64th Independence: NGO fetes over 200 Indigent Women, distributes food, other items

By Alex Ibeh

It was a joyous day and sweet memories as over 200 indigent Women and widows in Owerri Municipal and Yoruba Community living in the Municipality and its environs, Imo State throng to the Council Headquarters were feted to mark this years Independence day by a Non Governmental Organization, NGO, “Yoruba Political Support Group” (YPSG) in collaboration with “Noble Grassroots for Hope”

The celebration, held on 1st of October, 2024, been the Nigerian Independence day, came at a time when economic hardship is taking a toll in the country where more than half of the population are struggling to feed and failing below poverty line,

The food items included rice, spaghetti, indomie noodles, vegetable oil, tomato paste, among others.

Most beneficiaries, who spoke commended the kindness and philanthropic disposition of the
President of the NGO, Dr Deji Osinowo

As part of the bonanza, raffle draws were also carried out there and then to widen the scope of the palliatives, which also included a special package that found itself in the hands of a girl whose flyer contained a deliberately marked inscription by the group which earned her a sum of N300,000 naira cash on the spot.

Streaming with tears of joy when she was fished out of the crowd, she said she has a sick mother who had been down with stroke for some time.

The Chief Executive, Dr Deji Osinowo, an architect, explained that he was doing it to alleviate the sufferings of the women, with the understanding that it would trickle down to their children and husbands ultimately.

“I don’t have the money, but I have the heart of the people. And that is why I have love for the women, I love the mothers, I help the widows. Good has used us to start in a little way. This is something I have been doing for the past five years.

Osinowo, therefore, called on other Nigerians to emulate his gesture.

He urged those planning endless protest in the country to use the money earmarked for it to provide similar palliatives or empowerment for the indigent.

“If we want Nigeria to be a better place, we don’t need to start fighting the government. Some people are planning to protest against the Government.
“Why not use that money for protest to help the indigent, the downtrodden, or the poor?,” he stated.

Dr Osinowo who said the programme was tagged “Mass Mobilization Against Hardship,” informed that he would extend the palliatives to the nine local governments of Owerri Zone as well as other zones.

He thanked Governor Hope Uzodimma for according him the privilege of the celebration.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank His Excellency distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, for giving us the privilege to celebrate Nigeria today. And we’re saying: happy 64th birthday to Nigeria!

He also thanked the APC chairman, MacDonald Ebere in the state, the Executive Chairman, Engr Chidiebere Emeribe, the Vice Chairman, Sir Lawrence Okorie, and the councillors-elect, as well as his group members, for helping to make tha day a memorable one.

Also speaking with journalists, Mrs Chikwe Chiaka of the Noble Grassroots for Hope, described the palliative distribution as ‘a very big programme and one of their biggest since inception, nothing that her group was always collaborating with YPSG to empower the indigent, the widows, those that need something to eat “because the country hard!”

Mrs Chiaka said it was the first time she had seen a “Yoruba man in Imo doing this kind of thing. It’s wonderful. In fact, sometimes, I do pray for him because I know it’s not easy, bringing out to give other people, not to talk about a large number of people. People are too many.”

She also thanked the leadership of APC in the state for helping to ferret out the needy.
“As you can see, somebody has just picked N300,000, somebody whose mother has a stroke.

The young woman who picked up the ‘star’ prize! expressed a profound gratitude to Chief Osinowo.

“I pray God to continue to bless him. I wish him prosperity and everything good,” she said.