Port Harcourt based entrepreneur and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA), Prince Kelvin Ekelechukwu Umejuru has voiced strong concern over the level of poverty ravaging people in oil bearing communities in the state.
The politician who stated this while handing over keys of a 4-bedroom apartment he built for an indigent, middle-aged member of Idu-Obosiukwu Community, Mr. Obulor Ozah on Sunday, said he is saddened to see people not reaping the benefits of their God-given natural resources.
He wondered why oil giants like Shell, Agip and Total, three notable oil operators in Idu-Obosiukwu Community would fold their hands and watch members of their host communities wallow in abject poverty, not doing something to ameliorate their plight.
Prince Umejuru said his acts of benevolence is not only aimed at giving back to society, but also a good gesture of gratitude to God.
“The man I built and furnished this 4-bedroom apartment for is not my relation in any way. I returned home to the village and found him in his dilapidated mud house with leaking roof. He was very sick and don’t even have money to treat himself.
“Moved with compassion, I offered to help him. He told me he was going to die and pleaded that I should just assist him build a one-room structure so he can be buried in it when he dies”, Umejuru narrated.
Having assured the sick man that he would not die, Umejuru said he directed his Engineer to take him to hospital, where he was treated.
“I then asked my Engineer to suspend my housing project, pull down the mud house and move all equipment to where the mud house was demolished.
That was how the building started and the result is the magnificent 4-bedroom we are commissioning today”, the Prince declared, adding rhetorically “the man who could hardly have water to drink now gives out free water to the community with four water taps in his frontage”.
The APC strong man, while handing over the keys of the apartment to the lucky man, also gifted him a sum of fifty thousand Naira for celebration of the annual Igbogwe new yam festival which kicked off same day.
Receiving the keys to the apartment, a tearful but elated Mr. Ozah who is of the Uriem family stock in the community, prayed ceaselessly for more of God’s blessings for his benefactor.
In his speech at the occasion, the Chairman of APC in ONELGA, Dr. Christian Ogbowu described Prince Umejuru as a proud and dedicated party member with a rare sense of benevolence and urged him to keep up the tempo.
Among guests that graced the occasion are the PCA group in the APC, party chieftains, Chief Emeka Beke, Hon Henry Odili and Hon. Napoleon Ukalikpe as well as APC Chairman in Ward 6, ONELGA, Prince Chukwuma Umejuru.
Also present was the Ochioha of Idu-Obosiukwu Community, HRH, Orukwo Uchechukwu Bright and his counterpart from Omoku, HRH, Eze Chikere.
Highlight of the event was a special song “Nwamuru muo ego” rendered by the band in honor of Prince Ekelechukwu Umejuru.
