By Patrick Ochei
The Traditional Ruler of Issele-Uku Kingdom and member of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Agbogidi Obi Nduka JP (MNSE) has visited the St. Theresa’s Maternity and Hospital and Great Saints Orphanage, all in Issele-Uku, with gifts ranging from bags of rice, tubers of yam, gallons of red and groundnut oil, cartons of noodles, loaves of bread, beverages, soaps, tissue papers, books, tomatoe paste, tooth paste, money, etc to celebrate with the children on a date (22nd August, 2023) allotted to them for the Iwaji Umuaka in the Ine Aho Festival calendar.
Obi Nduka who was given a royal welcome first at the St. Theresa’s Maternity and Hospital, was presented with a bouquet of flowers by a resplendently dressed young girl in Anioma’s Akwa Ocha attire.
At the hospital, the humanitarian king visited a woman who was delivered of a baby through CS and presented the baby with various gifts, including supporting the family with #100,000.00 to lessen their burden of discharge bill.
Well over 50 children were gathered from within the hospital community to receive the king and he also presented them gifts, including bags of rice, indomie noodles and toiletries to the staff of the hospital.
The Royal Father was highly enthusiastic of development in the hospital, affirming that a lot had really changed since after he was born there.
He commended the Executive Secretary in charge of hospitals under the Issele-Uku Catholic Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Jude Ifeanyi Onyebadi for the great work he is doing to upgrade the hospital both in structures and services, praying God to continue to give him the needed strength for dedication and passion to carry on with his good works.
The Obi also singled out the Hospital Doctor, Dr. Oluwaseun Oyeloye for his selfless dedication of duty to the people of Issele-Uku and environs who are speaking well of his outstanding services, thereby encouraging him not to lose faith for his reward would surely come.
It was a different ball game at the Great Saints Orphanage Issele-Uku, where the 26 children in the Home received the Royal Father with songs and dances that got everybody praising God for what He cannot do, does not exist.
Touched by the level of brilliance and discipline exhibited by the children in the Home, Obi Nduka motivated them by encouraging them to keep showing their talents and potentials to the world.
He commended the founder of the Orphanage and President of Emeka Ezeagbor Foundation, Mr. Emeka Ezeagbor for his humanitarian services that have continued to save lives, give hope to the hopeless and of course, discouraging destitution in the society. He prayed God to strengthen his hand to achieve more and do more for God and humanity.
The amiable king confirmed his reasons for embarking on this voyage of celebrating with children on the special occasion of Iwaji Umuaka.
He said that value system must return and that society must go back to the basis by raising children who are able to develop without indulging in unwholesome practices that could jeopardise their lives in future.
According to Obi Nduka, “The time has come for all hands to be on deck to change the narrative and begin to inculcate sound moral values on our children. We need them for a secure future for all.
“This is the maiden edition of this initiative and I am using the platform of the Iwaji Umuaka, which before now had been unnoticed in our Ine Aho Festival, to begin this rebirth of our value system. This idea will be expanded as time goes on to create the desired effect in the lives of our children and society.
“I am using this medium to call on all our people all over the world to imbibe the idea of giving back to our community and the less privileged ones. We must see and take every child as our own as it used to be and help where necessary, because we don’t know what any of them could become in future. May God continue to bless our children and of course, our community, Issele-Uku”, Agbogidi Nduka posited.
It was indeed a royal visitation as various chiefs, including the Ozah of Issele-Uku, Chief Victor Isiekwenamgbu, the Okwalegwe of Issele-Uku, Chief (Dr) John Ochei, the Agujiegbe of Issele-Uku, Chief Gabriel Sunday Ebite, the Osodi of Issele-Uku, Chief Sunday Monyei, the Oloto of Issele-Uku, Chief Ignatius Memeh, the Inwengwe of Issele-Uku, Chief Victor Egbune, the Diokpas of various villages, members of the 2023 Ine Aho Festival Committee, Princess Pat Ngozi Mekoma (Née Osemene), Prince Austin Maha and others too numerous to mention accompanied Obi Issei on the visitations.
