From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Traders at the Building Materials International Market, Ogidi, Anambra State recently celebrated an unusual Christmas end of the year thanksgiving where several lives were touched positively.
President General of the market, Chief Jude Nwankwo whom traders have continued to eulogise his sterling leadership qualities took the ceremony to a higher level when he empowered 16 members of the union facing financial difficulties with the sum of N500,000 each to boost their businesses.
Over 200 orphanage homes were showered with gift items ranging from cash, food stuff and household provisions.
Women in the market numbering over 3000 also went home with bags of rice even as other individuals who have served the union in various capacities were rewarded and honoured as patrons.
Speaking during the thanksgiving ceremony, the President General of the market, Chief Jude Nwankwo recalled the bleak economic outlook of the year 2022 and expressed joy that the market survived against all odds, made appreciable progress and noted that with God’s guidance, the market witnessed a quantum leap in major sectors of the economy.
Nwankwo, who is also a patron of Anambra State Amalgamated Market Traders Association (ASMATA), while interacting with his colleagues, reemphasized that touts have no place in Anambra markets and asked the traders to key into the state government policies, especially in internally generated revenue which he said will pave way for good roads, electricity, schools, industrialization among others.
He disclosed that gift items doled out to the less privileged was their own little way of giving back to society especially the less privileged and also advised beneficiaries of the eight million naira to make good use of the money pointing out that the five hundred thousand naira allocated to each person if properly used will help them bounce back in their businesses.
The special prayers began with the festival of carols and nine lessons which reminded Christians the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus Christ told in nine short bible readings and interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols, hymns and choir anthems.
Leading the prayers, Brother Bernard Ezeh, congratulated the executive for the people-oriented policies that have promoted love and togetherness in the market, asking the traders to spend more time on things that will please God instead of the things of the world.
One of the founders of the market, Chief Mark Aguiyi and a Woman Leader in the market, Mrs Queen Nebo, applauded the market executive for their commitment to making the market the best in the state and noted that the monthly prayer has brought about increased love and togetherness for the success of all traders.
Mr Obinna Ogu, a trader in the market who benefited from the cash support and a representative of the physically challenged students in the state, Oluchukwu Azike showered encomiums on Chief Nwankwo and the market leadership for their care and love and for being a shoulder to lean on at a very difficult moment of their lives.
Two groups also bestowed an Award of Excellence on the President General for his outstanding records in public service and also urged other market leaders to emulate Chief Nwankwo.
The traders who spoke also noted that Chief Nwankwo has excelled in enthroning transparent market leadership and also made Building Materials Market the most peaceful market in Anambra State where all stakeholders and traders work in harmony.
In an interview after the ceremony, Chief Nwankwo said empowering the less privileged and the physically challenged has also opened his eyes to realise that there is ability in disability relishing the performance of one of the blind people who sang perfectly during the ceremony.
He also recalled that the loss of his mother to the cold hands of death could not allow him to host the event of such magnitude last year.
“For the sake of my departed mother, I decided to clothe the women in this market and also give them food items and I know my late mother will be happy wherever she is now. If you empower the women, you have empowered the entire society,” he said.