From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha and Joseph Obukata, Warri
Traders at the Building Materials International Market, Ogidi, Anambra State recently celebrated a unique Christmas end of the year thanksgiving where several lives were touched positively.
President General of the market, Chief Jude Nwankwo, took the ceremony to a higher level when he empowered 16 members of the union facing financial difficulties with N500,000 each to boost their businesses.
Not done yet, over 200 orphanages were showered with gift items ranging from cash, food stuffs and household provisions.
About 3000 women in the market 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.
Similarly, a group, Alders league & Friends, donated food items and other consumables to Catholic Old Peoples home and Esther’s court orphanage shelter and rehabilitation centre in Warri, Delta state.
At the Catholic old Peoples home, items donated included beverages, toiletries and food items. Matron of the home, Mrs Cordilia Ehimere, thanked the group for the kind act, praying that God almighty will reward them graciously. “God will bless you all for this kindness”, she prayed.
Some of the oldies, Pa Stephen Ubogo , Pa Oboh Tom also took turns to pray for members of the Alders league & Friends.
At the Esther’s court orphanage shelter and rehabilitation centre, some of the items donated include a brand new generator, ceiling fans, two laptop computers, cartons of frozen chickens, fish, noddles, washing/bathing soaps, clothes, school bags, tomatoes paste, gallons of groundnut oil and several other items.
Chairman of the group, Chief Dr Eugene Ikomi, in a chat with newsmen said that the body was founded by friends who grew up in the 60s in the old city of Warri, precisely Alders town, adding that the whole essence of the group was to rebrand the oil rich city of Warri.
He said: “Our name Alders is derived from Alders town in Warri, the old Warri township. Many years later we changed it to Alders league & friends. We found some people who grew up in Warri but not in Alders town that joined us.
“Today, we focused on the aged people and young orphans. We visited the Catholic old peoples home. We hope to continue to do this.”