02/06/2025
MARY KNOLL COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CONGRATULATES MR LEO MOFFI ON THE OCCASION OF HIS BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY
The Alumni Association in Mary Knoll College is celebrating the birthday of a distinguished alumnus, Mr Leo Moffi on the occasion of his 63rd birthday anniversary today.
This celebration recognizes the achievements and contributions of the alumnus, a member of Marco Class 77" and the wider community.
The association uses this opportunity to foster a sense of community and gratitude, acknowledging the alumnus's significant impact as a Lawyer, Administrator, professional footballer, Essayist, and Radio and Television Sports Analyst.
AIG Retd Chief JB Abang fdc, the President General, celebrates Mr Leo Moffi, the pioneer of Marco Global Alumni Platform which has brought all Alumni members together as one community for the betterment of our alma mater.
"He is one of our incredible Alumnus, a father, husband, lawyer, administrator, sports analyst and talented professional with so much wealth of knowledge and wisdom. We rejoice with him today and pray for him to live long in good health, happiness and divine blessings," the President General said.
Leo Moffi started Mary Knoll College, Okuku, Ogoja in January 1973. He excelled in Table Tennis and was champion of the northern zone of the old Cross River State (present day Akwa Ibom and Cross River) between 1977 and 1979. He obtained his West Africa School Certificate (WASC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) in 1977 and 1979 respectively. After his HSC, he was offered an appointment by the then State School Board and posted to Mbube East Secondary School in November 1979 as a tutor at the tender age of 17. He taught subjects across the board - Integrated Science in the Sciences, Bible Knowledge in the Humanities and Economics in the Social Sciences. One of the abiding memories he had at Mbube East Secondary School is his later encounter with some of his Economics students. They always recalled to him how he had a tendency of dictating notes to them extempore.Fascinatingly, after such dictation, he would more often than not ask them to correct their mistakes in the dictated work by re-dictating word for word what had been taken down by his students.
The time he spent teaching coincided with when his football career started. He started training with his town team, Black Cats Football Club, Ogoja in 1980 and his ability as a goalkeeper became glaring. He never looked back as he was to sn**ch the number one shirt from 1981 to 1984 when he moved to Vasco Da Gama Football Club of Enugu while in his final year as a Law Student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Before he gained admission into the University of Nigeria, he was admitted into Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma in the United States to study Business Administration. His father paid the required deposit of 2000 dollars to the University to enable him get the US visa. Before he could go for the Visa, he got admitted into the University of Nigeria to study Law. It became a tug-of-war between him and his father which of the schools he would attend. He father favoured his schooling in Nigeria while in his young mind America was it. Eventually, his father's preference prevailed and he went to the University of Nigeria and graduated in 1985.
He is remembered in the University of Nigeria for his goalkeeping prowess. For the four years he was there, he was number one goalkeeper. He was later to play for Elkanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in his youth service year. Some of his team mates in Elkanemi were Etta Egbe, a former Green Eagles goalkeeper, Nduka Ugbade, Samson Siasia, Celestine Nzekwe, Manu Garba to mention these few. He later played for Calabar Rovers while doubling as State Counsel with the Cross River State Ministry of Justice. In Rovers, he rubbed shoulders with teammates who were internationals like Okon Ene, Friday Ekpo, Andrew Uwe, Chris Ohenhen, James Etokebe and Uwem Ekarika.
He made his last foray in football playing for Enugu Rangers in 1991and 1992. That to him was a life long dream attained. A role call of his teammates in Rangers included Davidson Owumi, Taribo West and Fred Okpalla.
When he hung his football boots and dusted his wig and gown, he went into partnership in Agim and Moffi Legal Practitioners. His then partner who was his classmate in Law School is the cerebral Honourable Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
In his second missionary journey to the Ministry of Justice, he served in various capacities, namely -
a) Legislative Counsel, Cross River State House of Assembly
b) Deputy Director, Civil Litigation
c) Director in the Department of Public Prosecutions
d) Administrator- General and Public Trustee
In 2016, he was appointed Permanent Secretary, Department of Budget Monitoring and Evaluation. He later served as Supervising Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance. He retired from service on the 2nd day of June, 2022 on attaining the statutory age of 60.
Mary Knoll College Alumni Association celebrates him today and prays his new age brings him genuine happiness, sound health of mind and body and above all absolute peace. And may God answer all his secret prayers.
Ogar Solomon Ogar , FSLC
National Publicity Secretary.