By steve anyebe.
It was a day of great joy, mixed with nostalgic sorrow, recently when Ojoko k’Otukpo Amb Dan Ogale splashed some indigent school children with educational intervention aimed at removing them from the shackles of poverty and ensuring their full educational development.
The event, which held at Rasaki Avenue of the Pipeline Zone in Otukpo town, Central Nigeria, was organised by the Pipeline Committee of Friends Multipurpose Cooperative Society(COFCOS) to bring succour
to children who, for no reasons of their own, have found themselves in grave danger of discontinuing their educational careers.
Welcoming guests
to the occasion, the Chairman, COFCOS, Ojoko Chief Steve Anyebe, thanked Chief Dan Ogale for his selfless and non-profititable dedication towards uplifting the lives of the less unfortunate ones in the society always, pointing out his long standing history of ensuring employment for numerous youths, as well as his yearly extension of benevolence to widows, orphans, and other needy people.
Explaining the modalities for the selection of awardees, Chairman of the selection panel, Hon Owoicho Abel, informed the audience that factors considered included financial status of parents of applicants; position of the child (orphaned, single parentage, etc), among others.
In his remarks, the benefactor, Amb Dan Ogale, told the story of his own childhood indigency which gripped his audience to the point of shedding tears from many eyes, stressing the importance of intervention in the lives of the less privileged by those who God, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, chooses to bless more. He subsequently elevated the financial intervention to full scholarship through a Fund to which he promised to donate one million Naira annually, to be managed by the Pipeline Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
Appreciating the magnanimity of Ojoko Dan Ogale, one of the Special Guests, Chief Ogli Adogo, pledged to support the Fund with a financial donation annually. Others who pledged annual supports included Chief Sam Eza, Captain Olonta, Chief Emmanuel Ajogi and Hon Owoicho Abel.
Describing Ojoko Dan Ogale as one of his most worthy sons and Special Advisers, the spiritual head of Otukpo Kingdom, Chief Dr John Onuminya Eimonye, OON, Och-Otukpo Odu, charged others who have had divine blessings bestowed on them, to always be their brothers’ keepers by lending helping hands to others in emulation of his Ojoko Ogale. He especially appreciated Chief Ogale for the outstanding roles he has always played in the success of the annual Otukpo Widows Lifeline during which palliative of varying types are dished out to thousands of widows.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Onyemowo Sunday, mother of one of the awardees, thanked Chief Dan Ogale for wiping tears from their eyes as they had already started finding it difficult to cater for the educational demands of their wards due to the present harsh economic situation in Nigeria. She prayed to God to elevate Amb Ogale beyond all expectations.
Present at the historic event were traditional rulers, businessmen, and well-wishers amongst who were Capt Patrick Agwo Olonta(retired Pilot); Raymond Igbafu Ukwenya(retired Nigeria Airways Senior Manager); Hon Omaba Ochoche Agada; Chief Owoicho Amanyi; Chief Emmanuel Ajogi(business tycoon); Chief Sam Eza(Financial Consultant); Dr Charles Ogbo; among many others.
Chief Amb Dan Oibiokpa Ogale is a retired public servant and Chairman of DAGCEO Touch Foundation, a non-governmental organisation with the aim to uplift the life of the downtrodden and protect the girl-child and other vulnerable people in the society. The NGO is an advocate of Environmental Health practices and a remediator of unsafe habitation. It is also engaged in the empowerment of all shades of persons in education, as well as advocating healthy lifestyle choices.
Speaking to mustardpoint.com in an exclusive chat, Amb Dan Ogale expressed happiness that the pact between DAGCEO Touch Foundation, with global networks, and the Pipeline Multipurpose Cooperative Society has started yielding positive results already, with the successful takeoff of the scholarship scheme for indigent children. He was full of enthusiasm for the level of trust between the two organisations, expressing the confidence that with the Cooperative Society’s deep grassroots reach, many more people oriented programs and projects could easily be initiated for the benefits of rural and deprived communities.
