Assembly of Anambra State Indigenes (AASI) Munich, Germany celebrated 2023 Christmas in Charity Homes and Orphanages in Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria. This is a major part of a yearly activities of the Anambra people. Formed in 2014, the Assembly under the Chairmanship of Nze Chuks Ifeacho (Omemma Enugwu-Ukwu n’Umunri), the Secretary Ozo Nonso Onyemaeke (Ononulakpataego), able Vice Chairman Engr. Francis Nweke and other principal members of the team considered impacting the members in various positive ways, and supports to the materially underprivileged at home as the key priorities of the Assembly. Since the formation, the Assembly has been immensely useful to the members. It is actively substantial in welcoming new Anambra Indigenes relocating to Munich, giving them information very productive to easy adaptions to the life, work, rules and regulations in the one of the world’s biggest cities.
The Assembly acts as a bridge linking Munich and Anambra State, Nigeria. Since its formation the assembly has remained a potent platform for cultural connectivity or exchange of a sort between the Igbo traditional values and that of the German society. The understanding, the partnership and formidable relationship with Munich’s Ministry of Culture was evident in the visible presence of the Ministry when the Assembly was inaugurated in 2019. AASI distinguishes itself as a foremost fraternal association in Deutschland and leads others with flawless records of dedication to needs of the members, adaptability and conformity to the rules of the land. The entertaining environments of its meetings, gatherings, cultural displays, the grill and end of the year parties leave memories of a people amazingly unique. The Ndi Anambra group has remained consistent and passionate in its pro-member predispositions. The never-ending care for members legitimised the extensions to others particularly the needy in the home state, Anambra. In terms of membership welfare, the group works the talk. There is the claim that no active member has ever been left out of its generous care.
Ndi Anambra in Munich, led by the Chairman Chief Chuks Ifeacho (Omemma Enugwu-Ukwu and his team present gifts to Diocesan Special Education Centre, Nkwo Nnewi.
Each year, the Assembly of Anambra State Indigenes strengthens the umbilical cord with the home front by meticulously organized charity visits. The ‘interventionary’ visits to the disadvantaged have been strongly applauded because of the significant values the visits add to the lives and the living conditions of the economically vulnerable, and the endless numbers of orphans in poorly managed orphanages in Anambra state. The annual visits are creating bonds of obligations between the group and the indigents that wait expectantly for the yearly routine. The leadership of the indigenous group has never failed to deliver on its disposition to help, and has progressively made sending delegates to Nigeria to attend to the needs of Charity Homes an obligation. The Charity intervention programmes have been upgraded to a priority ‘A’ agenda with the pervading economic hardship in Nigeria today.
The Assembly of Ndi Anambra Chairman, Chuks Ifeacho (Omemma Enugwu-Ukwu) explains the delegates’ mission and motives.
It good to state that members have voluntarily keyed into the extraordinary vision of the leadership,and are demonstrating increasing deep passion to contribute in providing the necessary succour to the economically weak and vulnerable. The growing intensity to contribute figurative widows’ might made the year 2023 outing substantially outstanding. In the past the Ndi Anambra, unilaterally, took the decision on what to give, however, this time, the Homes selected through an objectively implemented secret ballots were asked to forward their requests in preferential order. The method was unparalleled in targeting the actual needs of the Homes.
The choice of Charity Homes as platforms of interventions in Anambra State rises and falls on the negative stories associated with never-ending problems of underfunding. As important as these Homes are, little or no significant attention were given them by the government and other institutions expected to play major roles in the maintenance and standardization. The seeming abandonment of the Homes, suggests a rejection and/or disparagement of the rights of the vulnerable people to the sympathy of the state institutions and the people. The abandonment became an express invitation to scammers and the fraudulent to exploit the situation. Many of the vulnerable children have fallen into the vicious hands of the hard-hearted who have turned them into commodities. The female ones are the hardest hit as they are subjected to various abuses of sexual nature.
Statistically, Nigeria has one of the world’s largest numbers of homeless children. These children roaming the streets have tripled with the growing economic hardship, insecurity and political indiscretions that turned Nigeria into global capital of poverty. These children have been known to be unfortunate reservoirs of human resources for evil groups including terrorists and thriving syndicates specialising in all forms of criminalities. Nigeria has about 27 million displaced children and this number has continued to expand with the hardship that is pervading the land. The hardship definitely has forced many abjectly poor families to abandon the basic obligations to their children.
The care for the homeless and orphans have substantially diminished due to various forms of adversities in Nigeria. Many families have difficulties fulfilling the obligations to their children in relation to food and drink. Charity Homes are the greatest victims of the continuous economic plights in Nigeria. This is why the efforts of the Anambra people in Munich, Germany are commendable and should be copied.
The Chairman of Ndi Anambra noted that the driving force of the Charity Project was to impact positively the underprivileged at least in Anambra State in a way that shows substantial concern. He lauded the commitments of the members to the vision of the virtuous plans to assist the weak and vulnerable by so doing reassure them that they are not alone. According to the Ozomma, though the group has sacrificed a lot by flying into Anambra to offer the help to the indigents, no amount of sacrifice is enough in ensuring the wellbeing of the victims of the unjust systems of order.
The limitations of time and resources informed the logic behind the selection of a four Charity Homes, one from each of the four Local Government Council Areas of the State. This year 2024 another set of four Homes from the remaining Local Government Areas will be selected using the same objective selection format. There are many Charity Homes in every Local Government Area in Anambra, however, the choices of specific homes visited this time were made by the delegates using security and conveniences as yardsticks. The delegates were under immense pressures in relation to time. Anambra has 21 Local Government Council Areas, the leadership of Ndi Anambra have plans to increase the slots as the enthusiasm increased with the successful stories associated with the interventions in the year 2023.
Fervent prayer session in other languages. Children calling on God to release blessings
The leadership of Ndi Anambra in Munich used the opportunity to intensify calls on the privileged Anambra people to partner with the various efforts aimed at positive interventions in the lives of the less privileged. Every help to the needy is an extension of benevolence to the other. The orphanages are in need of functional accommodation, schools, effective means of transportation. The Orphans and Special Needs Children simply deserve the rights to live and enjoy good life, health and quality education like every other children. There is an unchangeable obligation to help provide the assistance these wonderful children are in need of now. No gift can be compared to that of quality education and healthy life for these children. The Orphanage Homes’ Officials cannot do it all alone as they have limited capabilities and resources to effectively push through.
Nze Ozomma, therefore, beckoned on Ndi Anambra home and abroad to be kind, loving and compassionate citizens by taking bold steps in locating any Charity or Orphanage Homes in the state for support. The delegates were received at each home with what appeared to be boundless excitements by the residents of the Homes. Children were seen running around in their own unique ways of expressing appreciation of the delegates and the things they brought. Members of the delegation were reportedly unable to hold their tears as the children endeavoured to outshine the other as they sang and prayed for safety and God’s blessings on them and the Assembly members in general.
Diocesan Special Education Centre (DSEC), Nkwo Nnewi was the first port of call. Nze Chuks Ifeacho (Ozomma Enugwu-Ukwu) was accompanied by Frank Emmanuel Okonkwo (Enyikwonwa Akulueuno), Calistus Echefule (Okenwa) and Onyebuchi Oguejiofor (Otuonye n’Nnewi). Frank Emmanuel Okonkwo coincidentally is the Financial Secretary and Calistus Echefule, the Treasurer of the Assembly.
In an introductory speech, Nze Ozomma said they were at the Centre to support the efforts of the management in inspiring and giving hope to the residents of the Centre. He briefly explained the vision and mission of the group that inspired the visit, and stressed that the visit was driven not by ostentatious display of wealth or publicity but genuine need to encourage the Centre by material support represented by the gifts. The gifts which included a brand new giant deep freezer and solar lighting devices were complimented by a sum of N80,000.00 (Eighty thousand naira). The gifts were received with excitement expressed by spontaneous shout of joy by the children.
The DSEC was a vast crowd of children some with various degrees of physical impairments. A representative of the Centre on behalf of the His Lordship Bishop Ndubisi Obi, the Bishop of the Diocese, the Manager of the Home Rev. Cannon Ezeh and the Head Teacher Mrs. Nneka Nkwo thanked the Ndi Anambra in Munich for the exceptional kind heartedness. The Centre’s representative said it was heart-warming that in spite of the prevailing difficulties in the country the delegates had the passion to make the great sacrifices demonstrated by the visit and the gifts. She said as much as she doubted the news of the planned visit initially, she was full of confidence that there is nothing impossible for God. She said the deepness of her gratitude was the realisation that there were so many out there who absolutely careless about the plight of the underprivileged even when they have so much to share in order to help the needy. She prayed the Almighty God to rain blessings on the group and families.
In her words, “as the children are rejoicing on accounts of your visit, may there be endless joy in your homes. Those who do good never lack goodness. There will never be sadness among you and your families. The testimonies of the goodness of God will aways be your stories. May God open the gates of favour on you and families, amen”. The prayer was continued with the children who literally stormed the heavens with the prayer of protection and blessing on the delegates and by extension all members of Assembly of Anambra Indigenes, Munich. It was a spectacular situation such that the children with speech impairment prayed using sign language related gestures.
At Divine Mercy Community Childrens’ Home and Less Privileged Egbema Ozubulu the Chairman Ozomma who led the delegation presented to the Charity Home a large electricity generator and a sum of N110,000.00.(One hundred and ten thousand naira). The cash was for the maintenance of the generator and other purposes. The members of the Chairman’s entourage were Frank Emmanuel Okonkwo (Enyikwonwa Akulueuno), Calistus Echefule (Okenwa) and Onyebuchi Oguejiofor (Otuonye n’Nnewi). The introduction of the members of his team was followed by the chairman’s very brief explanation on why he and some of his officials visited the home. The Rev. Sr. in charge of the home was reportedly absent, however, the representative Rev. Sr. Loretta Okeke presented a visitors’ book where the delegates and gifts were noted. Briefly before the departure of the delegates, the children prayed and sang various songs as parts and parcels of displaying excitement and good wishes.
At Idemili North Community Children’s Home, Umuoji Chief Nonso Onyemaeke( Ononulakpataego) and Nze Andrew Peterside (Anyabuluegbe), handed over to the community a brand new giant deep freezer and a sum of N115,000.00. The Matron Mrs. Cecilia Okpala in her remark on behalf of the Home expressed gratitude to the Munich delegates for the freezer which the home considered a greatest need. With the deep freezer the Home has acquired a capacity to limit the waste of food and other valuable materials that cannot be stored safely outside the convenient environment, Mr Okpala revealed.
In her prayer of appreciation, the Matron solicited God’s abundant protection, provision and blessing on the leadership and the members of Assembly of Anambra State Indigenes in Munich. The Idemili North Community Children’s Home has substantial number of residents. At the time of the visit, a lot of babies estimated be under 5 years were seen moving around or lying down in their beds. Some were crying, an expression of need for attentions. The delegates were told that the grown-up ones have gone out for one kind of activity or the other.
In St. Joseph Catholic Cathedral Ekwulobia, where the Holy Family Sisters of the Poor and the Needy carry out their Charity Programmes, the Assembly’s representatives Ozo Nonso Onyemaeke (Ononulakpataego) and Nze Andrew Peterside (Anyabuluegbe) were received by Rev. Sr. Eucharistia Obinali, the manager of the facility. Sr. Obinali expressed gratitude to the delegates and showed them some of the beneficiaries of their charity programmes. Rev. Sr. Mary Henry Njideka Udodike who spoke on behalf of the community said their mission remains taking care of the orphans, the poor and the needy, and they have facilities like this in Onitsha and many other places around Nigeria and beyond as works of charity have no boundary. The Onitsha Home, she said was dedicated to the care of the physically and mentally challenged children. The challenges of the Home at Onitsha are difficult to describe in the sense that they are increasingly difficult for the sisters to effectively contain due to scarcity of expected resources.
According to Sr. Udodike, when Peter Obi was the governor of Anambra State, long ago, he visited the facility and gave them a vehicle for transportation of the sick children to hospital. Now, the vehicle is completely grounded and the sisters do not have finance to repair it. According to the Rev. Sr. deplorable states of the facility in Onitsha is better experienced for proper understanding because description cannot suffice. The Rev. Sisters in the facility must be encouraged for the tireless commitments to ensure the welfare of the children notwithstanding the significant lacks of resources.
The Sr. Udodike explained that Holy Family Sisters of the Poor and the Needy have vast responsibilities not only to children who lost their parents at infancy but to people who suffer various forms of disadvantages. Many of the disadvantaged gather here daily for their needs. They depend on us for food, cloths, medicine and money, and we make efforts to satisfy these demands according to the resources available to us. The situation is truly challenging now due the progressively increasing economic hardship in the country. It will be practically impossible for us to help if we received nothing from the donors. The more people give us the more we share. We also compliment what we receive as gifts with our own salaries. Many of us work elsewhere and the money we make are part of the resources devoted in the service of the poor and the needy.
Here in Ekwulobia, she said, varieties of the needy come for help, some even come here on daily basis. We do not live here with the beneficiaries, they come on their own. She explained that their Generate is in Nimo. Nimo coordinates the activities. As for the children, many of them were nursed from the infancy to the extent that the only mothers they ever know are the sisters. Our work is vast and complicated but we are devoted to doing whatever we can to add value to the lives of the orphans, the poor and the needy.
In conclusion, Sr. Obinali said her joy was indescribable that Ndi Anambra in Germany remembered the under privileged and decided to walk in solidarity with them by means of this visit. She emphasised the roles of the Rev. Sisters as gate keepers between the givers and receivers as she solicited more interventions of this nature. According to Sr. Obinali it is in the gesture of this kind that the burden of the poor and the needy are made lighter.
