Ohanaeze Ndigbo Honours Emeka Offor For Efforts At Eradicating Polio
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a pan Igbo Socio-cultural group,has recognised, Sir Emeka Offor, the Founder of Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) with an Award for his contributions towards the eradication of Polio in Nigeria.
Offor who is also the Chairman, Chrome Group, got the award from Anambra Chapter of the organisation during the World Igbo Day celebration in Awka at the weekend.
The philanthropist was also commended for his numerous humanitarian service to the society alongside other well-meaning sons and daughters of Anambra, who had impacted humanity and distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour.
Receiving the Award on behalf of Sir Dr. Emeka Offor, the Coordinator, Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, Chief Tony Obi, thanked the organizers of the event for the recognition.
He said that the eradication of Polio was a courseOffor so much believed in, to the extent that he became the highest single donor to Rotary International towards the complete eradication of Polio within the African continent.
“This feat that earned him “The Polio Ambassador” he said.
Obi used the opportunity to highlight some of the philanthropic interventions Sir Emeka Offor has executed through his Foundation, especially around health, education, and human capital development.
According to him, about 80 Universities, 22 Polytechnics, 37 Colleges of Education, and 180 Primary & Secondary Schools have benefited from the Book Distribution initiative of Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, where textbooks, computers, and other educational materials were distributed to schools.
He also revealed that SEOF had awarded scholarships to over 150 primary school pupils, 200 secondary school students, 300 undergraduates/Graduates, and over 400 students in vocational and skill acquisition programmes.
“At the National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu, Sir Offor single handedly constructed a 25-room amenity ward, imported and distributed 14 40-footer containers of medical equipment and supplies to designate Federal, State, and Special Hospitals and Health Institutions across the country, ” he said.
Obi said through his Foundation, Offor established a Widows’ Cooperative Society to empower widows and enable them to remain largely independent.
“Today, the Cooperative has now grown to the point that they now lend money to empower others”, he said.
