From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

As the saying goes, every work on earth has its reward. Chief Ifeanyi Ubaka Okali, the founder of ABN TV, Umuahia, Abia State, has devoted the greater part of his life to sow seeds of human empowerment.

That Okali has used his connections and resources to touch the lives of the underprivileged and widows is to state the obvious. It is, therefore, not in contention that, in appreciation of his benevolence, he is reaping bountifully from all strata of society.

The latest group to appreciate Okali for what he has been doing for them were widows who worship at the Solid Rock Parish of Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Umuahia.

During the celebration of this year’s Mothers’ Day, Okali gave cloth wrappers to widows in the church as his way of putting smiles on their faces at that auspicious occasion.

On July 25, the church organised their Fathers’ Day celebration and, in the spirit of ‘he who gives us, we will give back’, the widows of the church chose the opportunity the day provided to reciprocate the good deeds of the ABN TV boss.

The women gave Okali expensive items, including kitchen utensils and other items to the surprise of the ABN TV boss. While presenting the gifts, one of the widows said they decided to give their widows’ mite to Okali because of the way he has been talking care of them.

She said Okali had at every turn and event remembered the women, particularly widows, in one way or the other, making it clear it would amount to ingratitude if widows in the church do not say “thank you to Okali” in their own little way.

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“He has spared no efforts in putting smiles on the faces of widows in the church and this is our little way of saying thank you,” she said.

While receiving the gifts, an elated Okali described them as surprising; he never expected the widows could dip hands into their pockets to give him out of the very little they had.

He said: “The windows have surprised me. I’m short of words. I never believed in these hard times they could dip hands into their pockets to buy such gifts for me, I’m overwhelmed.”

While expressing gratitude to the widows for the gifts, praying that God would replenish them, he said what the women did would spur him into doing more for humanity.

Okali’s contributions to society got the fancy of the former governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

Those who know Kalu can attest to the fact that, although he is a man for all people, he is at his finest when he comes in contact with anybody that has the knack to help sustain human existence or assist humanity in any sphere of life.

It was in this wise that, during Okali’s birthday in June, Senator Kalu, while congratulating him, penned this down: “As a brilliant and fine journalist, it was not just by mere coincidence that Ifeanyi Ubaka Okali was born on June 12, a date that would later become one of the finest in the annuals of Nigeria’s chequered history. Indeed, you are a shining light for youths in the state.”