Ogbakiri in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State is one of the war-torn communities of the oil-rich state. It has a history of incessant clashes, ranging from inter-communal, chieftaincy and cult related crises.
Made up of six communities, one of the crises some seven years ago reduced some of the villages into rubbles, houses, businesses, economic lives were destroyed just as many were killed. Those who survived the trouble were sacked from the villages many years.
However normalcy has since returned to the place but there is gross deficiency in functional health facility in the area, except Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s modern Health centre which has been under lock and key for several months now, following the indefinite strike action by state health workers union; there is no other health care facility in the area.
There is an obvious high reproduction rate in the communities, with average population of five children per family – some have up to seven; most of the parents seen in the communities are very young, aged between 18 and 30 years, with little or no meaningful source of income.
Most children in the area are stunted in growth for reasons not unconnected with poor nutrition, and neglect of World Health Organization’s (WHO), recommendation three months routine de-warming practice.
In their usual manner of doing charity especially to the poor, the Lulu-Briggs Foundation, under its Care For Life (CFL), programme was at Oduha Ogbakiri recently to sensitize mothers on the need to de-warm their children for healthy living and proper development.
They however were not just there for theory but to also demonstrate to them how to go about it. They administered the drugs free- of- charge on every child between the age of 2 and 13, however those within the age bracket of 15 years were equally de-wormed.
Team of medical personnel, especially pharmacists and nurses were on hand to attend to the excited children who converged at the community’s town hall, venue of the exercise the moment they sighted the convoy of the team.
Earlier, leader of the team who is also Co-ordinator of Programmes of the Foundation, Inneba Ideria, addressed the children, and informed them of what they were there for. She charged them on the need to maintain orderliness and good conduct as the programme lasted.
Ideria reminded them that they are God’s heritage should not indulge themselves on any wrong doing; adding that they are leaders of tomorrow who the society is waiting for them. She advised them to ensure they did not disappoint the World and their families in particular.
Beneficiaries, mothers and representative of the community who spoke at the exercise expressed surprised at the love and level of kindness demonstrated to them by High Chief Lulu-Briggs and his family, they prayed God’s to reward them immensely.
A mother of four, Chioma Kasarachi whose children were the first to benefit the exercise said, “From the time I saw the banner at the town hall I was so impressed and expectant, I told my children that on no account shall we miss the exercise, based on that I have been sending them to this place to monitor when the team will arrive, that is why we were the first to come here the moment they arrived.
“Am very happy that we have benefitted. I brought my children just for them to be dewormed, but to my surprise so many other gifts were giving to us like, powder, pomade, T-shirt, cap, multivitamin drugs, drinks(Lucozade boost, and Ribina), among others, it is awesome, we pray that may the Almighty God continue to increase our Daddy O. B. Lulu-Briggs and his wife.”
Also a primary 2, pupil of Ogbakiri, community School glory Oke who benefited on the exercise said, “I was given school bag, powder, drink, pomade, drugs and worm medicine. I am very happy and say thank you, may God bless Daddy O. B. Lulu-Briggs.”
In the same vein, Favour Ihwuordu, a mother whose 11/2 year-old baby (girl), benefitted from the event confessed that she does not know the convener of the free medical but expressed joy that such event took place in her community.
She said. “Town crier actually went round last night to pass the information on the exercise but because of language barrier I did not understand what they said, until I came around this venue.
I have not participated in this kind of event in my over one year of stay in this community. I am very excited about this and pray that God will replenish whoever that is behind this. It is a God thing he has done for our babies.”
Another member of the community, Charity Omabele, expressed joy for the gesture and said it was the first of its kind in the community.
She called on other wealthy of the society to borrow leaf from High Chief Lulu-Briggs and show love to the poor of the communities, so they could also have a feel of their (the rich), world; and prayed God to continue to increase the Lulu-Briggs family.”
Shortly after the event, the programme Co-ordinator expressed satisfaction on the turn-out and level of acceptance shown by members of the community.
She said explained reason for a distinct outreach for children when she said, “organizing a De-worming program exclusively for children is one of the ways the Foundation’s expresses its regard and love for children being heritage of God.
“The very purpose of the O. B. Lulu-Brigg’s Foundation is for the indigents of the society; those in the rural communities, the hard to remember, reach of society. They are barely remembered, lack most basic social infrastructure, facilities, like this community we are, you could hardly see any health care facility here.
“The Foundation under its five program field has different programs for community dwellers. What we’ve come here to do is under the free medical mission in which we organize 5-day free general medical out-reach with different clinics in session. Apart from this, the Foundation also organize one day free eye test and also one day children de-worming exercise.
“The foundation has a vision to reach out to the entire Local Government Areas of the Niger Delta. For Rivers State, we have almost gone round the 23 LGAs. We’ve held the 5-day Free medical in Emuoha LGA, in 2009, and here we are again in Ogbakiri, also in Emuoha for De-worming exercise for children between 3 and 12 years of age.”
Furthermore the Co-ordinator explained the reason for the choice of embarking on De-worm exercise for the children instead of other health programs for children.
“Most parents have forgotten that De-worming is key to child development. Most times children experience stomach ache, head ache, pains here or there and cry profusely, if carefully investigated the problem could be worm, and most often it is difficult for parents to design the cause of the discomfort.
“It is never in the agenda of most of them (Parents) to observe the World Health organization’s (WHO), 3-months routine De-worming prescription for everybody, both adults and children. Most people stay for years without administering worm medication on themselves and family members.
“That is why the O. B. lulu-Briggs Foundation has taken it upon itself to go round communities to remind parents on the need to form the habit of De-worming their children often, by demonstrating it to them to show them example.
“We believe that it is not just enough to go to these communities to tell them to De-worm their children, like other NGOs do, but we believe in taking a step to show them how to do it. That is essentially the reason for this and the choice of communities to carry out this.” She said.
Giving reasons for the gifts items distributed at the event said, “Children are God’s Heritage and are treated as such special they are. We use the items to lure them to come and be De-wormed. No child likes taking drugs irrespective of the taste, but when they come, and see those gifts, and the kind of drinks they like to take, Locozade boost, Ribena among others they will co-operate and take their drugs without much hassle.
“Again when other children who came go home and show them what was given them those that had not come would want to come so they could equally receive the gifts.
These are some of the reasons for the gifts to children. In this case we came here with powder, pomades, children drinks, school bags, pencil purse, cups among others to make the children happy as they come to take the drug.”
Responding to the gesture, representatives of the community, Innocent Leekwa and Esther Owhorji commended the Foundation for its show of love to the people of the community, especially the poor families who hardly could foot their families hospital bills and called for more of such programmes by multi-national companies and other NGOs to consolidate on what Lulu-Briggs has begun in the area.
Leekwa youth of the community said, “This is wonderful to us the members of the community. We did not believe that the program will be truly free, this is because other organizations who come and gave the impression that they were on free outreach, ended up charging one form of fee or the other, but this is entirely different and we thank the Lulu-Briggs for that, and say we love him.”
