ASOLUKA: CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING

Sir R.S.A Asoluka (Pa Sanders) has passed on a long time ago but his memories still linger in Ihiagwa, Owerri West in Imo state. Eze James Muruakor, traditional ruler of the Community still remembers vividly the so many sweet and good deeds of the man especially his philanthropic deeds.

So each time he sees the opportunity to refresh the minds of his people with the worthy legacies the monarch is always in his best element. Such opportunity presented itself again on Saturday January 4, 2014 during this year's annual widows/physically challenged Christmas feting packaged by Chief Chris Asoluka.

The traditional ruler going down memory lane recalled how they as children back then always trooped to Pa Sanders house for sumptuous entertainments. According to him, his first encounter with tea took place in his house. Ditto other children of his generation. In addition and even more importantly, Pa Sanders he continued also selflessly deployed his personal resources to assist those in need as well as the Ihiagwa community. In his reckoning this kind gestures rare in those days contributed in no small measure to the growth and development of the area.

One remarkable thing each time Eze Muruakor tells the story is that he tells it with relish and happiness. He would tell those listening that the reason for his happiness is the glaring fact that Pa Sanders passed on the gene of philanthropy to his son Chief Chris Asoluka. In his thinking, the virtue runs in the family's blood or like we are always want to say here that it is hereditary.

Others readily corroborate Eze Muruakor's honest assessment. These include the clergy, women, youths, widows and the physically challenged in Ihiagwa and Oche bloc.

At the moment the consensus has been built in Ihiagwa community and Oche political bloc comprising of Ihiagwa, Dimdi, Eziokele, Eziobodo, Emeabiam, Umuokpo, Umuoma Nekede, Umudibia, Nekede Ancient Kingdom and Okolochi that the man is the champion of the masses. The people are quite happy and impressed that he has for over a decade kept faith in his chosen vocation of putting smiles on the faces of the less privileged through his annual Christmas empowerment. But while the people glory and applaud his large heart, the man in the centre of it all sees what he is doing as nothing extraordinary. To him given to others needs not be over dramatized so as not to rob it of its essence as Jesus Christ our Saviour admonished in the Holy Book.

Yet this commendable disposition notwithstanding his loyalists insist that good deeds sometimes are worth celebrating. Buoyed by their argument they have since the upgrade of the programme given it deserved publicity. Of course, this idea has also gone a long way in raising both the profile and scope of the each succeeding year.

This year's event was no exception. In attendance, scope and even speeches analysts opine that it was an event whose echoes would continue to reverberate for a long time to come. First is the fact that unlike previous outings, this year's own was enlarged to cover the entire Oche political zone. Overall, over five hundred widows and the less privileged nominated by traditional rulers, the church, women organization and party chieftains were made to smile home that day.

Chief Asoluka also used the opportunity of the occasion to celebrate Christmas for other groups and individuals. In this category could be found the Udo diri Ndom Ihiagwa Women group, youths of Ihiagwa Nwoko robo Dance group and traditional rulers. Similarly, he used the event to redeem the pledge of One Million Naira which he made to the women of the community during their 2013 August meeting as part of his contribution to the town-hall project embarked upon by the women.

Speaking shortly after these presentations, Chief Asoluka told the people that the annual programme is one way he wants to use to reciprocate the staunch support and encouragement the Oche bloc had been giving him. He recalled that his current political visibility and standing could not have been possible without them adding that without them future successes may be mere wishful thinking.

Overwhelmed by the apparent positive responses of the audience, the acclaimed management guru added “We, my wife and I are working on designing and launching a more sustainable empowerment scheme. We will soon unveil this and add it to our future events. I want to tell you my good people that next year's programme would come with a bang. It will come in a dimension never seen before.”

Those who spoke on the occasion paid glowing tributes to the priceless philanthropic gesture of the organiser. Those who spoke included Engr. Emeka Udokporo President General Ihiagwa, Eze James Muruakor, Nnaochie II of Ihiagwa, Eze Kingsley Odu, of Dimdi, Eze Morrison Eke of Umuoma Nekede, Eze Richard Osuji of Eziokele and Eze Nwabiri of Okolochi. Others were Eze Eunan Eke of Umuokpo, Odoemena Luke representing Eze Emeabiam, Mrs. Rose Ajoku Women President General and Dr. Cletus Ana who spoke on behalf of Mezie Ihiagwa.

Taking the lead was Eze Muruakor who paid glowing tribute to Chief Asoluka's father Pa Sanders Asoluka. According to the monarch, the late patriarch left worthy legacies of which is the sowing of seed of public spiritedness in his son.

In his own speech Eze Odu traced the humble beginning of the annual culture. He argued that Chief Asoluka has shone the light and shown the way saying it is important other politicians learned and joined him to make the world a better place for all to live and enjoy. Furthermore, the monarch urged him to keep making the annual gathering a reminder to the wealthy individuals in Ihiagwa, Oche and indeed the State even as he reminded him of the biblical injunction that blessed is the hand that gives.

For Eze Nwabiri what Asoluka was doing never came to him as a surprise. According to the oldest monarch in Oche, he saw the great potentials in Chief Chris Asoluka a long time ago and quickly moved to water the ground for his eventual bloom by bestowing the Okwuruoha title on him. The monarch said he was totally fulfilled that the vision he bore decades back has not only become manifest in the clan but has also become an exemplary reality in Owerri Zone, Imo State and South East as a whole.

For Engr. Emeka Udokporo the committed effort being made by Chief Asoluka to get Ihiagwa roads tarred deserves praises. The Ihiagwa President said so far the first phase one of the project would see to the construction of the Nkaramoche-Mboke-Amaze road. The second phase he added would capture other internal roads. Engr. Udokporo urged him to step up pressure on the NDDC to see to the actualization of the road projects which he said could reduce the yearly problem of flooding that hold the community hostage.

On their part Mrs. Rose Ajoku President Women Wing and Lady Regina Ekeopara, the man has done so much for the women of Ihiagwa. Apart from the numerous ways, he has financially assisted them in community development they were overjoyed that he has always been physically present in all their functions no matter the time of the year it was held. For these and other kind gestures, the women said since they do not have gold nor silver to pay back they would daily continue to pray for him.

Surely prayer remains the greatest gift one could give to anybody. Knowing his kind of person there is no doubt too that Chief Asoluka and family would whole heartedly accept this unique gift. Against this backdrop therefore, it behooves everybody that loves generosity and public spiritedness to join these women in prayers so that this spring of hope and succor would continue to flow.

Ugochukwu Favour-Mayor
+23480 37 534 509
[email protected]
@mayorfavourugoc

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