On the 17th of August, 2019, Akama Oghe Community in Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State was thrown into celebration as the Honorable Member representing Ezeagu Constituency in Enugu State House Assembly, ENHA, Rt. Hon. Barr. Chima Obieze hosted over 100 widows in all the clans in Akama-Oghe to mark this years’ “High Mass” of the community.
Hon. Obieze uses this annual event to touch the lives of the widows in his community and has been doing this for the past 5 years even before becoming a member of the state assembly.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy leader, Enugu State House of Assembly, of Rt. Hon. Onyinye Ugwu, said; “Honestly, I don’t know how Hon. Obieze does this. We just finished election and was sworn-in less than two months ago and here he is giving back to the people.
“I must confess, his people are very lucky to have someone like Obieze as one of their sons” she said. She encouraged Barr. Obieze not to relent in doing the good things he’s doing.
The coordinator of the widows in the community, Eucheria Ikwueze, couldn’t hide her excitement as she poured encomium on Hon Obieze for remembering the widows and coming to them in times of need.
“He has been doing this for years now” she said. She went on to say that “Hon Obieze does this same thing for us even before occupying a public office. He does this twice in a year.”
When asked if they contribute any money or register before benefiting in the gesture, Mrs Ikwueze shouted; “NO OH! Mba! Mba!! Mba!!! He doesn’t demand even 1 kobo from us and we have never contributed in any form to him. Even our Council Chairman, Fred Ezenwa supports this initiative” she said.
The Chairman of Ezeagu LGA, Hon. Fred Ezenwa speaking earlier, said; “What Obieze is doing is worthy of emulation. You can see the crowd, you will see it’s not a fluke, it’s not arranged, it’s real, Hon. Obieze is touching lives.
”Ordinarily, I’m not supposed to be here because I’m bereaved but because what Obieze is doing today is in line with what our Principal, the Governor, preaches, I don’t have any option than to be there like I always do every year’ he concluded.
The Igwe-elect of Imama Iwollo, Hi-Chief Sir, Amb. Obinna Aneke who also graced the occasion, appreciated Hon. Obieze for remembering the widows in his community and enjoined him never to relent. He encouraged the widows to stay strong as God will never abandon his own.
Speaking to Journalist101 after the event, the highly elated Hon. Obieze said; “I give all the glory to the almighty God.
“This is a yearly ritual, in August, we do it in only Akama Oghe because they are the only community that celebrates Hi-Mass in Ezeagu but in December, we bring widows from the entire Ezeagu Constituency and do our best to make their celebration worthwhile.
I started this even before becoming a member of the State House and having a Governor like Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who as an epitome of benevolence re-energized my resolve that giving back to the society is the best form of living.
The widows aren’t left out even in the planting season as they are provided with improved seedlings and Cassava stems to give them better produce.
Speaking on the criteria for the selection of the beneficiaries, Obieze said; “There’s no qualification nor criteria for you to be eligible to benefit, irrespective of your political allegiance, so long as you are in Akama Oghe, even if it’s by naturalization, you are qualified to be here” he concluded
The high points of the event was the handing over of bags of rice, wrappers and cash to the widows.
Also present at the event are; the immediate past Chief of Staff to Enugu State Governor, Dr. Uzo, aides to the Governor of Enugu State, the Youth Leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter, Ogbonnaya Nnaemaka, friends of Obieze and community members,
