Anambra Billionaire Philanthropist and business tycoon, Sir Emeka Offor on Saturday gave out 40,000 bags of 50 kilogram long grain rice to widows and indigents people in 179 communities of Anambra State.
As part of celebration to mark his 65th birthday, Sir Offor also presented books in various discipline to 200 primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
He said that these set of persons are the most vulnerable as the country is experiencing hardship and economic inflammation.
Sir Emeka Offor who is the Chairman Chrome Group and founder, Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) made the donation as he marked his 65th birthday anniversary.
The occasion was made memorable with the distribution of 40,000 bags of 25kg rice to widows from 179 communities in Anambra State and the distribution of books/educational materials to over 200 Educational institutions around Nigeria.
The event which was held at the Blaze FM/IJELE Radio house Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State attracted the crémé de la crémé in various fields of endeavours from across Anambra and the South Eastern Nigeria.
The guests eulogised Sir Offor for his undieing zeal of philanthropy which has been extended to Nigerians and Africans.
According to Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo having all the money in the bank, building several mansions are all vanity; it is not how long you lived but how well and the impact you make on others.
“Sir Emeka Offor has demonstrated this essence of life. We are here to celebrate a man and his ideas.
“You turned 65 today and we use this opportunity to say congratulations and a minimum of additional 55 years to make it 120 years or even 150 years. Your life has been a life of impact and worthy of celebration.
“Sir Emeka is rich. He can decide to spend his birthday anywhere in the world or even at planet Mars but he chose to come here and spend it with widows, school children and vulnerable ones in Anambra, his country home.
“Nigeria is going through huge challenges at the moment; cost of living is rising everyday but here is a man who has dedicated himself to taking care of widows and the indigents, infact, living for others.
“We invite all other citizens of Anambra, this is the time to share with the poor what you have. If you can’t provide for your community, you can provide for your kindred, or people close to you. That is our call for today”.
The governor acknowledged the current food inflation challenges and praised Sir Offor’s distribution of 40,000 bags of rice to widows in every community in the state describing it as unprecedented.
He outlined his administration’s efforts in infrastructure development, healthcare, and education and used the occasion to call on other wealthy individuals to emulate Offor’s generosity and contribute to the state’s development.
Gov. Soludo announced the creation of the “Anambra Champions”, a list to recognise individuals contributing to the progress of the state and declared Sir Offor as a prime example of the “Anambra spirit” of philanthropy and community service.
In their separate speeches, the duo of the Acting Vice Chancellor, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, COOU, Prof
Katie Omenugha and Deputy Rector (Admin), Federal Polytechnic Oko, FPO, Dr. Kenneth Ezekwe commended SIr Emeka Offor for his social investment intervention and 2024 National Book Distribution Programme which will go a long way in building up the reading culture of students.
“Firstly, I must thank Sir Emeka Offor for donating a lot of books to secondary schools, colleges of Education, Universities and polytechnics of which Federal Polytechnic Oko is a beneficiary. It will enhance reading, research and improve the knowledge base of both students and lecturers giving them wider materials to consult in the course of their studies,” said Dr Ezekwe.
The President General, PG Oba, Engr. Ejiofor thanked Sir Emeka Offor for the kind gesture of remembering almost the whole widows in Anambra State.
“The distribution of the 25kg rice to all the 179 communities in Anambra State of which Oba is a beneficiary is an evidence of one feeling the plight of the less privileged and having the milk of human kindness to reach out to them. Oba people are grateful and we are wishing Sir Emeka Offor many more fruitful years with good health.”
In his address, Sir Offor said, “I am overwhelmed by the show of love from you all, on my 65th birthday. I am happy that the foundation I nurtured has grown tall and providing shade for many.
“My donation of food stuff to the indigents is to ensure that those who do not have, share what those who have can afford.
“We are also distributing books because it is the foundation of knowledge and we will sustain this intervention. You do not need to have too much to put smiles on the faces of your neighbors.
“I appeal to fellow Nigerians to show compassion to the widows, vulnerable and the indigent in the society.
“The little that you have can be shared with other people. I appreciate my lovely wife Adaora for the great job she has done with the Touch A life Housing Project for Widows in Oraifite”.
“I also appreciate the SEOF/Rotary Peace Fellows who graced this Occasion from all parts of the world. I enjoin all of us to be Peace Ambassadors wherever we find ourselves.”
