By Patrick Ochei
Some very home sensitive Issele-Uku children in America, under the aegis of the Youths of DMV Chapter of Issele-Uku Association of North America, comprising of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia have donated bags of food ranging from rice, beans, garri, noodles, palm and groundnut oil, tomato pastry, including clothes, shoes, books and toys to support children under the care of the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Issele-Uku Catholic Diocese, and of course, the Great Saints Orphanage (GSO), Issele-Uku in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria.
While putting funds together for this purpose, the group under the leadership of Chuka Onwuemene as President, had underscored the need to support the ongoing transformation agenda in Issele-Uku through her highly revered and amiable Obi Nduka.
They had said that even though they are youths still receiving parental care in America, they feel that their token of love is also needed to advance human development at home, especially that of the less privileged children.
Meanwhile, in making the presentations on behalf of the Youths of DMV Chapter of Issele-Uku Association on Tuesday, 18th February, 2025, the monarch of Issele-Uku Kingdom, HRM Agbogidi Obi Nduka JP (MNSE) had vehemently commended the children for their thoughtfulness, love and show of solidarity in collaboration with what other Issele-Uku groups at home and in the Diaspora are doing to aid human growth and community development in Issele-Uku Kingdom.
Obi Nduka advised the recipients to ensure that the foods, clothing and playing materials get to the actual beneficiaries, positing that by doing that, the relationship as had been established, would be sustained.
Receiving the gift items on behalf of JDPC at the Bishop Court, the Director, Rev. Fr. John-Bosco Eze Onwumere appreciated the donors in America and of course Obi Nduka who took the stress to stand-in for the group.
He revealed that JDPC has about 79 households within Issele-Uku and Issele-Mkpitime that it has always catered for, thereby appreciating the fact that the foods would go a long way in ameliorating the hunger crisis in town.
The Rev. Fr. Onwumere also said that the Commission has a Kids Club that it runs as well as in collaboration with some care-givers who equally depend on JDPC for assistance when they have enough in their reservoir.
The Priest used the medium to pray for the Youths of DMV Chapter of Issele-Uku Association, the Obi of Issele-Uku Kingdom and the Kingdom itself, asking God for continual favour and progress on all sides, especially incremental progress for those that are giving to the needy and vulnerable ones in community.
Moreso, the portion meant for the Great Saints Orphanage was received by the Secretary of the Home, Lady Confidence Nweke, who took time to eulogize the king for his usual benevolence to the Orphanage.
She relayed the appreciation of her UK based boss and founder of the Orphanage, Mr. Emeka Ezeagbor, whom she said is always elated to see donors from among his kith and kin coming to donate to the Orphanage, which was founded basically on passionate charity grounds.
Lady Nweke also prayed for the donors, asking God to replenish their purse and give them rewards that are beyond human imagination.
However, the Royal ambience of the distribution visit added colours to the whole event. Notably, two prominent female Chiefs of Issele-Uku – Chief (Barr) Mrs. Josephine Ada Kachikwu (Ezinne of Issele-Uku Kingdom) and Chief (Prof.) Mrs. Josephine Mokwunyei (Ugegbe-Obi of Issele-Uku Kingdom), including Chief Uche Augustine Maha (Uweh Obi of Issele-Uku Kingdom) accompanied the king on the visits, where they were happily welcomed by the beneficiaries, especially the Great Saints children.
In a nutshell, having embarked on this give-back to community initiative as part of their association’s social responsibility, the Youths of the DMV Chapter of Issele-Uku Association, with Chuka Onwuemene as President, Chiemeke Ogwu (nee Nwabueze) and Chibuzor Umemezie as DMV National Youth Representatives respectively, have only started a project that will not only take them far in life but register their names in the annals of history in Issele-Uku Kingdom.
