A lot have been heard about COVID-19 pandemic and what different countries are doing to ameliorate the sufferings of their citizens. At the weekend in Ibusa, Delta State, the people of Umuezeogboli experienced a “rain of blessing”.
Unlike the usual kind of palliative distributed by the government to the people, the family of late senior Michael Nwaezeapu under auspices of Michael Nwaezeapu Foundation took it upon themselves to show kindness to the entire Umuezeogboli people, ensuring that the less privileged, orphans, wives, widows, elders and sick ones have something to eat in way that defines love, care.
The food items distributed include bags of rice, beans, cartons of nodules, yam, onions, tomatoes, palm and vegetable oil.
“I am happy that someone took it upon himself to remember me. To give me food stuff. Everybody that has received these foods items today is deeply touched because we never expected this kind gesture at a trying period like this. I pray that God almighty will bless those that provide for us”, said one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Rita Okafor.
Speaking of the symbolic value of the palliative, Mrs Salome Chukwurah while pointing to her gifts , “We feel loved by our husbands. For them to have remembered to give us something that would last us for weeks show that they place importance on us. May God replenish them in Jesus name”.
This singular act was timely considering the level of hardship most of the beneficiaries were going through. Some of them had challenges that were unbelievable. Driving a distance of about five poles, the distribution team in company of humanitarian Philip Elume, and Comrade Ekene Okonkwo of the Young Citizens of Nigeria (YCN), journalists and some community women visited the lonely home of a Ninety-year-old woman, Mama Amadi, who according to neighbours live alone because she has no child.
The team had to exercise a mixture of patience and compassion to be able to see mama who took over forty-five minutes to open the door. It also wasn’t easy handing over the goods as the Nonagenarian was hard of hearing. One had to shout for her to hear and in the midst of it all, she has no companion. Nobody to talk to and nobody to cook or care for her. The team learnt an unpleasant lesson pertaining to life and old age.
“With your permission Sir, I will come here regularly to check on her”, said Francis Ndikanwu, a volunteer from the Young Citizens of Nigeria.
Francis moved by the woman’s melancholic state at 90, added that “elderly people deserve care and respect from their respective communities”. He wondered why the woman’s family couldn’t assign a child to live with her.
Another disturbing experience in the cause of distribution of the palliative was a visit to the Okafor family. “I am tried of this trouble. The medicine that I bought this evening has been wasted. He is sick and when you give him medicine, he will vomit it”, said the wife of one of the Okafor brothers. She added that his younger brother is also down with stroke.
“Thank you for coming to our house to present this gifts. At least we will have food to eat”, the woman said hoping that her husband recovers fast.
The palliative didn’t end until the team extended love to Pro Labore del, a motherless baby home located at Ogboli quarters, Ibusa.
At the orphanage home which means labour of God, the MNF presented the food items and encouraged the children to keep hope alive.
Reacting to the visit, Mrs Martha Nwankwo, caregiver of the children welcomed the team. “We will be able to take good care of the children here and other parts of the country if well meaning citizens can emulate the good gesture of the Michael Nwaezeapu Foundation to reach out to the less privileged”.
On behalf of the children, a boy identified as Michael ministered in songs while praying for divine rewards upon everyone at the occasion.
