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By Kingsley Azoma
It is not very often that a non-political office holder in our society today receives a very enthusiastic public reception that is not sponsored either directly or indirectly by the personality at the centre of the event.
Many times, politicians and political office holders arrange very huge public rally for themselves and term it public reception by their teaming supporters. Although the crowd in those rallies are hired and paid, those who pay them go on and feel happy with the crowd because it creates an impression before the world that they have followers and supporters. Recently in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, a big reception was held for a person who is not occupying a political office or any public office at all. Ebonyi people in the Federal Capital Territory under the umbrella of Ebonyi Diaspora Organization hosted one of their own, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, to a huge reception.
The event held at the Merit House in Maitama in Abuja. The reception ground was full and the crowd of Eboyians wanted to participate to fete Dr. Odii popularly known with his pet name Anyichuks.
Guests at the reception spoke endearing words about Dr. Odii and paid tribute to him for touching millions of ordinary lives in Ebonyi and beyond.
The Abuja reception for Dr.Odii was the latest in what has become public frenzy in Ebonyi about Anyichuks. Gradually, the man who has been living his life quietly and running his chain of businesses, has come into limelight and the people of Ebonyi cannot seem to have enough of him.
The charity works of Dr.Odii perhaps speak very loud for him. In fact, his philanthropic activities go ahead of him. Eighteen years ago in 2004, Dr.Odii and his wife established a foundation called Ebele & Anyichuks Foundation.
The foundation was founded as their way of giving back to the society, having become very successful in their chain of businesses. The Foundation, according to Dr. Odii, has far exceeded what he and his wife thought when they started it. Through the charity work of the Foundation, thousands of Nigerians have gained better life and new hope. Dr. Odii’s foundation tackles the needs of the society from multiple angles. He says “there are so many needs and so many people who want one type of need or another. Our foundation tries to help as many people as possible “, meeting them in their various areas of need. Dr.Odii and his wife Ebele, have watched in amazement as their foundation exploded in reach, with numerous people now turning to the foundation for succour.
In the area of educational promotion alone, the Ebele & Anyichuks Foundation has thousands of students who are on full scholarship from the primary and secondary school levels to higher education. Many of the scholarships at tertiary education level are for studies outside Nigeria as well as inside. The foundation has also built school blocks and class rooms for communicates. It equally supplies books and stationaries for schools.
As at the end of 2021, Dr. and Mrs. Odii’s Foundation had built and allocated to luck and needy beneficiaries in one year, no less than 130 housing units. Many of the houses were handed over to their new owners on the new year of 2022. The houses serve not by any means similar to many of the housing projects for ordinary people that governments build in the country. The houses were solid and well designed. The Foundation had also built eight churches with the accompanying lodges for pastors during this period.
In the area of feeding the poor and making food available to them who need them, the Ebele & Anyichuks Foundation has institutionalized the programme of food and material assistance to the communities. During festivities and at periodic intervals the Foundation steps in to provide food items to the people. Last Christmas/end of year of 2021, the Foundation caused to be distributed in Ebonyi State 30,000 bags of rice in addition to 11,000 fathoms of quality wrappers and gouges for women especially.
If Ebele & Anyichuks Foundation has become a household name in Ebonyi State, it is based on good reasons. The medical and healthcare aspect of the Foundation’s assistance to the society is also very well received for its crucial aid to ordinary people. With thousands of patients especially indigent citizens receiving free medical services and having their bills at hospitals settled by the foundation, many lives are saved that would have perished due to inability to pay the necessary bills. Many of the beneficiaries of the Foundation’s medical and healthcare aid have their bills paid for major surgeries.
While Mrs. Ebele Ifeanyi Odii, vice president of the foundation expresses gratitude to God for using the Foundation to touch lives and commends her husband for his leadership and commitment to charity, Dr. Odii himself says “what the foundation has so far achieved is far beyond my expectations. I testify that these achievements were made possible only by the grace of God”.
According to Dr.(Mrs.) Rosemary Nwakaego Emmanuel, President General, Ebonyi Market Women Traders Association, who spoke for the many women that continued to benefit from the philanthropy of Dr. Odii and his foundation, it is a rare gift for any society to have such a philanthropist who is so concerned for the welfare of the people and goes out of his way to alleviate people’s sufferings. She commended the Eblele & Anyichuks Foundation and assures Dr.Odii that the people of Ebonyi will always appreciate his magnamity over the years.
As Dr. Anyichuks Odii marks his 45th birthday today, it is understandable that the people of Ebonyi State, cutting across the 13 local government areas of the State are embracing their illustrious son with so much warmth and good wishes. Dr. Odii is also the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Orient Group of Companies, Chairman of Purity Agro-Allied Limited as well as President of Ultima Holdings.
