By Brown Chimezie
The chairman of Nwanne di n’amba Social Club of Nigeria in Osun State, Chief Chinedu Maduekwe, has said that the best legacy a group of people can leave behind is the quality of service they render to humanity on earth.
Madukwe mentioned this in an interview at their club’s headquarters in Osun State, where he explained the brain behind instituting the social club. He also noted that the philosophy behind the formation stems from mitigating the current economic hardship in the country.
He said: “There is a saying that all fingers are not equal. It is because of this that we, the privileged Igbo living in Osun State under the aegis of Nwanne di n’amba Social Club of Nigeria, has decided to make a difference by becoming our brothers’ keepers.”
According to him, the highest achievement any man can make on earth is not the physical wealth he has amassed, but rather the service that he rendered to his fellow man. This, he disclosed, informed the formation of the club to help one another.
Maduekwe stated: “I can say that Nwanne di n’amba, as a club is a child of circumstance. It was formed after we had watched the way the economy was going.
“We discovered that some of our brothers and sisters’ businesses here in Osun State were going down. They were facing a lot of challenges that include lack of food, inability to cope with their children school fees and lack of money for medical attention when sick, among other things.
“As a result of that, some of us, well -meaning Igbo people in Osun State decided on April 5, 2023, that we should not close our eyes while our brothers and sisters are suffering. We instituted a six man group who came together to start the club. They include Sunday Onu, Henry Akpunonu, Arinze Maduwkwe, Ikenna Agbazue, Kelechi Umeononihu, Chigozirim Nna and myself Chinedu Maduekwe. This month of April makes the club one year old.”
Madukwe said that since after the formation of the club, a lot of achievements have been made which impacted the lives of Ndigbo in Osun State and beyond.
“I can say without sounding boastful that we have impacted on a lot of vulnerable people in the state. Within one year, we have become one of the leading social clubs focused on alleviating the suffering of our brothers and sisters.
“We have expended millions of naira on empowering the Igbo whose businesses are suffering setbacks. We have also given medical and financial support to the handicapped and less privilege and also providing for the elderly in Osun State. All these, including other interventions, are what we have been doing to strengthen our brothers and sisters living in Osun State.
Maduekwe also noted that all these wouldn’t have been easy without the support of the host community, adding that Osun State has been very accommodating to non- indigenes.
“Igbo people in Ayedire, Iwo land and Osun State as a whole see themselves as partners in development with Osun State and Osun people.
More so, it is the effort of the member representing Iwo Federal Constituency, Mudashiru Lukman Kayode, whose developmental feats are visible.
“He is bringing dividends of democracy to both indigenes and non-indigenes. Recently, he gave 100 students scholarship. I want him to know that we, the Igbos in Osun State, deeply appreciate him. We also know that government cannot do everything for the people because it does not have the resources. So, we are ready to partner with the state government in the alleviation of hardship in the state,” Maduekwe said.
Maduekwe enjoined Igbo businessmen and women in Osun State and elsewhere in the country to emulate the brotherhood club to help one another, especially at this time of hardship in the country.
“I want to encourage Igbo everywhere to be law abiding, respect and love their host community of business operations. They should also try to be agents of peace and progress wherever they live. We strongly believe in ‘united we stand, divided we fall.’ A people united cannot be defeated,” Maduekwe added.