The crowd had gathered once again at the Community Primary School Umueri in Anambra East Local Government Area, Anambra State on that day to witness yet another annual event organized by the former Senator that represented Anambra North Senatorial Zone.
There were no space to contain yet another surging crowd that tried to gain entrance into the primary School playground, hence they had to cause traffic jam along the Awkuzu-Nteje Umueri-Otuocha high way there by disturbing vehicular movement.
On that day, it marks the seventh Senator Emma Obi Anosike Empowerment scheme for the seven Local Government Areas that made up Anambra North Senatorial zone. The arena indeed beheld large quantity of Wrappers, food items and wheel chairs for the physically challenged people in the area.
Speaking at the occasion the Chairman Emma Nnacho, one of the Elder Statesmen in the area extolled the qualities of Anosike nothing that a man’s wealth amounts to nothing if he cannot use it to give succor to the less privileged.
“What we are witnessing here today is practical Christianity.
The need for us to assist the less privileged is because they are always with us at all times and God uses those kind gestures to bless us”
“One interesting thing here is that though Anosike is a Politician, he is not doing this for election purposes. He is not contesting for any position in this 2015 general election. He had been doing this every year and people benefit bountifully from it”
“We urge all and sundry to give him support through commending his efforts. I also want to use this opportunity to encourage the entire well to do members of the Society to borrow a leaf from what our son Anosike is doing”
Also speaking at the occasion the Chairman Traditional Rulers Council for Anambra North Senatorial zone and traditional ruler of Nteje Community in Oyi Local government Area, Igwe Roland Odegbo observed that politics has to do with service to humanity.
“People go into politics to serve mankind and that is the way it is. Those that go into politics just to enrich themselves do not last in the system. Emma Anosike has always been with the people and not those that are totally disconnected from the masses”
“Anosike has served us as Federal House of Representatives member and he did well. He has also served us as a Senator and he gave us the good road network that we now enjoy today, you also know his contributions in attracting successive governors and Federal governments to our Communities for develop-ment and empowerment. That is why he is seen as the real Son of the soil. We must continue to encourage him and ensure that he is not demoralized at the end of the day “he added.
It was also a very rare opportunity for resource persons to enlighten and educate the rural dwellers on some issues concerning their health. To this end elder Sister to Anosike Mrs Easter Maduka spoke on breast and womb cancer among women and advised them to always run a check on their womb and breast respectively.
Maduka noted that women that have stopped Child bearing between ten to fifteen years run a high risk of having cancer of the womb or breast but insisted that if noticed on time the patient can be treated.
She advised that pressing the breast of new born babies can also cause cancer in a later age, adding that more than two hundred women are lying helplessly at the teaching Hospitals due to breast cancer.
She also warned against the use of sugar to check eye infection, adding that such practice is not allowed medically and is always dangerous to the eyes.
She observed that the only way out is for one to be-eating food that contains vitamin A that is good for the eyes.
Delivering his address at the occasion, Senator Anosike noted that he do not expect anything in return but prayers from people.
“We shall continue to empower widows and the less privileged members of our society. In the next time we are having this programme we shall have Centres for free medical check-up and any person found to be sick would be taken care of at the General hospital for free treatment”
“It is my belief that if every well to do person in Anambra North come out to do what am doing the level of poverty would reduce drastically. It is also my hope that next time it would be bigger than what we have today by the grace of God. I also urge both the federal and State governments to come to the assistance of those at the rural Areas through provision of basic amenities and good Medicare. ‘’ he added.
Former Commissioner for Information and culture Chief Jeo Ofokansi who incidentally was the Chairman of the Empowerment scheme noted that the essential reason behind the empowerment is charity to mankind.
Ofokansi also explained that “we shall continue to grow from strength to strength at all times in empowering our people. As a former Senator, he cannot limit it to Anambra East; he has to expand his tentacles up to other Local governments in the zone.
Next year we are going to add new things add dimensions to the scheme in other to increase our number of beneficiaries’’.
The highlight of the occasion was the distribution of over 1,000 wrappers, 1,000 bags of rice, onions, cartons of tin tomatoes and about 50 wheel chairs for the physically challenged persons who actually need them as well as physical cash.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to Daily Times at the occasion expressed happiness over the kind gesture of Senator Anosike adding that the foundation has gone a long way in empowering people.
One of the Widows Mrs Roselin Chinweze from Oyi Local government Area noted that‘’ we started benefiting from the foundation since 2006 and ever since then it has been encouraging, God will continue to bless him and his family members’’.
Mr Christopher Jideofor Ifediora who spoke on behalf of the physically challenged persons recalled that Anosike had given him money in past for his Children’s school fees and another sum of money which he used to start small scale business.
Also Mrs Cordelia Okeke from Anambra East Local government Area recalled that “some time ago he gave us free medical care and relief materials when we had flood disaster. He is a humble and accommodating man with open arms”.
At the end of the occasion, the beneficiaries went home happy and Senator Anosike went home justified that he has touched the lives of his people.
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