History was again made as the newly elected members of the Archdiocesean Council Members of the Catholic Men Organization assumed office on Sunday, the 12th of December, 2021 during the 21st Abuja Archdiocesean Catholic Men Organization (AACMO) Council meeting held at Papal’s ground along Kubwa – Zuba express road in the heart of Abuja.
The hand over ceremony which was witnessed by the Dean, Bwari Deanery, Rev. Fr. Solomon Ukoh on behalf of the Catholic Arch-Bishop of Abuja, His Grace Ignatius Kaigama saw about 22 newly elected Council members assume their respective positions in the new Council to usher in a new era after an eventful 4 years on the saddle of the past Council Executive led by Mr. Peter Emmanuel Onoja.
The new Council President is led by another dedicated member of the Church, a cosumate Administrator, a teacher by profession and a member of the Knight of St. John International Grand NCommandery, Sir Samson Egbunu Haruna who incidentally served as the Council Treasurer in the outgone administration.
It must be noted that the rancor free election which produced the new Council Executives of the Catholic Men in the entire Abuja Archdiocese was conducted on the 20th of November, 2021 at the premises of Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria, Pro Cathedral, Garki, Abuja in the presence of the AACMO Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Boniface Igele, eminent delegates selected from among the members of the Laity Council of Nigeria in the Archdiocese who came as observers and powered by the members of the diligent Electoral Committee Panel led by Barrister Val. Igboanusi.
The high point of the hand over ceremony was the exchange of hand over notes from the out gone President, Mr. Onoja to the incoming one, Sir Haruna who promised to leverage on the modest achievements of the past administration and expand the frontiers of welfare packages for members of the Catholic Men in Abuja.
For the first time in the history of the AACMO Council leadership, a thorough bred professional and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations ( a member of the Global Alliance in PR), the immediate past General Secretary of the NIPR FCT Chapter, Mr. Austin Okechukwu Chijioke was elected as the Chief Public Relations Officer of the AACMO. This is a clear indication that more responsibile organizations in the public and private sectors are embracing the extant laws which stipulates that only registered PR practitioners with the NIPR should be appointed or elected to man the information office or whatever nomenclature associated with it.
Mr. Austin Okechukwu Chijioke is also the President of his Parish Catholic Men Organization at St. Joseph parish Gwagwa, Abuja.
