In the true spirit of Christmas and compassion, the High Chief Gift Okonu Foundation has once again brought relief and joy to widows, distributing over 2,000 bags of rice, quality wrappers, and cash gifts to widows across Abia State and neighbouring states.
It was a beehive of activities last weekend, the 13th of December, 2025, as the annual yuletide outreach, which has become a beacon of hope for many vulnerable women, took place at the Primary School Field, Eluama na Mgbedeala Autonomous Community, in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State.
Widows drawn from Abia, Imo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States gathered in large numbers to partake in the humanitarian gesture, turning the venue into a scene of gratitude, songs, and celebration.
Speaking on the motivation behind the initiative, the founder of the foundation, High Chief Gift Okonu, an illustrious son of Ogbakiri in Rivers State, recalled the personal experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to caring for widows.
According to him, watching his widowed mother struggle and make immense sacrifices to raise her children left an indelible mark on his heart. He noted that during those difficult times, he made a solemn vow to God that if blessed, he would dedicate part of his life and resources to supporting widows.
True to that vow, the widows’ outreach has now been sustained consistently for over nine years, growing in scale and impact each year. Beneficiaries received food items to cushion the effects of economic hardship, clothing materials to enable them celebrate the season with dignity, and cash support to meet personal and family needs.
Many of the widows expressed heartfelt appreciation to the foundation, describing the intervention as timely and life-changing, especially during the festive period when basic necessities often become unaffordable.
Among those who spoke with our reporter, Dcns Christiana Gabriel, Edith Irokwe and Mrs Nneoma Peters, offered prayers for the founder and the foundation, calling for continued strength and blessings to sustain the initiative.
Also speaking in an interview, the Traditional Ruler of Eluama na Mgbedeala Autonomous Community, Eze Chibuike Osuagwu, said the initiative was established to support widows and other less privileged persons, while also creating awareness across the state that there are individuals willing to selflessly volunteer their time and resources to care for widows.
According to Eze Osuagwu, the outreach, which began in Ogbakiri, Rivers State, was inspired by High Chief Gift Okonu’s deep personal connection to the plight of widows. “He is married to my daughter, Princess Chinturu Okonu, and as an in-law, he resolved that the humanitarian efforts he had been carrying out in his home state would be replicated in the community he married into”.
The Monarch revealed that High Chief Okonu’s humanitarian gesture, stemmed from witnessing the suffering and resilience of his widowed mother, which played a significant role in shaping his lifelong commitment to supporting widows.
Eze Osuagwu noted that the programme initially catered to between 50 and 100 widows, but has since grown remarkably to reach over 1,000 widows, reflecting both the growing need and the impact of the initiative.
He further disclosed plans to establish a Widows’ Home in Abia State to provide long-term care and support for widows. To achieve this vision, he appealed to Abians, particularly community stakeholders, for support, especially in the provision of land for the project.
In his remarks, the traditional ruler (Eze) of the area, commended High Chief Okonu for his numerous contributions to community development, including electrification projects and other infrastructural interventions. He called on the people of the community to maintain peace and order during the empowerment programme and to fully support the philanthropic activities of the foundation, describing High Chief Okonu as a benefactor who has consistently demonstrated genuine concern for the welfare and development of the people.
Also speaking, the Traditional Prime Minister of Eluama na Mgbedeala Autonomous Community, High Chief Ukaegbu Amuzie, described High Chief Gift Okonu as a compassionate and selfless in-law whose humanitarian activities have positively impacted the community.
“High Chief Gift Okonu has been helping our community in many ways. He is a caring in-law, and his life has touched many people positively. We believe that those who are blessed should give back to bless others, and we are happy that God is using him to set an example for others to follow. We trust that, in the future, more people will emulate his good deeds”, he said.
In the same vein, the President General of the Community, Goodluck Festus Nwosuocha, expressed deep appreciation for the foundation’s continuous support, noting that the latest outreach surpassed previous editions.
“It is a good thing that we have High Chief Gift Okonu as an in-law. This is not the first time he is embarking on this gesture, but today’s empowerment is massive and quite different from what we have experienced in the past. As a community, we appreciate the fact that he remembers us, and we will reciprocate by giving him all the support he needs”.
He further assured that the community looks forward to deeper collaboration with the foundation, adding that their people are doing their best to help, but stated that the contributions of High Chief Gift Okonu were exceptional. “In the future, we will work closely with him to provide more empowerment items so that the benefits can reach even more people”, he said.
Contributing, the Abia State Coordinator of High Chief Gift Okonu Foundation, Evangelist Constance Okwuchi, who spoke on the impact of the foundation’s outreach, attributed the steady growth of the initiative to sustained grassroots evangelism and community engagement.
According to her, “God gave me the grace to go from one community to another for evangelism, and through this, the number of widows we reach continued to increase. I pray that God will bless High Chief Gift Okonu with long life. The God who called him into this work will continue to lift him higher.”
The event reinforced the foundation’s commitment to humanitarian service, social responsibility, and uplifting the most vulnerable members of society, while embodying the core values of love, sharing, and compassion that define the Christmas season.
