A philanthropist, Chief Obere Ugo-Okija, on Monday presented cash gifts and food items to 60 indigent women in Tedi, Ojo, Lagos, to facilitate their celebration of the Yuletide season.
Ugo-Okija, an auto spare parts dealer and Chief Executive Officer of Orkland Enterprises Ltd, said the gesture would henceforth be yearly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports no fewer than 60 less privileged women received cash gifts of N3,000, 5kg of rice, packets of noodles, five tin tomatoes, packs of salts, vegetable oil and other condiments.
Ugo-Okija thanked God for His benevolence in the outgoing year, in spite of the Coronavirus pandemic that disrupted socio-economic activities and slowed down business.
“I thank God for today that I am able to execute that which I proposed in spite of the turbulent year 2020. My joy is that those women got something to join others to celebrate the season.
“I was moved to begin the donation when during Easter in April 2019 an elderly widow approached me for monetary assistance to enable her cook food for her family of three.
“It was then it dawned on me that many Nigerians were existing without something to eat even at festive periods,’’ he said.
The Chairman of the event, Mr Ignatius Isochi, thanked the philanthropist for his gesture and expressed the hope that the gesture would be expanded in the coming years to accommodate others in nearby communities.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Edith Uzoma, a petty trader in Tedi market who lost her husband to a fire incident two years ago, said that the gifts would go a long way to meet the immediate need of her family.
Uzoma prayed God to protect and provide for the giver without ceasing. (NAN)