Nollywood actress Rechael Okonkwo, popularly known as Nkoli Nwa Nsukka, has provided free healthcare services to more than 5,000 residents of Nsukka, Enugu State, as part of the eighth edition of her annual Nkoli Mega Carnival.
The medical outreach, organised in partnership with the Franklin Junior Foundation, featured doctors, nurses, laboratory personnel and other healthcare professionals who attended to residents with various health conditions.
Beneficiaries received free medical consultations, medications, wheelchairs, walking aids and reading glasses, while those requiring specialised treatment were referred to hospitals for further care.
Speaking on the initiative, David Ofogba, Director of Programmes at the Franklin Junior Foundation, said the partnership was aimed at making basic healthcare accessible to residents who might otherwise struggle to afford it.
Ofogba disclosed that the outreach had attended to more than 5,000 people since Friday, with patients requiring specialised care referred for additional treatment.
“The most striking thing for us is seeing the needs of the needy being met, making them happy and giving them hope in life,” he said.
He added that the exercise had highlighted the extent of healthcare challenges faced by some members of the community.
For Okonkwo, the carnival represents more than entertainment. Her commitment to community development, she explained, was shaped by her personal experience of losing her father at the age of 13 and growing up without the financial resources or influential connections that could have made life easier.
That experience, she said, strengthened her determination to support vulnerable people, particularly children and families struggling to meet basic needs.
“Your background shouldn’t determine your future. With determination, you can make it,” the actress said.
The eighth edition also marked the return of the carnival after a two-year hiatus. The last edition was held in 2023, while rising costs had made it difficult to sustain the event on its traditional Easter Sunday date.
Okonkwo said she began reconsidering the decision to suspend the carnival after Easter this year, particularly after her friend and brother, Monday Diamond, contacted her to ask why the event had not held.
According to her, after she explained that funding was the major challenge, Diamond encouraged her to proceed, insisting that the carnival had to return.
The event subsequently returned in August, with the addition of the medical outreach as a major component for the first time.
Okonkwo said the Franklin Junior Foundation, based in the United States, became involved after observing the community-focused impact of the carnival and expressed interest in supporting its expansion into healthcare.
One of the medical practitioners at the outreach, Dr Chinonso Gabriel, said he participated in the exercise to contribute to efforts aimed at addressing healthcare needs in the community.
He identified malaria and glaucoma among some of the conditions encountered during the exercise, while patients requiring further attention were referred for specialised treatment.
Beneficiaries also expressed appreciation for the intervention, particularly the opportunity to receive medical attention and medication without worrying about the cost.
Beyond healthcare, the carnival provided relief materials to 500 vulnerable widows, who received items including rice, tomato paste, noodles, wrappers, children’s clothing, school bags and writing materials.
Children also featured prominently in the programme through an educational quiz, with bicycles presented to participating children as incentives to encourage academic commitment.
For Okonkwo, the various interventions are part of a broader effort to identify pressing needs within her community and use available resources to respond to them.
The actress expressed appreciation to the partners, brands, media organisations, volunteers and supporters who contributed to the success of the 2026 edition, particularly given the financial challenges that initially threatened the return of the carnival.
She acknowledged the support of brands including Nestlé, Knorr, Golden Penny, Stanel, Bestie Noodles, Wellington Blue Hotels, Aqua Rapha and Lush, among others.
She also thanked media partners and volunteers for amplifying the initiative, while expressing gratitude to God for what she described as favourable weather throughout the event.
Okonkwo said the carnival ultimately reflects her belief that everyone has a responsibility to make a positive impact in their own way.
“People are called in different ways, and there are different ways of touching lives,” she said, urging individuals to pursue initiatives through which they can positively affect others.
Now in its eighth edition, the Nkoli Mega Carnival has evolved from an entertainment-focused gathering into a community intervention platform combining healthcare, education, welfare and entertainment.
For Okonkwo, whose childhood was shaped by the loss of her father and the challenges of growing up with limited resources, the initiative represents an opportunity to provide others with the support she once lacked.
Her journey, she believes, reinforces the message at the heart of the carnival: where a person starts may influence their story, but it does not have to determine how that story ends.
