Support Government In Alleviating Suffering Of Less Privileged, Good-Spirited Nigerians Urged
An expert in humanitarian services, Ijeoma Otuodichinma Nweke, has urged good-spirited Nigerians to support the government in alleviating the sufferings of the less privileged in society.
Nweke said this recently, in marking her 50th birthday, more than half of which was spent touching lives and putting smiles on the faces of people and still not tired as she retired voluntarily due to health challenges.
Nweke who was a former Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos Branch, stressed that humanitarian activities are crucial to alleviating the sufferings of the vulnerable ones in the society. She further called on humanitarian Non-governmental organizations not to relent in their efforts in alleviating the suffering of the poor in the society.
Government alone cannot tackle the problems of the poor in the society she said. Therefore, humanitarian Non-governmental organizations can support the government by putting in place programs that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) one and two in poverty eradication and zero hunger.
Nweke committed more than a million Naira to provide provisions, food/food items, hospital equipment, clothing, and some cash donations to some prison inmates, widows, fatherless and motherless even after the birthday Thanksgiving.
Visits were made with her friends to the Nigerian Red Cross Motherless and Abandoned Babies Home, Makoko, Beggars at Idiaraba Lagos, Ikoyi Medium prison, and the female surgical ward where she spent months as a result of a near-fatal accident she had in 20q9.
Humanitarian services have been a part of Nweke’s way of giving back to society whenever she is blessed with the resources.
The immediate past National General Secretary of the Young Women Christian Association ( YWCA) of Nigeria said, though she had yet to get any formal collaboration from any organsation or a particular group, she enjoyed huge support from her family and friends which helped her to complete and execute her proposed activities.
She was also able to touch more lives even after the program appreciated them all and prayed that the good Lord wipe away all their secret tears.
She explained that her recent humanitarian services were based on God’s direction after a personal devotion to her church, St. James Anglican Church Amuwo-Odofin ahead of her forthcoming 50th birthday close to a year before D-day.
She said, “ I obeyed God because I have come to understand that there wouldn’t be any better place and way to celebrate God’s Amazing Grace and Mercy in one’s life than those places.
This is in line with the Biblical injunction in Mathew 25:40, which says, “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me,” the humanitarian expert added.
Nweke who is the Vice President, of the United Nations Association of Nigeria(UNAN), submitted, “Since the Government cannot do it all, Let us continue doing our own little bits from our little corners. Little drops of water, make a mighty ocean. Together we can touch and change our world,” she concluded.
