By Constaincia Uruakpa
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus has set up a foundation, named Sr. Henrietta Alokha Endownment Fund for Indigent Children (SHAEFIC) to immortalize the heroic act of Sr. Henrietta Alokha, SSH, the nun who laid down her life to save students entrusted to her care. The congregation launched, the SHAEFIC during the celebration of one year memorial Mass celebrated by His Grace, Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins for Late Sr. (Dr.) Henrietta Ebosiogwe Alokha at Mary the Queen Catholic Church, Iguosa, Benin City, Edo State. According to the Superior General of the Congregation, Rev. Sr. Monica Rowland, SSH, : “Sr. Alokha demonstrated the true Gospel value of Jesus ‘Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends (Jn. 15:13).’
With this action, she also exemplified the Sacrificial Love of Christ, which is the Spirit of our congregation. “It is our earnest prayer that this huge step to immortalize her will continue to bear fruit, and bring about positive change in our world and in the lives of those who will be beneficiaries of the foundation.” High points of the event include a reflection on how to manage trauma that follow the death of a loved one, given by Rev. Fr. Ubong Attai, S.J. and special rendition in honour of Sr. Henrietta, presented by Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sr. Henrietta Alokha died while rescuing her students from the inferno that followed the pipeline explosion at Bethlehem Girls College (BGC) Abule-Ado, Lagos on the March 15, 2020. Present at the Mass were priests and religious from dioceses far and near, family of Late Sr. Alokha as well as lay faithful, comprising parents and staff of Bethlehem Girls College, AbuleAdo, Alumni of the schools where she worked and a host of friends and well wishers.
