Dr Onunkwo celebrates as his son, Ifeanyichukwu, is inducted into Hall of Pharmacists

Sir (Dr) Callistus Chukwuemeka Onunkwo is from Osina in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, he is proudly christened Aka n'azo ndu while Nigerians as a whole expanded the meaning of the name by calling him Ozo uwa ndu.

According to Dr Onunkwo Aka n'azo ndu means the one who saves life while Ozo uwa ndu on the other hand means the one who saves life the world over. He said both nomenclatures are as a result of the fact that he impacts life along the line of his professional calling. He said “These names are as a result of the fact that I am a medical doctor, so I can say, it is due to the life-saving role I play in the society, that is what people see and came up with these names, but the whole names mean the same, in a sense. When I was in Port Harcourt I was called Ugo ndu, my Osina people came together and named me aka n'azondu, but in Lagos, other people, church, other tribes said it would not be ozo Igbo ndu, it would be ozo uwa ndu, so it is due to my profession and the life-saving role I play wherever I go as a medical doctor.”

Meanwhile, on Friday, October 27, 2023, his son, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Callistus Onunkwo was inducted into the Hall of Pharmacists which took place at the University of Lagos (Unilag) Auditorium. After the event in which over 142 brilliant young men and women were inducted into the exulted membership of Pharmacists in Nigeria, the Onunkwos hosted their highly esteemed friends and well-wishers under a serene atmosphere and ambiance of tranquility at the Garden, Chapel of St Luke’s the Physician, Idi-Araba, Lagos State.

Indeed the reception which was mot actually prepared for, so to say, turned out to be a grand party of sort as there was more than enough to eat and drink at the occasion. The crème de la crème in Osina town graced the august occasion. they include the workaholic innovative digital President General of Osina Town Union (OTU) Ide (Chief) Kelechi Ejeagwu; Engr. Declan Onunkwo; the Chairman of OTU Lagos Branch, Chief Chukwudi Emeh (Okadigbo), Chairman Emeritus OTU Lagos Branch, Ide (Chief) Sir Ernest Eze, among other illustrious sons of Osina town in Lagos, were at the occasion live while the supply of food and drink was inexhaustible.

Speaking on the induction of his son into the Hall of Pharmacists, Dr Onunkwo who could not hide his joy and excitement gave all the thanks and glory to the almighty God, insisting that he and his wife never chose career for their children. He said “I thank God and give him all the glory for the success that made us to gather here today. I have four children, I am a Medical Doctor, my wife is a Pharmacist, we never talked to any of our children as to what they want to do, they made their choices, so before we knew it we ended up today with two Pharmacists and a Medical Doctor and another one in final year in Medicine. It is only God that can take all the glory; it is only God that made it possible.

“There was no day I sat down to say, my son, I want you to do this, my daughter I want you to do that. They made up their minds. But looking at the way I have conducted myself as a medical doctor and how their mother conducted herself as a pharmacist, they decided to toe those lines, and God gave them that special opportunity, that special blessings and they all went to the University of Lagos, they all got through with LUTH, the last one that is about a year to go also in LUTH, so we give God all the glory for this special opportunity,” Dr. Onunkwo stated. 

A recipient of St Thomas Mores’ Award, Dr Onunkwo could not hide his appreciation to his friends, well-wishers and kinsmen who thronged the venue to honour their brother in his moment of joy even at a very short notice. "I am so shocked because I didn't issue any invitation, it was actually when they were telling me that they were already heading to LUTH or heading to Unilag that I now started to place a direction for them this morning for them to come to LUTH, Idiaraba here, I feel highly honoured, I am indebted permanently and sincerely to my community, to the medical profession and to the church, because people from the church, they are heading to this place as we speak, even from the archdiocese, they will soon be here. They have been calling me for direction, so I thank God for this special privilege, and to be alive to see most of these things materialize, because I know one or two parents, that we were all coming together to see our kids in school but they are no more, but God has given me opportunity to be alive to see them today in good health, it is only Him that take the glory, and I am specially indebted to God for all He has done for me.”

Setting agenda for his children, the renowned Medical doctor stated “My own is to guide them; I believe that God that made them Doctors and Pharmacists will find a way for them, because he has a purpose to make them who they have become and who they will still become. But the essential thing is that we leave everything to God, let Him point the way and we follow according to the Bible. My first daughter is a Pharmacist, and works with NAFDAC, it wasn't as a result of our influence or plan; she was just invited and taken. The second one is trying to specialize, the third one, this one just finished, we don't know what he plans to do, so we allow them to come out with their plans, ours as parents is counselling and advice, and hope for what God has in stock for them, that is how we have been doing it.”

Dr Onunkwo summarised his mood by saying “I just want to thank all the journalists and all the people that have been here today from morning till this evening to be part of this programme, and I say whoever that wishes somebody good would always have good before him, those that have wished this boy success, came to celebrate with us, prayed with us, God will grand them their own heart desires through Christ our Lord, Amen. And I have to wish everybody that will be going back now safe journey to their different destinations and I believe our next meeting will be something to celebrate again, this is my own prayer.”