Sir G.U.Okeke
…As UNN alumni Onitsha branch fetes deafs, dumbs, their teachers
By Eche Nwaobasi, Nnewi
The Founding Managing Director of G.U.O. Motors Limited, one of the leading Indigenous transport companies in Nigeria, Sir Godwin Okeke (MON) together with his wife lady Patricia Okeke on Thursday called on the Federal and State Governments in Nigeria to pay special attention to the welfare of the physically challenged in the country.
He noted that most of them are endowed with special talent that, if properly harnessed, would be more beneficial to society.
He made hhis appeal while speaking to newsmen during a Christmas party organized by the members of the University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association, Onitsha branch in conjunction with Sir Godwin and Patricia Okeke Foundation for students of special school for Deaf and Dumb in Onitsha.
During the event, Sir and Lady Okeke who singlehandedly built a multimillionaire school for the deaf and dumb in the commercial city and who have been solely sponsoring the school with a population of three hundred students till date, noted that it was high time various governments in the country should put positive interest in how to improve the welfare of the physically challenged.
He said this has been the situation in developed countries of the world, adding that they have been trying to put their little efforts to improve the welfare of the physically challenged in society.
He enjoined the Federal and State Governments to come up and partner with them, saying that there is a lot of incentives which require government attention as it is costly for private individuals to undertake alone.
He said: “It is not easy to take care of these special children; we are appealing to the Federal and even the State Governments to come in and help.
Right now; we are singlehandedly providing for their feeding, as well as other needs. They are up to 300 students in the special school. We provide for their transportation, education equipment, standby generators, among others.
Speaking also, Barr Chris Ajugwe, the chairman on the occasion who was the immediate past President of UNN Alumni Association, Onitsha branch and one time National Legal Adviser of the alumni national body while commending Sir Godwin and Patricia Okeke for their uncanny love for the physically challenged, the down trodden and poorest of the poor in society said God would continue to protect them with good health for them to live a long to continue tending to the poor in society.
The legal practitioner who described Sir Okeke and wife as God’s gift to mankind, added that in all the years he had the privilege to know them that he observed that philanthropy is there second nature adding that is why they have a penchant to care for physically challenged and poorest of the poor.
While emphasizing that he observed that the couple are not in charity vocation to gain publicity or praises as they are already famous through their hard work, he described them as authentic practitioners in the project of helping humanity, adding again that they are soldiers of humanity who believe in the fact that every person created by God including the physically challenged possess the right, the dignity of human person which must be respected by every individual as well as be protected by the State just as he called the Federal and State Governments and well meaning Nigerians to emulate the couple.
Earlier Barr Mrs. Elizabeth Anyaonu, the President of alumni had said that they decided to organized the Christmas party in conjunction with Sir Godwin and Patricia Okeke Foundation as part of the alumni association’s social Investment initiatives explaining that it is one of the various ways the alumni association gives back to society.
Assuring that the association will continue giving back to society when the need arises to give hope to poor, she called on all well meaning Nigerians, philanthropists to always identify with what will lift the welfare of the poor in society especially under the current hard economic condition in the country.
On his part, Engr. Emmanuel Chiadi, Project Co-ordinator UNN alumni in Onitsha, commended Sir Godwin Okeke, his wife and the alumni association association for their interest in identifying with the physically challenge in society.
