In what has become a yearly event, Dr. Bob-Manuel Okonmah, last Christmas and New Year, distributed bags of rice, wrapper and cash to over 400 widows in Anambra West, Anambra State.
Okonmah, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Akalaka Foundation, said it is his own way of giving back to the society, especially the needy in appreciation of what God has been doing for him, all his live.
According to him, there is no ulterior motive as he considers it purely as work of charity. He said, “I am not doing it for any political purpose. But I learned to give not because I have much but because I know exactly how it feels to have nothing; I simply looked around and felt like sharing the little I have with those who may not have. I am not the richest person in the community. But God laid it in my heart to do what I am doing, and I will continue to obey God’s instructions.”
Okonmah who recently earned a doctorate degree said he hopes to do more this year, 2023. “I intend to increase the number of beneficiaries this year to over a thousand (1000). The one we did on December 28, 2022 is the fourth edition of the event and I hope, the Foundation will extend its benevolence to other areas of life, soon.”
Speaking about challenges of logistics, his right-hand man, Comrade Sunday Bishop Chinweze said they have always tried to ensure smooth distribution of the goodies by ensuring proper collation of names and records. But each time, the number of people who appear, do exceed the number on records.
“We observed that people whose names were not on record also come when they hear. It affects proper records keeping. But we always ensured that everybody goes home with something, happily. We have taken note of the few challenges in logistics and hope to improve on them” he said.
Also speaking at the event, member, Board of Trustees, Akalaka Foundation, Princess (Mrs) Judith Okonmah appealed to the beneficiaries to make-do with whatever they received as the Foundation plans to do more next time.
In appreciation, the widows prayed God Almighty to grant Hon. Okonmah and his family, the desires of their hearts while pledging to queue behind him anytime; he decides to run for a political position.
One of them said, “If he could spend this huge of amount of his personal money on helping people, don’t you think he would do more, if he is in government. His types are what we want as representatives.”
