today, I wish you good health in mind and body. May you never lack in your unfathomable erudition in wisdom. And I pray, in harmony of all Saint Teresa's Old Boys Association (STOBA),
that the remaining years of your life on earth shall be an overwhelming blessing.
Best Regards.
Ugwuodo Edwin Chukwunonso
(Regulatory Prefect, 2004/2005, Social Prefect, 2005/2006)
Odoeze Jideofor wrote
" Happy birthday to Rev. Fr. Dr Johnmartins Chikani. Incase you don't know him, he is the one beside Bishop Okobo, yes the one with mic. He was my principal
(St.Theresa's College, Nsukka), my mentor, role model and above all my father. I was shaped and molded into who I am today by him. Please join me and say
happy birthday to him.
"
Eze Fimber Uchenna Wrote
"I LOVE YOU JOHN
In the words of Isaac Newton, "if I have seen farther than most men, then it is by standing on the shoulder of giants" Father, you are a giant. We stood on your shoulders and we are still standing on it. We were myopic but you lent us your eyes. We are grateful and we will
be forever. Years has come and gone and yet the memories of you is still fresh in our minds We love you so much Father HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU FR. JOHNMARTINS CHUKWUEMEKA CHIKANI
Henry Tobenna wrote
"This is the famous REV. FR. DR. JOHNMARTINS CHUKWUEMEKA CHIKANI. He's the man that gave me value, integrity and discipline at the most important stage of my life back then in Saint Teresa's.
A man whose wisdom and ideology of life is super legendary. He's a leader by example. He's a man that has occupied an important paragraph of my life biography. Today is his Birthday, am glad to celebrate him. May the good Lord bless and keep him.. #MerryBday BONUM ELIGERE "
" This portrait was made exactly one year today by OSTOBITES in honour of Rev. Fr. Dr. Johnmartins Chukwuemeka Chikanis' birthday. We deemed it necessary
to represent him like this then as the much we could do for him. We cannot pay you back Fr. for the foundation and formation you gave us at
St. Theresa's College Nsukka during our College days. Lol.. People know him as Fr. Johnmartins but we call him 'OKO MAN' back in the days.
He is an epitome of discipline and a model who leads by example. A man of high moral status. Your dogged and principled nature are the backbones
of many who passed through you today. May you continue growing from strength to strength Fr. HAPPY BIRTHDAY OKO MAN, ~ age with Grace Fr. #weluvU. "
Abonyi Christian Wrote this
" CELEBRATE A LIVING LEGEND
There is a man that his impacts in my life came third after God and my parents. He made me a man before I became a man. He taught me Respect.
He taught me Leadership. He taught me Discipline. He taught me to be independent. He taught me Resilience ;in his words "when the journey gets tough,
only d toughs keeps going" He taught me Punctuality. He taught me Neatness. He taught me not to be ingrate ; ingratitude is a sin. He taught me to be
impartial ;he treat both the poor & rich equally. He taught me real Christianity. He taught me to be Result oriented ;he always say"action speaks louder
than voice " THIS IS A MAN WHOSE SUPPOSED ENEMIES LOVE MORE THAN HIS SUPPOSED FRIENDS. He was my headmaster (Principal) in secondary school.
The list is endless. Pals please, join me and other Saint Teresa's College Nsukka old boys to celebrate an icon ;
REV FR DR JOHN MARTIN CHUKWUEMEKA CHIKANI ,a priest, disciplinarian, leader, role model,hero and a fearless dogged fellow,
as today (11/11) marks his birthday. I pray God to grant him healthy body and mind. Posterity will always remember him.
LONG LIVE OKOMAN! LONG LIVE STCN! LONG LIVE STOBA! ~ ADIMORAMMA "
