The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Premier Petroleum Limited, Abuja last week celebrated his Birthday. But instead of throwing lavish parties, he decided to celebrate it by visiting Orphanage homes and local primary schools within Abuja villages, were he donated items worth millions of naira.
Prince Onoha who hailed from Abajah in Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State and happily married, explained that sometimes people say age is nothing but a number, and further said he feels very happy that each time he counts one year in his life it was a thing of Joy because when he looks back and realized he? was here by the grace of God, it makes him happy and he finds an extraordinary way? to share with people.
On his visiting and celebrating with the less privileged and donating generously to them, Obinna, explained that one of the first things he achieved early in life was to learn about himself before starting to learn about other people.
The amiable Managing Director stressed that what he has done by visiting those less privileged schools and orphanage homes was fulfilling to him because according to him it was not just his own thinking but something that came like an inspiration.
His Words: “I gather sometimes these lovely ideas, only to find out from some reasons you just couldn’t follow up, but now that I have done this I feel very happy. what is very striking to me remains how we live almost happily in our very little shell, with limited knowledge how many people are lacking the basic of life especially the children, so this is an eye opener for me.” He said it was the beginning of many things to come through his foundation “Obinna Eze Onuoha Foundation”. OCEO-Foundation “Moto: Laborare est Orare” meaning “To work is to pray”.
On why he chose to establish a foundation at a very young age the devoted catholic referred to a saying? that if your tomorrow would be guaranteed you must start today.
“I do not want to establish a foundation when I am aged and I know nothing about the foundation. I need to start now, so that I can build a foundation that I can sit on when I get older. Those who start when they get old don’t necessarily play well with the foundation… I want to make sure it grows purposefully? and achieves its purpose, this entails me being part and parcel of it, make out time to monitor it, so that it can always have tentacles. I have to manage it and grow it into an establishment of its own”, he said.
According to him those that work with him in the Foundation today would not be the people to drive the foundation but those who would drive it would be those that the foundation has touched their lives “that is my target, so let’s count 25-30 years from now I will ensure that I have people in place that the foundation has touched their lives who would come up to make the foundation,” he maintained.
“Even if supposing I start it, I won’t even finish it. But we can give them confident, hope and do our little part while here and leave the rest for people and generation to come. I believe that if everyone is doing the right thing, it becomes a question of when are we going to reach our expectation. I have started my own part today while everyone in one way or the other should do his own part,” he stated.
Prince Obinna visited LEA Primary School Darkwo Village where he discovered an MDG Project which was abandoned, which could have led to the construction of Proto-type four Compact Toilet. There were 267 pupils with only seven teachers for seven classrooms.
There he donated exercise books, writing materials and gave the pupils food and drinks to mark his birthday.
Also at the Glorious Kiddies Academy also in Darko, he donated books and writing materials.
When he left the Academy his next port of call was LEA Primary School Gishiri where he also saw classrooms under construction but made donations also of books, writing materials with food and drinks.
At the Hope For Survival Orphanage Maitama Extension, Gishiri Abuja, Mr. Japhat supervising co-ordinator of the orphanage home told Prince Obinna that the home has 46 inmates with a branch in Nasarawa State where those of them that were of school age were schooling.
He inspected the apartments of the orphanage home and met with the seven workers at the home. There he donated bags of rice, provisions, washing soap, drinks and food and promised to always visit the home.
His other place of visit was the Abuja Children Home in Karu, Abuja where, items such as bags of Rice, Cartons of Indomie, lipton Tea, exercise books and other writing materials worth thousands of naira was donated to the home.
The Managing Director rounded up his visit to orphanage homes by visiting St. Mary’s Orphanage Home, Maryland, Gwagwalada Abuja where he also celebrated his birthday with the orphans and danced with them to the delight of the staff and other visitors and friends.
He presented also to them several items ranging from Bags of Rice, Indomie in Cartons, Exercise Books and Writing materials, corporate school bags among several other items worth thousands of naira. The kids were treated to good food and drinks while they ate and drank and were happy. What is significant is that in all these places he visited both the primary schools and the orphanage homes, Prince Obinna carried the message of hope and love.
“We will continue in our little way to work with your teachers and will register your name and needs in our Foundation and would show up from time to time in your school,” he promised.
The teachers at the various schools were over whelmed with happiness as they explained it was the first time such donations were happening in their schools.