Seahorse Lubricants Industries Ltd, a premium motor oil manufacturer, has donated the sum of N10 million to the four communities that make up Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State. They are Ozubulu, Oraifite, Ichi and Ihembosi.
A statement from its media office stated that a committee of eight persons drawn from the communities was set up to manage the fund and it resolved to buy food materials which were distributed to the beneficiaries last Friday.
The company said that it came up with the measure as part of its corporate social responsibility to help cushion the harsh effects of the nationwide lockdown occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.
“A committee of eight was set up from all the towns in the LGA to manage the money. By consensus, the committee bought 2,100 bags of rice and 1,000 cartons of noodles for distribution in all the towns in the LGA.
“Out of this quantity, 100 bags were independently given out to the royal fathers, the clergy and others”, the statement partly read.
Presenting the food items to the accredited representatives of the towns at the premises of the company, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr. Ebuka Onunkwo, thanked God for the privilege to contribute to the good of mankind.
Onunkwo, who doubles as the Eze Ndigbo of Benin Republic, was quoted as saying that he was unhappy about the economic hardship the people were going through because of the lockdown and therefore decided to contribute his quota to cushion their plight.
He tasked the presidents-general of the town unions in the council area and the representatives of the clergy to ensure that “this non-political and non-denominational initiative gets to the primary targets of the palliative which are the indigents and the vulnerable.”
The member representing Ekwusigo Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Onyebuchi Offor, thanked Dr. Onunkwo for his kind gesture. He equally encouraged other individuals with means to emulate the benefactor.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Igwe Nnamdi Oruche, the Obi of Ozubulu thanked God for using Dr Onunkwo to meet the immediate needs of many people.
Igwe Oruche was quoted as saying that the gift of N10 million worth of food to the indigent and vulnerable people at this critical time of economic crisis was a manifestation of the true Igbo spirit. He therefore prayed God to continue to bless and protect Onunkwo.
Speaking on behalf of the presidents-general, Mr Edmund Ugwuezumba, who represented the PG of Oraifite, said that all the PGs were very grateful and happy because the palliative was the first of its kind in the council area.
He said that the PGs were particularly grateful that the philanthropist did not limit his kind gesture to his hometown, Ihembosi, but extended the relief materials to other towns in the council area because of his kind-heartedness. He prayed for God’s guidance and protection for Dr. Onunkwo.
The statement indicated that the existing government’s protocol on COVID-19 especially as it concerns social distancing was strictly observed in the course of distributing the palliatives as less than 50 persons were invited.