An Enugu-based philanthropist, Chief Chris-Baywood Ibe, and his siblings have donated food items to 1,050 indigent households from 21 communities in Awgu LGA of Enugu State for the Christmas celebration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gesture was also carried out by the family in memory of their late mother, Mrs Eunice Ibe, scheduled to be buried on Friday.
The food items included bags of rice, cartons of groundnut oil and ingredients.
In a brief speech at the event, Ibe said the beneficiaries comprised indigent persons, who might not afford good food to eat during the celebration.
He said that rather than indulge in a flamboyant burial for their late mother, the family decided to feed the hungry and poor, “who may not have access to the venue of the burial.
“So, we made sure that we select 50 families from each of the 21 communities and we selected those we believe may not afford anything to eat this Christmas,” Ibe said.
Describing her mother as Mother Teresa, Ibe said she was delighted in giving everything she had, especially to the needy.
“The same for my father – both of them were people of impeccable character, particularly when it comes to almsgiving.
“So, we organised this event to commemorate the legacy of giving she left behind,” he said.
He pledged to make it an annual event and recalled a similar gesture during COVID-19, when the family donated 4,000 bags of rice to the same 21 communities.
A beneficiary, Mrs Geraldine Madueke from Owelle Court Community, commended the Ibe family for remembering the poor in Awgu communities, describing their late mother as “very accommodating to everyone”.
“She was one woman that gave all she had to people. We are going to miss her.
“We thank the family for celebrating Christmas for us and may God bless and pay them back in million folds,” she prayed.
Also, Mr Ifeanyi Okonta from Mgbudi Awgu Community acknowledged that the Ibe family had been a blessing to Awgu people.
Okonta also prayed God to continue to reward and keep them.
