From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Kogi Philanthropist and President of Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation, Ambassador Gabriel Onoja has moved to Tcha Tchou community in Parakon of Benin republic, his mother’s country to put smile on the faces of over 250 widows and orphans.
A Statement issued by the Foundation which was made available to Journalists in Lokoja at the weekend, said Ambassador Gabriel Onoja was in the country to fulfil his mother’s devine call to extend his humanitarian services to the less privilege in her country.
“I know your plight as widows especially in the areas of feeding and education of your children, Nigeria and Benin republic are not too far, I will endeavour to be visiting you intermittently to check your well being and come to your aid in any areas God gives us the financial support to do.
“What we need from you is nothing but prayer so that we can be buoyant to render this humanitarian services to the people of Africa and beyond” he said.
One of the beneficiaries Rhoda Moses who led other widows to pray for the president of the foundation, said “this is the first time somebody from another country visited us in our community and distribute food items and money to the widows”
“Since you have chosen to remember us as widows who don’t have the financial capacities to take care of ourselves, we will never stop praying for you and the foundation. Your coming to this community today is timely and you can see the high turnout of widows and orphans in appreciation of your gesture” she added
Also in her remark, the mother of Ambassador Onoja who is an indigene of Benin republic Mrs Elizabeth Bani described the humanitarian services rendered to her people by her biological son as a dream fulfilled.
“It has been my dream and prayer that my children should be great and render selfless service to the less privileged in the society. So when Gabriel my first son started this humanitarian services three years ago I was overwhelmed with joy and I prayed for him and encouraged him to take the gesture to every part of the world”.
Alhaji Umar Abu one of the ardent supporters of the foundation, who accompanied Ambassador Gabriel Onoja to Benin republic, said the cardinal focus of Enemona Foundation is love and humanitarian services, adding that the extension of the gesture to widows and orphans in Benin republic has been on the agenda of the foundation to extend its tentacles outside the shore of Nigeria.
He appealed to well meaning individuals, foreign donors across the world to support the foundation for effective implementation of its core mandate to the less privileged ones in the society.
Items distributed to widows and orphans include 250 bags of rice, cartons of maggi, bags of salt and cash respectively.
In a related development, Youths in Parakou a northern state in Republic of Benin also bestowed an award of Humanitarian Excellence on Ambassador Gabriel Enemona Onoja for his selfless service to humanity.
The leader of the youth Mr Akilou Madugu who presented the award on behalf of other teaming youth , said from the internet, television networks in Benin Republic they have been reading and viewing clips of how the president/founder, Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation has been assisting the less privileged ones in Nigeria.
He noted that the prestigious award bestowed on him was to spur him to do more for the people of Benin Republic and other parts of the world.
“In fact this is the first time the youth of this country are witnessing a philanthropist who will come to us not on the basis of politics but to render help to widows and orphans in this community.”