By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu

Chairman, GUO Group, Sir Godwin Okeke, and his wife, Lady Patricia Okeke under the auspices of their non governmental organization, Godwin and Patricia foundation has enrolled One hundred and Twenty (120) elders of his hometown, Adazi Ani into the Anambra Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA).

ASHIA is a health insurance scheme of the Anambra state government inaugurated by Governor Willie Obiano September 2018.

The event took place at the RISE Clinic Adazi-Ani, Anaocha local government area of Anambra State.

The beneficiaries were elders between the ages of seventy and above who are age mates of Sir Okeke who turned 70 recently.

Sir and Lady Okeke also presented bags of rice and cash to the beneficiaries who were drawn from Six Chueches both Anglican Churches and Roman Catholic Churches as a way of commemorating his birthday with them, as they had no opportunity of doing so when the bash was held in Lagos on 6th June.

Sir Godwin Ubaka Okeke said he decided to have a repeat of the celebration this festive period with his age mates and those his senior selected by the Churches in the various villages and denominations in his community.
The beneficiaries 20 each came from St Barnabas Anglican Church, St Jude's Anglican Church, and St James Anglican ,Adazi Ani as well as St Peter's Catholic Church, All Saints Catholic Church and Scared Hearts Adazi Ani.

Making the presentations, Sir Godwin Okeke who spoke alongside his wife, Lady Patricia Okeke said that it was a thing of joy to reunite with is his age mates at seventy in good health, as it reminded him of the young days in the village, adding that the enrollment into the health insurance scheme for his age mates was a way of ensuring that their health needs were well taken care of.

He added that the bags of rice and cash gifts were also to enable them share in the joy that Christmas brings with their family members and expressed gratitude to God for granting them old age and charged the privileged ones to always look around them and give assistance to the poor and less privileged.

Lady Okeke, added that the moment was one to remember as the interactions and presence brought them at par with others and added that the purpose of the health insurance scheme was to achieve the goals of the Godwin and Patricia Foundation in looking out for the poor and the downtrodden in the society.


Some of the beneficiaries including Fidelis Okafor who represented his 98 years old mother, Juliana Ajagu, Mrs. Angelina Mbamalu, Mr. Godwin Akulenna and Mrs. Maria Egunofo among others prayed God to keep Sir Godwin and Lady Patricia Okeke to continue to answer to their needs.

They expressed their joy with dance, prayed for God’s continuous blessings upon the Okeke's family as they have been a source of assistance to the people of the community.

They said further that they have gained in the Okeke family's scholarships to their children, jobs, free medical outreaches that provided them with eye glasses among others.

In an interview, the General Manager, RISE Clinics, a subsidiary of Anambra Business Coalition (ABC), Okoye Augustine Amakom described the event as something that has never happened in Adazi Ani and thanked Sir GU Okeke and wife , Lady Patricia for thinking of others always.

Mr Okoye informed that incessant death in the society was sequel to lack of good health care hence the enlisting of the 120 elders was unique as Sir Godwin and Lady Patricia are undertaking the cost hundred percent for all ailments.
This he said is in line with the RISE Clinic objective.

He said the health insurance is for a year and renewable.