Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
Wife of Elder Anyim Ude, former senator of Ebonyi South Senatorial District; Elder Grace Anyim Ude turned 70 on March 15. A two-day programme infused with many activities was lined up to make the celebration a memorable one in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, for the retired Permanent Secretary in the state civil service.
It began with visitations to the old people’s home, orphanage, and the prisons where she showered love on the inmates of these facilities.
At the old people’s home at the Kpirikpiri axis of Abakaliki, she cut her birthday cake with the inmates amidst joy and excitement.
There, she donated tubers of yam, rice, and an envelope containing an undisclosed amount of money to the inmates. She also spent some time with them while offering few words of encouragement.
The visibly excited inmates, who dedicated a special birthday song to her, thanked her for always remembering them. They recalled that she often visited and rendered material support to them.
Speaking on behalf of others, one of the inmates, Elizabeth Agbo, thanked their benefactor for finding time to be with them even as she prayed God to grant her extra 70 years with sound health.
From there, the motorcade moved to the Nigerian Red Cross Society orphanage located at Nsugbe Street. There, the celebrant donated some items mainly toiletries and provisions.
She also cut another birthday cake with the children while also donating an envelope containing unspecified amount of money before heading to another location.
The Executive Secretary of Red Cross in the state, Elder Raphael Okorie, who received the entourage, like the inmates of the old people’s home, prayed God to grant the celebrant, more years with sound health and other good things to support life.
The team then stopped over at the Nigeria Prisons facility in Abakaliki. Upon arrival, the various items meant for the prison inmates were offloaded at the gate.
These included big bags containing prepared food; bags of sachet water, cartons of bottled water, packs of canned malt and other soft drinks.
Just like in the previous places visited; the celebrant also cut yet another birthday cake with them shortly after offering words of admonitions to the inmates. She encouraged them to be hopeful as they still have bright future ahead of them.
On Saturday, a church service was held at St Peter’s Presbyterian Church, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki, for the celebrant. The service was attended by very important personalities in the society.
They included: the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; Senator Sam Egwu of Ebonyi North Senatorial District; and former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, and governorship aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Bernard Odoh and wife.
Others are: Vice-Chancellor of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Professor Chigozie Ogbu; another APC governorship aspirant in the state, Paul Okorie among other top dignitaries.
After the service, all roads led to her residence where guests were treated to lavish dishes of all types. There were also musical renditions from live band staged to entertain the guests. She later cut her birthday cake assisted by her husband and others.
Mrs Ude told Daily Sun that she was celebrating God’s goodness in her life.
“For Him to have kept me all this period, it’s just to give Him the praise and all the honour and to serve Him more and the humanity. That’s my earnest desire and that’s what I am celebrating as well”, she said.
On the rationale behind her philanthropic acts, she said that she has always had the passion to assist the less-privileged individuals noting that she usually felt “good, relaxed, and fulfilled anytime the Lord leads me to do these things.”
At the moment, some indigent students in various universities are enjoying the scholarship of the former Permanent Secretary of Ebonyi State Scholarship Board. She also set up a credit facility for rural women in her Akaeze community. She disclosed also that she built houses for two women in her area.
In a birthday message signed by her husband, Senator Anyim Ude, and their six children, the family described their mother as a woman of invaluable substance, blessed and prepared for their generation by God.
They said: “Today, we celebrate you and your three scores and ten years of devotion, care, love, compassion, empathy, diligence as well as service to God and humanity.”