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By Vincent Kalu
A Canada-based medical doctor, Olugu Ukpai, is the co-founder of Challenge AIDS and Malaria in Africa (CHAMA), a humanitarian movement he is using to fight malaria in Africa.
Ukpai is President / CEO, CHAMA, is a recipient of Hero & Legend of Canada, among other honours. He noted that losing his daughter to malaria was the tragedy that helped him to discover his purpose and ministry in life, which enabled him to set up CHAMA.
Besides medical interventions, CHAMA, he said, has carried out some infrastructural developments in Nigeria and other countries.
What’s CHAMA all about?
CHAMA stands for Challenge AIDS and Malaria in Africa. I am a co-founder with my wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Esther Olugu Ukpai, a nurse in Canada.
CHAMA, as a child of circumstance, a global humanitarian movement was borne out of our personal tragedies. CHAMA is our peculiar response to our tragedies after losing one of our precious daughters, Goodness Olugu Ukpai to malaria needlessly at 16 months in Nigeria. By then, I was already in Canada for my graduate programme. Before her demise, I had already applied thrice to the Canadian Deputy High Commission, Lagos to issue my family a visiting visa, which were all denied, unfortunately.
As parents, we were thrown into bewilderment. Our lives were traumatised. Her death was unnecessary and avoidable had it been my family was issued a visiting visa to Canada, where there is no malaria for sure.
What gave rise to CHAMA?
In life, we all grieve differently but grieving doesn’t end. Rather, it can transform from one form to another. After our loss, we lost our joy. My wife, who used to wear beautiful smiles, stopped smiling. We sought for something to hold unto to cover the void that was created by our daughter’s demise. We wept, we blamed ourselves, we blamed the doctors, we asked God questions, but we found no word. As practising Christians, we kept hope alive.
We found answer to our questions during our maiden medical mission in Nigeria in December 2006. My wife re-discovered her sense of smiles when parents whose children received medical treatment returned the following day, beaming with smiles, hugging her, appreciating her for allowing God to use her pain for their gain. From a distance, I watched my wife smiling and being happy as they wrapped themselves in hugs. After that mission, my wife wrote an article titled ‘A mission smiles’. I vowed and said to myself, “if putting smiles on the faces of these rural women is the formula for my wife to smile again, I must find a way to make her smiles sustainable. That led me to register CHAMA officially in 2012 in Canada and thus began the now international movement. Life is an echo, what you put in, is what you receive. As we put smiles on the faces of others, my family and I keep smiling for God keeps causing things of laughter to keep visiting us.
CHAMA now becomes our own word for parents who have lost a child. CHAMA becomes smiles and hopes. The smile of innocent parents who have cheated death through our interventions, having carried out over 900 surgeries, and a symbol of hope for parents who pass through psychological trauma after losing their child.
You are traversing some African countries trying to eradicate malaria. What are the challenges?
Africa is home for malaria. The region continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global burden. For instance, in 2022, the region is home to about 94 per cent of all malaria cases and 95 per cent of deaths, while children under five years, like my daughter, accounted for about 78 per cent.
There are enormous challenges facing our efforts to eradicate malaria in Africa such as ignorance, funding, and leadership as well as engaging and sustaining volunteers as a non-for-profit international humanitarian movement.
What extent have you gone?
So far, we have recorded enormous success in breaking these barriers and challenges. Creativity in managing these challenges has been resourceful. For instance, looking inward and tapping into our African rich heritage and culture has proven effective.
Using the power of the drum to engage and connect with the global community has not given us the much-needed visibility, but has glued us to the global community. The drum has also been an effective communication tool for educating the community about malaria. However, funding challenge remains. It’s like riding a horse to the moon.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by my tragedies. My pains motivate me. I lost my mother at the age of 14 and my father at the age of 16 to poverty disease. Our mud and thatched house collapsed after the demise of my parents. I lost our only female sibling to kwashiorkor. In my final year second semester at the University of Port Harcourt, I had cerebral malaria and was advised to leave school to seek medical attention since the university health services couldn’t diagnose my ailment.
It was a kind-hearted doctor, Dr. UK Agwu, who properly diagnosed me of cerebral malaria and treated me free at his clinic. I returned to find out that my mates had since finished the last exam and vacated school. I had a makeup exam and made straight A’s in all six courses and thus graduated with a First-Class with a GPA of 4.73 on a five-point scale. I was declared the overall best graduating student of the department, faculty and overall in the entire university with the highest GPA of the year.
I was involved in a ghastly motor accident at Okene, Kogi State on my way to Abuja to attend a Commonwealth Scholarship interview that brought me to Canada. I was in a coma for almost 24 hours. Three people lost their lives, but God sent his angels, who took me to hospital. Losing my daughter to malaria was the tragedy that helped me to discover myself, purpose, and ministry in life. The death of my daughter was the catalyst that shaped who I am and what I am destined to do in life.
God brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Who’s better qualified to help a struggling veteran than somebody who’s been a struggling veteran? Who’s better qualified to help someone recovering from a prescription drug addiction than somebody who has recovered from a prescription drug addiction? Who could better help someone who is suffering from a chronic illness than someone who has also suffered in the same way? Who is better qualified to minister to parents who have lost a child than a parent who has lost a child? In the words of Rick Warren: ‘Your greatest ministry will come out of your deepest pain. The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on. I want to die empty. When I die, I want an inscription on my tomb that read thus: ‘A man who turned his mess into a ministry and tragedies into remedies.’
How has the government bought into your project?
I am ever grateful for the massive support that the countries of operations have afforded us. First, Canada tops the list, where we have built relationships with top politicians, community leaders, who gladly give their time and lend their voices and supported in their individual capacity to the cause.
We are grateful to Mayor Mike Savage, who has given awards to our volunteers across the world; Honourable Barbra Adams, the Minister of Justice, and Attorney General of Nova Scotia; Suzy Hampson, MLA and Senator Andy Fillmore, to mention but a few. It’s also worth mentioning that collaboration with churches and other community organisations has been important not just because it’s a better way to learn. The spirit of collaboration is penetrating every institution and all our lives.
So, learning to collaborate is part of equipping yourself for effectiveness, problem solving, innovation and life-long learning in an ever-changing networked economy.
Uganda follows Canada in terms of support and collaboration. Ugandan government has demonstrated high interest and potential for historic collaboration. This is exemplified by the recent visit of the assistant to the Ugandan President on special duties to commemorate world malaria month event in Canada. South Africa is promising as well to mention but a few countries.
Why are your impacts not felt in Nigeria like in other countries? Does your own charity begin abroad?
If a man forgets his beginning, God will take him back there. CHAMA started in Nigeria and carried our major medical missions and made historic impacts in rural villages. For instance, huge medical missions were carried out at Amangwu (2006, 2013, 2014), Asaga (2013, 2014), Ebem, Amaekpu, Elu (2015), Ndi-Aku, Oboro, Ndi Uduma Ukwu, Ndi Orieke, ((2015, 2016, 2017), Ezi Afor (20017), all in Ohafia, Abia State; Isuikwuato, Abia; Enugu, 2018; Ogume, Delta State (2019), Ngor Okpala (2021), Imo. Over 500 surgeries were carried out in those communities.
Besides medical interventions, CHAMA has carried out some infrastructural developments in Nigeria as well. For instance, CHAMA built a deep well at Amangwu Ohafia in 2014. Relief network ministries, founded by Professor Sunny Okore, based in USA, constructed it. In Amuma Ohafia, CHAMA built four VIP toilets, the first in over 100 years to reduce open defecations. At Ndi Aku, CHAMA built a six-classroom block for the community, which had existed for over 100 years without one. CHAMA has also trained and empowered 100 single mothers in sewing and empowered each of them with brand new sewing machines on graduation. Malaria is a poverty disease. We must tackle the root cause if we are going to win this war.
CHAMA has trained and empowered youths. For instance, Obinna from Amaekpu Ohafia was empowered with tools to start his own mechanic workshop after 15 years of serving his boss.
How do you get funding for your projects?
CHAMA is the reason I am poor because we invest over 60 per cent of our resources into it. It’s a war I fight daily with my soul, spirit and heart and there is no regret. CHAMA hasn’t received any official funding from any government, agency, or corporation in about 20 years of operations. There are no sacrifices that are too big for a man to make to honour his child and keep his family smiling. And I make bold to challenge any government or donor agency who can claim funding CHAMA over these 20 years and I will refund them 21 times. Take it to the bank. However, individuals of like-minded heart, friends, human and journalists like you have always chipped in and continue to support our good cause. For instance, there are three ways to support CHAMA: Time, Talent, and Resources. This makes CHAMA a home for all, and I am grateful for every warrior volunteer for pitching their tents with me for these 20 years. It couldn’t have been possible with our selfless volunteers. No one is on pay roll in CHAMA for these 20 years. Volunteers lead the movement. It’s unheard of.
Is the Nigerian government aware of what you’re doing?
It was Jesus Christ who alluded that a prophet is not honoured in his hometown. Our advocacy has been loud and clear, having carried out laudable medical and infrastructural interventions across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. Sadly, we have received zero support from the government of Nigeria. We haven’t enjoyed any goodwill from my own homeland.
Currently, we have attracted a partner from India that manufactures the best malaria diagnostic equipment. But the Tinubu government has made things difficult for us to bring in this life-saving equipment. For instance, the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria, the accreditation Agency has demanded 11 million naira to register the equipment, which we are unable to afford as a charity. Nigerians spend N2.04 trillion annually on malaria prevention and treatment. According to WHO, the economic burden of malaria in Nigeria is N1.1 billion annually. About 55 per cent recurrent health care expenditures go to malaria in Nigeria. Remember, my family and children reside in Canada where there is no malaria.
There are videos on the social media where Caucasians are beating the African drums with you. What happened?
About 500 Canadians contract malaria annually, obviously tourists who visited Africa. So, Malaria is not a Canadian disease per se. While trying to create awareness, eight out of 10 Canadians would ask me, ‘what is malaria?’ Bringing education to the community became a herculean task. Others would tell me that I have accent. It was difficult for me to stop Canadians to listen to my story. That’s why I remembered that my dad taught me African drum when I was seven. I went and bought an African drum and chose a heavy spot in the city and started to drum. Canadians loves African cultures. People started gathering to listen to my drumming. When the crowd got tick, I stood up and shared my story. I volunteered to offer free drum lessons. I have taught African drum to over 2,000 Canadians. The spirit behind the drum has created a community of drummers who drum up support, smiles and hope for the children who are dying of malaria. Thus, a global community has joined the movement to create awareness about malaria through the power of the drum. It’s no longer about Olugu but a community affair. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence and creativity. It pains me when we condemn our culture once we cross the oceans. I am a proud cultural Ambassador of Ohafia at large. That’s my chieftaincy title bestowed on me. Call me a living brand of Ohafia culture. Watch my attire. I have indoctrinated them rather being indoctrinated
Just last week, I received a loud ovation at Canada’s topmost legislative chamber. The Senator representing Halifax at Canada’s Federal legislative Red Chamber eloquently recognised our unwavering malaria advocacy and saluted our commitments to bringing awareness. This recognition is for the dedicated malaria warriors worldwide. He said: ‘Mr. Speaker, April marks world malaria month. Malaria continues to ravage the world, and malaria still claims nearly 500 Canadian lives each year.
“When tragedy strikes, some individuals transform hardships into advocacy; this is true of Olugu. Ukpai of Halifax is on a mission to end malaria after losing his 16-month-old daughter, Miss Goodness Olugu Ukpai, to the disease.
“Olugu plays a pivotal role in raising awareness about malaria, using drumming demonstrations to engage the public on this pressing issue. He and his family, Goodness’s siblings, are famous at home as the uplifting Drummers Against Malaria (DAM). I want to extend my gratitude to Olugu Ukpai for his unwavering dedication.”
What has been your greatest challenge?
Our greatest challenge has been funding and building the culture of volunteerism. It’s challenging to convince people to volunteer. Volunteerism as African culture of development was eroded by the advent of colonialism and enthronement of capitalism. Everyone would always ask what’s in there for me directly or indirectly with the exception of very few ones who are called, who see what we do as service they are called into.
Handling disappointments from trusted allies, pastors, and those you trusted to lead by example is one of our everyday challenges. Today, the grace of God has bestowed on me grace to master shortcomings from men, and how to turn disappointment into appointments and opportunities. While others wake up every morning and pray for God blessings, I wake up every day and pray to God for disappointments. So, when it comes, it’s no longer a shock for God has already given me brand new shock absorbers to contain them.
You can imagine paying from one’s pocket to sponsor such projects CHAMA has embarked on for 20 years. I am massively in debt because God will write it off one day. My axe head will float just a matter of time. If I am not called by God, if I did not hear from God to do this, I would have packed up and given up. But giving up is no longer an option.
You are mostly in the field for this project. When do you have time for your family?
When you have a teammate, when you are blessed with a virtuous woman, when you are gifted with a partner as a wife who compliments and not competes with you, when God shows you mercy and pair you up with a rare gem who shares in your vision and mission in life, when you are lucky to experience the true meaning of the Biblical charge, ‘…and they shall become one’, when you are blessed with children who are as focused, hard working, supportive, then, you will realise how blessed I am.
My wife is the unsung hero of CHAMA. Many see the glamour at the altar without seeing the tears behind the altar. I am blessed with the best resource in terms of home front support. That’s why I can afford to be in the field, while my wife takes charge of the home front. With modern tech, I don’t feel disconnected from home per se. While I’m in the field, we still have family prayers together, talk to the children and still support my family while in the field. The family that prays together stays together.
