Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, yesterday, told wealthy Nigerians to see money spent within immediate families alone as wasted money, urging them to always reach out to the less privileged in the society.
He said they should reach out by assisting in the education and training of the less privileged children as it would be counter-productive to leave the same to the government and parents alone.
Okowa stated this in his remarks at the 65th birth anniversary thanksgiving of Chika Chiejina and the re-dedication of UbaChika Education and Scholarship Foundation held at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Onicha-Olona, Aniocha North Local Government Area of the State.
He said that a child taken away from poverty often goes a long way to change the future generations’
The governor congratulated Chiejina for honouring the Lord in thanksgiving and rendering service to God and man through the UbaChika Education and Scholarship Foundation.
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“Many times when we are blessed we tend to be restrictive to our families and that is not the way of the Lord.
“Monies spent within the immediate families alone is money wasted. There is need to show love to others, particularly those who are less-privileged and the Lord will ensure that their pockets never run dry.
“I am convinced that you did the right thing when you instituted this Foundation on your 40th birth anniversary. Twenty-five years after, you have come back to thank God and to re-dedidcate the foundation to His glory,” he said.
The governor described Chiejina as a humble, gentle and generous man, who over the years had continued to help the less-privileged in the society.
He charged him to sustain his service to humanity, saying “service to God without service to man is an incomplete service
“You are doing a great work for God and in the name of the Lord and it is my prayer that you have the success story continually and that His blessings will rest upon your family.
“As Deltans and Nigerians, we cannot leave the education and training of our children for the government or the parents alone.
“So, when the Lord blesses you in one way or the other, you must find a way to give back to the society.
“It is my prayer that this Foundation will stand strong and grow from strength to strength,” he prayed.
He thanked Chiejina for the Library project he instituted in Onicha-Olona and handed over to the Delta State Government to run, and acknowledged that it was a great addition to the educational development of the community and the state.
In his homily, Justus Mogekwu, Bishop of Asaba Diocese, Anglican Communion, thanked the Chiejina for uplifiting the lives of his people.
He said that the quality of our service in the vineyard of the Lord was very important, adding that God demanded commitment for whatever assignment given to us on behalf of the people.
He urged him to continue in his service to his people, and prayed that God would reward him abundantly.
Earlier, Chiejina had said that UbaChika Education and Scholarship Foundation was founded 25 years ago during his 40th birth anniversary.
He stated that the foundation was dedicated to the education of the less-privileged and outstanding students in the society and thanked the governor and guests for supporting the vision of the foundation.
