NBM of Africa donates food items, N2m IDP Camp

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Neo Black Movement (NBM) of Africa NBA worldwide has donated food items worth millions of Naira to Ewu-Okuama Internally Displaced Persons members.

The food items were donated to the displaced persons on Friday as palliatives to alleviate their suffering.

The National President NBM of Africa NBA Worldwide, Olorogun Ese Kakor led the group’s delegation to present the items to the people.

The Pan-African group also donated N2 million to the people of Okuama Community to assist them in rebuilding their community.

Recall that the Nigerian Army destroyed the Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta in retaliation to the killing of 17 soldiers on March 14, 2024.

In his remark, Kakor commended the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration on the level of infrastructure provided at the Ewu-Okuama IDP camp.

Kakor, therefore, called on well-meaning individuals, and originations to emulate the humanitarian gesture of the NBM of Africa and assist the displaced Okuama people.

He noted that with what was at the Ewu-Okuama IDP Camp, the Delta State government alone could not manage the humanitarian crisis.

“We want to thank the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori for setting up this IDP Camp at Ewu-Urhobo to shelter our people from Okuama, the facilities we saw here are commendable for a camp.

“We also thank the Ewu-Okuama Internally Displaced Persons Management Committee for their great job.

“We want to urge them to continue with the good work. In no distant time, many Deltans and Nigerians will come to offer their support.

“As you may know, the primary aim of NBM of Africa is to carry out humanitarian services wherever there is a need,

“So, we have come today to offer these items and money to alleviate the suffering of our Okuama people.

“Recall that in the 2021 flood that ravaged many states across the country, NBM of Africa donated palliatives to 13 states,

“We do this anywhere in the world you find our members and that is what we have come here to do, to put smiles on the faces of our people.

“From what we saw in the camp today, we have over 200 displaced women and children that urgently need assistance,

“So, we brought 500 tubers of yam, 400 (3kg) bags of rice, 200 (3kg) bags of beans and 3 big bags of onions, I think this will go a long way in assisting the Okuama people.

“I am also using this opportunity to appeal to Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations to also provide palliatives to this IDP Camp at Ewu-Urhobo and to Okuama people to help them rebuild and start live again,” he said

Kakor called on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other international agencies to also focus on Okuama and provide succour to the people.

He noted that the Okuama people are primarily subsistence farmers, stressing that all their homes and means of livelihood have been destroyed.

“They need assistance to start afresh and return to their ancestral home.

“As an organisation, we are giving the Okuama community the sum of N2 million cheque as our support to the rebuilding of their community.

“We know this might be small, but we are setting the pace for others to follow,” he said

Kakor promised to keep in constant touch with the Ewu-Okuama IDP Management Committee.

In a related development, an Urhobo socio-cultural group, Urhobo Arise today donated a big cow to the Ewu-Okuama Internally Displaced Persons Camp at Ewu-Urhobo.

The cow was presented by Mr Fidelis Odia on behalf of the Urhobo Arise.

Odia said that the Urhobo socio-cultural group comprised some Urhobo intellectuals who saw the need in the Ewu-Okuama IDP Camp and tasked themselves to provide the cow in the first instance.

He said that Urhobo people identify with the pains and suffering of the Okuama residents and also applauded the state government’s efforts concerning the camp.

“We support and identify with the initiative of the Delta State Government

“That is why the Urhobo Arise came today to donate this cow to support the ongoing efforts in the first instance,” Odia said.

Responding, Mr Abraham Ogbodo, the Chairman of Ewu-Okuama Internally Displaced Persons Management Committee thanked the NBM of Africa and the Urhobo Arise for their gestures.

Ogbodo noted that their interventions would go a long way in complementing what the Camp is providing.

He said that the level of devastation and destruction in the Okuama Community was such that the state government alone could not address it.

Ogbodo, therefore, called on well-meaning individuals, and international and cooperate organisations to rally around and support the people of Okuama by emulating the good gestures of NBM or Africa and Urhobo Arise.

Earlier, before the presentation of the food items, Ogbodo requested members of the NBM of Africa and officials of the camp to sing the new national anthem, “Nigeria we hail thee”.