By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu


It was literally tears of joy at Umueshi hall Irefi Oraifite , Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State as Sir Engr. Emeka Okwuosa Foundation Wednesday, 29th April, 2020, distributed food items worth over forty million naira (N40M) to the four quarters in Oraifite as pallatiives to the needy and vulnerable.

Report says that the food items comprising 4,000 bags of rice and 8,000 tubers of yam were to cushion the effects of lockdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world.

Aside Oraifite community and some parts of Ozubulu, others who benefited were the Nigeria police, Directorate of State Services (DSS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) , Churches including Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church and Pentecostal church as well as the traditional institution and Town Union Leadership among others.

President of the foundation and Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of Oilserve Limited, Engineer Sir Emeka Okwuosa said the food items were his widow’s mite to ease the sufferings of his Oraifite people and others as a result of  the lockdown.

Addressing the beneficiaries from the four quarters of Ibolo, Ifite, Ezumeri and Irefi that make up the community, Director of the foundation and former Commissioner for Works in Anambra state, Sir Azuka Okwuosa (Chinyelugo) who represented Sir Engr Okwuosa said the foundation spent over N40 million to make the palliatives available for the vulnerables in the community.

Sir Okwuosa noted that the foundation’s intervention was to assist government in alleviating the sufferings of the people in the lockdown era as government could not do it alone.

He said: “Government is limited in terms of what it can do. Organizations and individuals have roles to play. Communities have people who are blessed and it is time to come to the rescue  of our people. It will be very painful for people to die of hunger virus. And you know Doctors can treat patients but they cannot feed them. 

“The foundation has made provision for Oraifite community, others outside this community and has extended it to people in Port Harcourt and other parts of the country,” he said.

He said that the foundation decided to use five persons from each quarter to represent others in compliance of social distancing and other precautionary measures.

He maintained that the tension in the land with it’s attendant confusion was enough to put people in distress hence , the Emeka Okwuosa foundation decided to use food apostolate to cushion the effects on the people.

Okwuosa informed that the foundation had distributed same quantity to Port Harcourt and other parts of the country. He asked people to buy face masks to protect themselves which is not costly since they can buy recharge cards to make calls.

In his comments, the traditional ruler of Oraifite community, His Royal Highness, Igwe Dr Daniel Udoji described it as a thing of joy that God had used an Oraifite son to come to the rescue of the people.

He noted that what the foundation had done was Community Social Responsibility (CSR) and prayed that God would continue to bless the benefactor and Oraifite community who had produced a son like Okwuosa.

“We also pray that God will pursue Coronavirus and its trouble away from us. It will not come close to us or attack our children, ” he said.

He recalled that the Emeka Okwuosa Foundation had been doing a lot to empower Oraifite people through scholarships, skill acquisition and other various means of empowerment.

In his goodwill message, the Minority Leader/and two time Member representing Ekwusigo constituency, Anambra state House of Assembly, Right Hon Onyebuchi Augustine Offor described the Okwuosa’s as Godsent to not only Oraifite community and Anambra state but the entire Nigeria.

Hon. Offor said the most striking thing in the distribution to Oraifite and others was that it was not political as there was no name on the rice, asking God to bless the giver and receivers.

One of the clergymen and Archdeacon, Oraifite West Archdeaconry, Venerable V. C. Okeke enjoined the beneficiaries to give thanks to God for giving them the philanthropist.

Ven. Okeke charged others to assist others as much as they can at whatever level they can even if it is advice, encouragement as they must not distribute like Okwuosa.

He noted that Emeka Okwuosa Foundation had continued to live by example, a gesture he said would attract more blessings to the foundation and its founder.

Contributing also, the President General of Oraifite town Union, Sir Sony Igboanuzue represented by Mr Edmund Ugwuezumba as well as the President General, Oraifite town Union, Women wing , Mrs Esione Ijeoma represented by Secretary of the women wing, Mrs Ogechi Izuka lauded Sir Engr Emeka Okwuosa for caring for the poor and the needy in Oraifite and environs.

In appreciation of the donation , the Chairman, Irefi National Oraifite,
Hon Ifeanyi Chukwulobe, Chairman Ezumeri village, Hon Jude Amaizu , and Vice President, Oraifite Improvement Union, Lagos Branch, Kenechukwu Ejike Chukwulobe as well as the National Youth Council, Oraifite Lolo , Epunam Chizoba noted that the gesture of the Emeka Okwuosa Foundation was unique as security people were for the first time in the state accommodated in the distribution of palliatives.

In a vote of thanks, the manager of the Emeka Okwuosa Foundation, Prof. Johnson Anene said the people in Rivers State where the founder is based as well as Imo state, among others were receiving same treat by the founder Sir Engr Emeka Okwuosa and appealed to those handling the distribution to quarters to ensure that those deserving the food items get them.