By Isaac Ojo
Over one hundred elderly persons were empowered with wheelchairs, clutches and sticks at Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday during a medical outreach put together by Ada Eze Club of Oba for the elderly.
The president of the club, Dr Adaeze Ngozi Nwosu said that the club is made up of women of esteemed position from all walks of life.
She noted that the membership of Ada Eze Club is opened to accomplished women who are indigenes of Oba either by birth or marriage.
Dr Nwosu said that the primary aim of the club is to provide a platform for members to interact and support one another as well as pull their resources together to support the less privileged in the community and in the process contribute to the overall development of Oba.
The president of Ada Eze Club said that the club was formed in 2019 by some distinguished women led by Dame Adaeze Chinelo Nzelu. The activities of the group includes giving support to other groups in the community which according to her was why they supported Odinma Oba towards providing palliatives for the people during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.
She also noted that the plan of the group is to execute capacity programmes, value reorientation and educational development programmes for the youths in the community was stalled by Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Nwosu said as a matter of fact that the medical outreach for the elderly was actually the group’s first outing and that the outreach was aimed at showing love to the physically challenged elders in the community.
The Head, Trauma Clinic, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Oba, Dr Ngozi Chukwuka who presented a keynote address urged the elders to learn to realize that they can no longer afford to do what they were doing when they were younger.
Dr Ngozi who talked majorly about the causes of amputation and arthritis stressed the need for the elderly to watch their diets and as well take out time to do less strenuous activities and as well exercise their limbs on daily basis.
The President General of Oba Progressive Union (OPU) Rev Chris Emelie and PG Women Wing, Dame Janet Okeke appreciated Ada Eze Club for striving to contribute their quota to the upliftment of the community.
The duo observed that the intervention of the club during the pandemic lockdown has become a reference point by other towns and villages in Anambra State.
They urged other groups in the community to emulate the philanthropic gesture of Ada Eze Club which is passionately committed to wiping tears off the face of the Indigent.
Spokespersons for the beneficiaries, Mrs Clara Ezimone and Mr Goziem Emordi thanked the donors for coming to their aid and prayed that God will continue to bless them.
Mrs Ezimone who couldn’t withhold her tears of joy said that she has struggled on several occasions to procure a wheelchair but could not do it due to economic reasons.
Mrs Adaeze Amaka Onwualu who was speaking with journalists after the event said that the nine villages in the community were carefully reflected on the beneficiaries list so as to carry everyone along.
Mrs Onwualu who would not want to mention how much was involved in the exercise said that the most important thing was that lives have been positively impacted even as she expressed the determination of the club to do much more.
The beneficiaries and their relatives were treated to sumptuous lunch.