BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
This followed the flagging off of the 17th Anniversary of the Regina Pacis Foundation on Tuesday at her villa, Okpoduma-Agbaja in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
It was gathered that, Sir Nkwegu at the event, was openly seen dinning together with the less privileged ones among which included the physically deformed persons, the orphans, widows and sundry others on the same table.
In interview with journalists, Nkwegu vowed to continue helping the poor and the needy to ameliorate their sufferings in the society.
He added that his assistance to the downtrodden was boiled out of his heart desire to reduce their harsh experiences.
"Reducing the plights of the poor and less privileged ones in the society is my priority. I feel that one of the greatest challenges to people is to have no hope.
"That is why I set up this NGO to be helping them by rendering unexpected useful service to members of the society without expecting any form of compensation or whatever from the beneficiaries, because it is a horrifying experience not having anything to live on," he said.
Nkwegu said that Regina Pacis Foundation is also committed towards giving a specialized skill and financial education, among others to the people; saying that the vocational institute of the organisation produced fifty two graduates this year and they have been gainfully employed in multipurpose companies, except three of them retained by the institution.
He appealed to the well meaning individuals and organisations to cultivate the habit of helping the poor, pointing that God's blessings await to such people or groups.
"My advice to the less privilege and even the well to do individuals is to acquire a special skill that will help them to render useful service to themselves and to the members of the society.
"Looking at a masquerade, for instance, he has to dance very well to attract people spreading money on him. So, every human being has a special service to render, but he must first acquire a special skill, render good service to himself and the society at large, before you expect a reward.
"That's why we set up Regina Pacis Foundation Special Skill and Financial Education Centre, to equip the young stars with a special skill, with which they will render special services to the society.
"My message to the well to do people is to find means of rendering special services to the society. To have empathy for the poor, to put themselves in the shoes of the ignorant population.
"There are many people who don't understand the difference between the asset and the liability. They don't understand the educational system that will empower them to render special service. They give general knowledge, and no matter the quantum, they can't help themselves, they need to build them skilfully, to be able to render special service to the society," he said.
The Chairman Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Rev. Fr. Johnpaul Uchenna Nwankwo in his address observed that Regina Pacis Foundation for the past seventeen has touched many lives with their various activities including giving soft loan to widows, scholarship to indigent students, empowerment of the less privileged, provision of skill acquisition programmes, among others.
The Catholic Priest also called all and sundry to always be giving to such helpless people to attract favour and grace of God in their lives, believing that one conquering the fear of giving and poverty would make the world a better place.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Innocent Ugochima appreciated Sir Edward Nkwegu for taking such bold step, urging him not to relent as God would reward him back.
Ugochima who expressed satisfaction over the development, described the philanthropic disposition of the benefactor as a second to none.
He however, called on political officeholders and successful business people to replicate the gesture to ease the means of livelihood of the helpless individuals in the society.
"Edward Nkwegu is doing a good job for the poor, it is not everybody can do it, no matter how rich you are, free gifts to the poor, free gifts to the hospitalized people free gifts to the depressed and free gifts to those in the prison, these are they things that God uses to bless someone," Ugochima said.
A Chieftain of All Progressives Congress APC in Ebonyi State, Chief Matthias Adum said that the founder of the Foundation, Sir Edward Nkwegu has distinguished himself among his equals and also urged others to emulate from him for a better society.
Adum described him as a godly man, a realist, a humanitarian and a true lover of culture that has set a standard in the society.
He equally urged others to emulate gesture, while praying God to richly pay the benefactor back with long life, good health and greater opportunities for the benefit of the people.
Recall that the anniversary was flagged off on Tuesday with a Pointifical Holly Mass Service by Bishop Peter Nworie Chukwu, the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, continued Wednesday and Thursday when the Bishop Emeritus of the Abakaliki Diocese, His Lordship Michael N. Okoro officiated the mass, before the cultural exhibition by Apostle Benjamin Obaji, the Publicity Secretary of Oha Izhi Nnodo Ekumaenyi in the state and other activities.
Also, the South East CAN Chairman - Very Rev. Fr Dr. Abraham Nwali, former Senator Of Ebonyi North Zone - Senator Christ Nwankwo and other persons bagged an award of excellent for their humanitarian services in the society but Rev. Fr. Peter Amano of Nweke Ndiegu Parish in Ohaukwu Council Area won award of best priest of the year.
The event attracted different personalities cutting across the government functionaries, religious groups, traditional rulers, business people, students, among others activities that made it colourful.
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