In a remarkable show of humanitarian service, the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity, Umuahia Chapter, fed over 400 children on Monday as part of its quarterly Street Child Project.
Held yesterday (July 28, 2025) in Ohokobe Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area (LGA), Abia State, the event, themed: “Feeding the Street Kids,” provided breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, music, games, and motivational sessions for children aged 3 to 16.
The President of the Umuahia Chapter and Director of Administration at the Abia State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Mr. Eze Nwosu said the outreach was NAS’s response to the rising hunger and poverty in the country.
“There is hunger in the land, and we cannot fold our arms,” he said. “We’ve taken it upon ourselves to ensure that these children enjoy three nutritious meals today. Hunger should never be a barrier to a child’s hope or future.”
Nwosu noted that the event is part of the organization’s sustainable quarterly initiatives, which also recently included offsetting medical bills for indigent women at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia.
He further highlighted NAS’s global reach, citing international partnerships with its Bunker Bay and Atlantis Decks in Atlanta, USA, to support underprivileged children worldwide.
“This is a wake-up call to government, philanthropists, and well-meaning Nigerians. Humanity should always come first,” Nwosu emphasized.
Mr. Nwagbo Uche Godwin, Vice Chairman and Program Coordinator of the Umuahia Chapter, explained the founding mission of the Pyrates Confraternity, established in 1952 at the University College, Ibadan, by seven undergraduates including Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.
“The poor and the needy have been oppressed for too long,” he said. “That’s why we focus on children—because hopelessness and starvation must not define their future.”
He also called on the government to intensify efforts in tackling economic hardship and encouraged parents to raise morally upright children, calling them the “true legacy” of any nation.
Community leaders welcomed the initiative with enthusiasm. The Woman Leader of Ohokobe Mbaocha Autonomous Community, Mrs. Nwachukwu Gloria Odochi, described it as the first of its kind in the area.
“Feeding a child today is planting a seed for tomorrow’s peace,” she said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Ohokobe Mbaocha Ndume Autonomous Community, Comrade Nduka Awomukwu—represented by Pastor Henry Ohaeri—thanked NAS for choosing their community.
“This initiative is timely. With the rising cost of living, we urge the government and others to follow this example,” he said.
The NAS has evolved into a global humanitarian organization with over 60 chapters across Nigeria and abroad. Its key initiatives include medical outreach programs in rural areas, free health screenings, donation of school supplies, and civic engagements like the annual Feast of Barracuda, which addresses pressing national issues such as insecurity and mental health.
Earlier in February 2025, the Ash Montana Deck (Abeokuta) teamed up with Atlantis Deck (Atlanta, USA) to feed over 400 street children, underscoring NAS’s unwavering commitment to vulnerable communities worldwide.
