The Reverend Father Chetanna known to many.
For anyone who has had the privilege of spending some time with Reverend Father Chukwuneke Chetanna, beyond noticing his trademark disposition to getting things done excellently irrespective of what it would cost, one other thing you would realize is that he often makes a subtle boast of him being the first to bear the name Chetanna.
He argues quite often that there is no other person who is older than fifty (50) years, that bears the name Chetanna and not Chetachukwu.
So many years back while Father Chetanna was at Marist Juniorate Uturu for his secondary school education, the Egbema Ozubulu, Ekwusigo LGA Anambra State indigene born and raised in Enugu State must have had other plans for his life which probably explains why he proceeded to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka at the time to study Civil Engineering.
One thing we can guess for sure is that while at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, not many of his peers would have imagined that Chetanna upon graduation would subject himself to the rigorous training to become a Catholic priest owing to other potentials he was recklessly imbued with.
Sixteen years after the priestly ordination, we are here to celebrate the number of years that Father Chetanna has spent as a priest (16) and the numbers of years he has spent on earth (50).
The 16:50 Unique code
One thing that you cannot take away from Father Chetanna is the quality of time and resources he dedicates to making sure that whatever he touches turns to gold.
The sixteen (16) here speaks to the numbers of years he has spent as an ordained Catholic priest while the fifty (50) speaks to the number of years he has spent on earth. This code is very unique and passes alot of message to anyone who looks at it. This is part of the Padre Cheta’s trademark.
Father Chetanna Chukwuneke and the gift of family.
For this priest who is loved exceedingly by his students who worship at the Chaplaincy where he holds sway as the leader, one thing they love about him is the organic bond he shares with his three (3) brothers, his other two (20 sisters he doesn’t ever joke with and invaluable parents.
Unfortunately for Father Chetanna, sometime in December 2022 he lost his most beloved mother. His mother was a woman who gave her all to the grooming of all her children for which they are overly grateful for till date. Padre is now left with his biological Father as the only parent alive and so far, he is being well taken care of.
It is something worthy of note to acknowledge that all his siblings were with him on the 7th of June 2025 at College of Health Sciences Okofia as part of the events in preparation to mark his birthday which is for the 10th of June. This speaks to the quality of bond they share as a family.
The Catholic Church and Padre’s disposition to people of other fate.
We are well aware that in this part of the world, religion is often used as a toxic tool of manipulation with which the masses are divided along denominational lines with the sole aim of controling their members so as to use them when intended to achieve very selfish motives.
Some years back as undergraduates, one of the things we always appreciated Padre for was the fact that he didn’t discriminate against non-Catholics as long as he had the means to assist anyone solve any pressing problem at any time. He was that selfless and always available.
During those days, it was a popular experience for Padre to offer his Youth Alive Development Initative (YADI) Hilux truck to the Student Union Government to evacuate any student then in health crisis to the medical centre of the teaching hospital at no cost to such people at the end of the day.
During those years, all he was often very enthusiastic of was to make sure that students of all denominations studied effectively and passed their courses. Through St. Camillus De Lellis he has shown how committed he is to youthful apostolate. The records are there to speak for him.
At the time, there was no discrimination by him against people who were not of his religious denomination. His influence in the campus have been constant and impactful in quality and this speaks loudly to the quality he offers to the University community as a priest.
He is human which directly translates to the fact that he also has his flaws but then again, they are not that pronounced to blind us to the reality of his strengths. The beauty therein is that he is a man who commits daily to being a better man for all.
Setting the right example for youths through continuous self-development.
Beyond being a Catholic priest which you literarily have to go through seven seas and seven thick forests infested with “sharks” to become, it is our duty to inform you our dear reader in unambiguous terms that the birthday celebrant is a Civil Engineer by training.
In alliance or compliance with one principle he has consistently demonstrated through as a priest and even through the Youth Alive Development Initiative which speaks to self-development for youths as one of the ways to improve the quality of the lives of young people, Padre did not just stop at being a Bachelor of Engineering holder.
He has gone further to be a member of the Council for the regulation of Engineers (COREN) beyond which he has acquired the qualification to be a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineering (FNICE) and Fellow of Nigerian society of Engineers (FNSE). These qualifications listed above are not earned through mere wish, as you must fold your sleeves and get down to work if you must have them used to address you.
The Father Cheta at 16:50 workout schedule and its impact on the university community.
On the 7th of June 2025, Father Chetanna as one of the events with which he has to commemorate his fiftieth (50th) birthday which would be in a few days’ time was a minimum of an eight (8) kilometer health walk or jog for those who could partake.
What looked like a regular long distance fitness walk turned out to a carnival of sort with people from all walks of life participating actively in the schedule. The take-off point was from the Chaplaincy at Okofia from where everyone moved to the Igwe Orizu’s palace where the crown prince who participated in the sport schedule addressed the participants.
Listening to the Dj play energetic songs with the participants singing along, watching the ambulance move slowly with us, it was clear that no one would want to allow themselves miss out on this fun filled activity.
Among the people that participated in the health walk were;
The Crown Prince of the Nnewi Royal Kingdom – Obinaechendo, the DPO of Otolo Police Station who offered security with his men, the State Chief Protocol and Deputy Chief of staff to Anambra governor – Mr. Glamour Nwoye who grew up with Father Chetanna in Enugu many years back, Dr. Odili Alloy who represented the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital where Father Chukwuneke is a part of, Professors from the Faculty of Engineering in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and a host of other dignitaries too numerous to mention.
At the end of the sports session, there was so much to eat and drink for every participant who was at the venue of take-off. The memory would be with the participants for a lifetime.
The golden request by Crown Prince of Nnewi Kingdom.
From available indication, the Crown prince is a dedicated fitness enthusiast who loves to exercise and get involved where possible with any form of exercise that serves the interest of his heartbeat. Having partaken in the long distance walk with over six hundred (600) organic participants, to be conservative with figure. He asked Father Chetanna to please ensure that he sustains the organization of this fitness walk every month going forward.
Father Chetanna being visibly pleased with how well the walk for health was organized, told the Crown Prince that he would consider his request strongly and get back to him on it. Afterall no one tells a Crown Prince in ala Igbo – No as it pertains to things like this. To exercise is a must for anyone who wishes to live long.
What lies ahead for the Father Chetanna, a lover of humanity.
We are well aware that Padre is extremely committed to the welfare of the undergraduates committed into his care as a catholic priest. While he goes the extra mile to make sure that these youths are nourished spiritually, it is also heartwarming to see that he goes the extra mile to make sure that he impacts a lot of quality in these young ones in terms of values beyond spirituality. These qualities are what most of them thrive in their workspaces with after graduation from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Okofia Nnewi.
As Padre Chetanna celebrates his 50th birthday on the 10th of June 2025, it is our wish that he uses this outrightly solemn opportunity which the Lord has offered to him in the best of health despite the Fulani herdsmen attack that almost claimed his life in 2016/2017 to commit himself more to the service of humanity and mankind in general.
It is our wish that he would extensively leverage on his social contacts which he is very rich in to host programmes that would help transform the lives of the youths in College of Health Science Okofia irrespective of their religious denominations as is used to doing in the past.
Conclusively, we want it to be said of Padre Chetanna in the years to come that this is a man who did not care about religious denomination but offered himself wholly to the service of mankind while he had the strength in him as a priest.
This remains the only way we can build a society we would all be proud of as Nigerians irrespective of our various religious denominations. To those he is a shepherd over, Padre Chetanna is indeed a man worth celebrating always.