HOW CHIEF EZEALI CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR WITH AFIKPO PEOPLE, NIGERIANS
By Paul Okah
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Chief Oluchukwu Ukie Ezeali (Chief P. Noble), who is fond of putting smiles on the faces of the less privileged and who has always advocated for people to cultivate the habit of giving unconditionally, has celebrated Christmas and New Year with residents of Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
In the spirit of Christmas and New Year Celebrations, the Commissioner distributed over three million naira, including 400 bags of rice, 100 wrappers and other items to different groups in Afikpo, including the less privileged, elders of Itim, elders of Ehugbo, widows, disabled, hospital patients, traders, among others.
The commissioner also fixed solar light in different parts of his community in Mgbom, Afikpo North LGA; in order to prevent the type of crimes usually committed under the cover of darkness, thereby enabling a crime free yuletide in the community, with the assurance of adding more solar light to extend to other neighbouring communities.
Also, Chief P. Noble celebrated the New Year with All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Itim Ward by sharing gift items (from house to house) to over 50 party faithful.
Chief P. Noble also shared N100, 000 to Itim elders, including the Horii, Onikara, Ekpuke Essa and Ekpuke Eto, a gesture he replicated with the Ehugbo traditional council of elders, with youths also receiving cash from the Commissioner to celebrate the Christmas and New Year in their own way.
Earlier before the onset of the Yuletide, Chief P. Noble had distributed N10,000 each to more than 50 people of Afikpo extraction, while others received either N15,000, N20,000 or N50,000, depending on the size of their families, even as more than 100 people were randomly gifted N2,000 each; either at home, market or on the street.
Also, being of the Ibe Ezeke matrilineal family, P. Noble distributed bags of rice and cash gifts to executive members of Ibe Ezeke, who visited him on Christmas day (as they usually do every yuletide), while residents, who thronged P. Noble Hotel and Suites on December 25, received free drinks of different brands.
On social media, many Nigerians are still showering praises on Chief P. Noble as more than 100 Facebook users benefited airtime of different denominations and networks from the humanitarian, including MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9Mobile.
Even members of his staff were not left out in the Christmas largesse as Chief P. Noble randomly distributed bags of rice to them, with a sick staff receiving N25, 000 to help in offsetting her hospital bills.
Similarly, on Saturday, January 2, during the celebration of Amaha Amaizu Cultural Carnival, P. Noble gave N100,000 to the community, including N50,000 to Amaha men, N30,000 to women and N20,000 to the youth.
Furthermore, P. Noble donated gifts, including cash, crates of beer and drinks of different brands to individuals and associations, who celebrated one event or the other during the Yuletide.
Meanwhile, in support of her husband’s humanitarian gesture, his wife equally distributed over 100 wrappers to widows of Afikpo extraction, irrespective of their communities.
Though almost all the beneficiaries of P. Noble’s Christmas largesse had one form of prayer or the other to say to God on behalf of the humanitarian, the most touching was that of a sick widow, Mrs Ugonma Oko, who prayed for God to continue blessing P. Noble; in order to continue remembering the less privileged, “unlike other wealthy men who neglect the poor and choose to celebrate with only members of their families”.
Speaking with this reporter, Chief P. Noble said that he was just following the examples of Governor David Nweze Umahi in touching lives positively by reaching out to as many families as possible this yuletide, even as he implored other well-to-do Afikpo indigenes to tap into the blessings of God, which comes from giving for the uplift of the less privileged.
He said: “I don’t think I am doing anything extraordinary as I am just following the footsteps of my boss, His Excellency Chief Engr. David Nweze Umahi, FNSE, FNATE, who has the milk of kindness running in his veins and who can never eat, drink or sleep until the less privileged are satisfied. This yuletide, I can proudly say that more than 1,000 people were touched or reached in one way or the other, either with my gift of money, cash, wrappers or what have you.
“There is something many people don’t know about giving: the blessings from God, which comes from giving to the less privileged, are immeasurable. When I look at the smiles from the faces of people I reached out to and the prayers they say to God on my behalf, I feel immense joy, and more indebted to them because God blesses me through the prayers of those I come in contact with.”
He added: “Of course, my wife has been supportive as she equally gifted wrappers to widows, in addition to the money I provided. I have in mind to do more for people as the days go by, including the payment of hospital bills for the sick, because it is their prayers and blessings that have been seeing me and my family through in whatever we do: be it business or politics.
“I will also implore other wealthy men to cultivate the habit of uplifting the less privileged in any way they can, because God will also bless them when they remember the poor. Above all, I give thanks to God and Governor Umahi for making it possible to celebrate this year’s yuletide in peace and harmony and I know that 2021 will be better for all of us. Those we couldn’t reach should be patient as many more goodies are on the way, thanks to Governor Umahi. In a nutshell, P. Noble stands for good governance: we #Help1toHelp10.”
Meanwhile, in recognition of his numerous humanitarian interventions, community development and contributions to nation-building, P. Noble, has been presented with the 2020 Philanthropic Award of Honour by a socio-cultural group, Afikpo Newdawnites, which he unhesitatingly dedicated to the state governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi.
The award was presented to the commissioner on Sunday during a hangout and re-orientation exercise organised by Afikpo Newdawnites in Afikpo.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the group, Comrade Ewa Austine, said that the interest of the group is in promoting growth, peace and unity in Afikpo North, hence the recognition of P. Noble’s efforts in that direction.
He said: “Afikpo Newdawnites are young species of youths with the mandate of bringing light and restoring sanity among the youths, for the betterment/development of our community, Afikpo.
“We recorded massive turnout of youths during the hangout and orientation exercise, where the team addressed the youths on the need for peace and tranquillity in our community, which promotes development in a city. The youths were advised to channel their strength into something more productive; instead of disrupting the peace we are enjoying in our community with cultism, gangsterism and arson.
“Furthermore, Afikpo Newdawnites during the events, pleaded with some youths not to allow some power mongers to use them against their brothers and friends during the electioneering period for their own selfish interest. Afikpo is our own and we must join hands in making it great again.”
While accepting the award, Chief P. Noble thanked the group for the humble recognition, dedicating it to Governor David Nweze Umahi.
He said: “My appreciation goes to my boss, His Excellency Chief. Engr. David Nweze Umahi, for giving me the privilege to serve in his government and add to humanity. I am also grateful to Afikpo Newdawnites for the recognition of my efforts in human capacity development.
“I have always said that you don’t need to make much noise for people to recognise your contributions to development of society as your efforts will always single you out wherever you may be. On my part, this 2021 will be better for all of us as I promise to always do my best in adding smiles on the faces of Afikpo people in particular and Ebonyi state in general.
“As I have been learning under the footsteps of my boss, Governor Umahi, we will continue bringing out the best in Ebonyians and doing our best for the overall development of the state under the APC. Once again, I am grateful to Afikpo Newdawnites for this humble recognition and pray God to keep all of us in good health to enjoy the best of 2021.”
