By Abuchi Onwumelu
The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, recently donated over 200 bags of rice, cash, cartons of noodles, biscuits, fruits and other items, to over 300 vulnerable persons across religious and ethnic groups, including northern Muslims.
Bishop Ezeokafor, while delivering the items at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Awka, enjoined the affluent in society to extend gifts and other charity works to the disadvantaged around them at all times, especially during the Christmas and New Year festivities.
According to him, Christ, the reason for the season, loved without discriminating, hence his decision to ensure that all benefit from the largesse.
‘We are only giving back what was gifted to us by good spirited individuals in society. This is a season of sharing; a season of love, when we should be more generous. This is an annual event. We have been doing it for years now. We want to show love to the less privileged among us so that they too would be happy in this Christmas and New Year festivities.
‘We pray that people at the helm of affairs would help to better the lots of these loved ones this season. They will be happier when things get better in our country. I am charging everyone to see that those around them are never hungry this season. You don’t need to discriminate,’ he said.
On the second wave of coronavirus, Bishop Ezeokafor advised the citizenry not to relent in observing the WHO basic COVID-19 protocols, including frequent hand washing, use of facemasks and others, so as to prevent the spread of the disease.
Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, a mother of eight, Mrs Rabiu Ali, who hails from Nassarawa State, thanked the prelate for the kind gesture, assuring that she would utilize what she got for the upkeep of her family.
