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Tag: #Linda Ayade

  • Margaret Inde Hosts Interactive Session For Cross River Urban To Rural Women Mentorship Programme In Obanliku

    Margaret Inde Hosts Interactive Session For Cross River Urban To Rural Women Mentorship Programme In Obanliku

    By John Akpo

    The Executive Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council, Evang. Hon Mrs. Margaret Inde today played host to Her Excellency, Dr (Mrs) Linda Ayade as she held interactive session with Obanliku maidens, women, widows and others at the Council Secretariat in Sankwala.

    Dr. Linda Ayade who was represented by the Special Adviser, Cross River State Water Board LTD and Coordinator, Cross River Urban to Rural Women Mentorship Program, Hon. Agnes Atsu (JP) and Mr Fred Abua, the Press Secretary to her Excellency said this meeting was the first major interface with the 200 beneficiaries of the mentorship and empowerment program designed for young women.

    Receiving the team on behalf of Hon Margaret Inde, the First Lady and the Obanliku CROWEI Ambassador, Mrs Victoria Ugbe, along with the CROWEI Coordinator, Obanliku Chapter, Mrs Ulam thanked Dr (Mrs) Linda Ayade for matching her words with action.

    She expressed her sincere appreciation and happiness for Her Excellency choosing to commence the pilot phase of this laudable initiative in Obanliku.

    The Ambassador assured that Obanliku will ensure a smooth implimentation and sustainability of the program.

    Recall that on the 7th May, 2021, Her Excellency, Dr. (Mrs.) Linda Ayade Inaugurated the State Exco for her new programme, CROWEI Urban To Rural Women Support Initiative Programme (CRU2RWI) with Hon. Agnes Atsu (JP) as State Coordinator with a charge to commence the pilot phase at Obanliku Local Government Area immediately.

    Today, Obanliku maidens, widows and others gathered at the Council Secretariat Sankwala from their various wards for an interactive session with the State Coordinator and her team.

    Speaking during the interactive session, the State Coordinator, Hon Agnes Atsu (JP) appreciated all participants and encouraged all to take advantage of the opportunity to better their life thereby fullfiling destiny

    Hon Atsu stressed that unlike other empowerment programs that has no good follow up, the organizers of this one will ensure proper monitoring and evaluation, hence plans are already on ground.

    In her words “Her Excellency is committed to ensure an implimentation of sustainable empowerment where beneficiaries can leverage on and create fortunes for themselves and their families”

    “We are aware, that many are here to get this empowerment, sell whatever would be given and return to their normal life, I assure you, we will drive you through a training process after which you will now be empowered”

    Also speaking at the occasion, the Press Secretary to her Execellency, Mr Fred Abua who also doubles as the Committee Secretary briefed the participants on the need for all to show seriousness and follow every step of the training.

    He also noted that “empowering women is very vital in every society especially like ours, if the society must experience rapid development, hence the idea of Her Excellency, Dr Linda Ayade”

    At the meeting, Hon Agnes Atsu informed the participants that very soon a team of trainers shall come and will take the participants on various entrepreneurial skills, trade and lots more.

     

  • Dr. Linda Ayade Impacting Women And The Vulnerable In Cross River

    Dr. Linda Ayade Impacting Women And The Vulnerable In Cross River

     

    By Fred Abua

    If you are asking me what Dr. Linda Ayade can do to please those who insist on fitting her into the mould they have created and comparing her to their old role models, I will answer simply, NOTHING!

    Because everything she has done proves that she is a unique, focused, moral, self-motivated professional who is not propelled by a quest for fame and undue recognition! She is an educated, intelligent and urbane First Lady who is gifted with beauty and brains, elegance and poise, yet her chastity has never been at question. Never!

    Regrettably, if I may say so, blowing her own trumpet is a skill set she is reluctant to acquire, even after stepping into the murky arena of politics where self-appreciation is the way to go. So, she will continue to give secretly to those within her reach and be a true friend to her friends; she would continue to do only what is possible and within her means in the hopes that the Almighty God is watching. The approval of God is better than the praises of men.

    Critics often fail to understand that the Office of the First Lady has no budgetary allocation. It exists only in name and each occupant can only leverage on the platform it provides to pursue and fulfil their passions through collaborations with various stakeholders, relevant MDAs and development partners. Some First Ladies have even worked with business entities interested in fulfilling their Corporate Social Responsibility within their states while some have, unfortunately, blurred the lines between the First Lady and the various Ministries of Health, Women Affairs, Social Welfare, International Development Corporation, Education, or whichever they are interested in, usurping the functions of those Commissioners.

    This First Lady will NOT usurp another person’s duties!

    Dr. Linda Ayade is already running a pet project like almost all governors’ wives do – and she is not pedestrian about it, she is achieving her strategic goals with every passing day. Empirical evidence shows that her NGO, the Mediatrix Development Foundation, has impacted over 100,000 vulnerable and less privileged people within Cross River in various ways – various health services, sustainable livelihood interventions, educational services, advocacy for rights and justice.

    Those who try to diminish her achievements within this constituency by comparing them to some unrealistic once-upon-a-time feats done by someone somewhere are mere mischief makers who cannot differentiate media hype from actual impact on ground. Or perhaps, because of political differences, they are blinded to the very strides that have attracted many multinational organizations who now provide technical support and funding for many of MDF’s activities. Never in the history of Cross River has a First Lady’s pet project attracted funding from any UN organization (I stand to be corrected) but Dr. Linda Ayade’s MDF has partnered with the UNFPA, UNHCR, UNWomen, CUSO International, FHI360, GADA, US Embassy, Lafarge Holcim, 9Mobile Nigeria, amongst others. Pictorial evidence of interventions abound to prove all these claims.

    Dr. Ayade understands the problem of street children in Calabar and desires to contribute to solutions to this perennial problem that has been there from the early 2000s. This particular menace was one of the challenges Mrs. Obioma Imoke tried to address with her Destiny Child Centre located in Calabar South and we recall how some of the rehabilitated children always returned to the streets, rejecting reintegration with their families, while some of them either had no families to return to or were no more welcome there. Acknowledging this response and to avoid another failure in the effort to get our children off the streets means that a holistic programming that employs sustainable strategies relating to the protection of children is necessary. This, Dr. Linda Ayade, is fashioning with the Commissioner for Humanity and Social Welfare already.

    Time will fail me if I delve into the exploits of her political organization for women, Cross River Women Emancipation Initiative, CROWEI, which was created for the realization of the political and socio-economic goals of women in the state. This organization has ensured the inclusion of a reasonable number of women in appointive and elective offices in the state and has structures and an EXCO in all the wards of all the LGAs of the state.

    CROWEI is set to increase women participation in politics come 2023.

    Fred Abua is the Chief Press Secretary to Dr. Linda Ayade.

  • Linda Ayade Inaugurates Mentorship Programme

    Linda Ayade Inaugurates Mentorship Programme

     

    The wife of the Cross River State Governor, Dr.  Linda Ayade has Inaugurated the State Exco for her new programme, CROWEI Urban To Rural Women Support Initiative Programme (CRU2RWI).

    The programme which has Hon. Agnes Atsu (JP) as State Coordinator is to commence the pilot phase at Obanliku Local Government Area immediately.

    The inauguration held on the 7th of May, 2021 at the conference room of the the office of the wife of the governor, had aides of Dr. Linda Ayade in attendance.

    Speaking during the event, the Governor’s wife shared her vision of economic empowerment and emancipation for rural women through mentorship by their peers in the urban areas who have excelled and succeeded in their various chosen fields. She opined that women empowerment is critical because the woman serves as a critical pivot in the home as the woman bears the burden of training and caring for the young ones. She lauded women as key agents for development because research shows that most thriving nations have women in their power rooms making decisions for their growth.

    Dr. Linda Ayade charged the team to work swiftly and commence the program to identify, train, empower and mentor widows, farmers, entrepreneurs and younger women/girls in Obanliku Local Government Area immediately. The pilot phase will see to the training and mentoring of 200 women selected from the 10 political wards of the LGA.

    Responding on behalf of the committee, the State Coordinator, Hon. Agnes Atsu, thanked Her Excellency for the opportunity provided for the members of the team to contribute to the betterment of the lives of the rural women and girls. She pledged her commitment and dedication to her duties and sued for unity among the team members.

    Other members of the Exco are Deaconness Abasioffiong Offiong – Assistant Coordinator; Pastor Dr. Bong Duke – Director, Research/Planning; Miss Benyin Adie – Director, Media Services; Hon. Mrs. Justina J. Edem – Mobilizer, South; Mrs. Lovina Etim Eteng – Mobilizer, Central; Madam Elizabeth U. Adie Mobilizer, North; and, Mr. Fred Abua – Secretary

    The event was attended by the President of CROWEI, Hon. Mrs. Lawrencia Ita, JP and other CROWEI officials.

  • Innovate To Meet The New Normal, Dr. Linda Ayade Tells Staff.

    Innovate To Meet The New Normal, Dr. Linda Ayade Tells Staff.

     

    The President of the Mediatrix Development Foundation and wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Dr. Linda Ayade, has said that the COVID-19 pandemic had created a new normal, and as such, visionary organizations must adopt new ways of doing things to achieve their developmental goals rather than waiting and wishing that things will return to how they used to be.

    Speaking during an interactive session with staff of the Mediatrix Development Foundation (MDF), Dr. Ayade encouraged the staff to be especially creative in adopting new approaches in managing their school-based projects as the present reality no more encourages large gatherings, hence affecting the operations of the MDF Health Clubs in various schools across the state.

    The Founder then called on all staff to put on their thinking caps and come up with innovative approaches in impacting communities in 2021 while tasking the management to step down trainings to the new staff.

    Speaking earlier, the Chief Operating Officer of MDF, Mr. Jeffrey Adamade, briefed the President on the 2020 partnerships which he described as successful. MDF implemented various projects in the year under review including Peaceful Co-existence with UNHCR; the TAFT project focusing on empowerment of Refugees and Host communities in Akamkpa with UNWOMEN; and, the US Embassy-funded small grant project respectively.

    About 15 of the 28 staff of MDF were present in the Calabar office during the interaction and each staff had the opportunity to share their experiences since joining the organization.

    The Governor’s wife encouraged the staff to be diligent in their work and to consider their contributions to the NGO as an investment into humanity and their own career growth.

  • IWD 2021: Linda Ayade Identifies Poverty As The Main Challenge That Women In Africa Face Today

    IWD 2021: Linda Ayade Identifies Poverty As The Main Challenge That Women In Africa Face Today

    By Fred Abua

    The Wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Dr. Linda Ayade has identified poverty as the main challenge that women in Africa face today. She said most of the other challenges like access to education, gender-based violence, right to inheritance and choice of who and when to marry would easily be surmounted or brought down to a minimum if women were not limited by lack of financial muscle.

    The Governor’s wife who was a guest on Galaxy TV on the eve of the 2021 International Women’s Day said reasonable progress has been made since the struggle for women emancipation started, and vowed that women will not allow their voices to be drowned by the masculine majority that already occupy the leadership and political space.

    Dr. Linda Ayade recalled her growing up years and praised her secondary school principal, Rev. Sister Eunice Atsu and other women whose integrity and focus left an early impression on her mind that she could achieve her goals. While congratulating the new Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the newly elected Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, Dr. Ayade posited that even if equality is not achieved soon, women will continually break the glass ceiling and find their way to the front row of every human endeavour.

    To mark the 2021 IWD theme of Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 World Dr. Linda Ayade’s NGO, the Cross River Women Emancipation Initiative, CROWEI, presented cash gifts to selected less privileged women across the state and launched a new mentorship programme tagged “Urban-Rural Support Initiative”. While calling on women to love one another and shun the unhealthy trend of pulling others down, Dr. Ayade identified the mentorship of achievers as one effective way of changing the lot of rural women. The Urban-Rural Support Initiative will pair outstanding urban members of CROWEI with members in the rural areas for a mentor-mentee relationship with the aim of improving the socio-economic worldview of the rural women.

  • 30 Women Detected With Breast Cancer In October 2020 – Linda Ayade

    30 Women Detected With Breast Cancer In October 2020 – Linda Ayade

    Simon Ushie

    The wife of the Cross River State Governor and the President/Founder of Mediatrix Development Foundation, Dr. Linda Ayade has disclosed that her organization in collaboration with the Cross River State Government have identified 30 women across the three Senatorial districts of the State with various stages of breast cancer in the past one month.

    Dr. Ayade made the declaration at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital during the annual flag of the the 2020 breast cancer awareness month and service provision organized by the Breast Imaging Society of Nigeria( BISON) aimed at reaching out to to women and men in the state to create cancer management and prevention strategies to beat the growing incidences of breast cancer in Cross River State.

    Dr Ayade said, her organization and her office having identified the essence of early detection, partnered with the state government through the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to move into Communities working side by side with local media agents to draw people into checking for lumps in their breasts which was successful, and 30 patients have been identified and referrals made for advanced procedures on the patients.

    She pledged to be more committed in 2021 to sensitize more women “We hope to work closely with you all in 2021 and get more women sensitized, screened and treated on the various stages of breast cancer”.

    On her part, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency Dr Janet Ekpenyong said, the month has offered her Agency the opportunity to improve upon some services especially breast cancer check through various trainings and workshops organized by partners like BISON with visible results been recorded.

    She said henceforth, every woman who visit any of the primary health care centres across the state will be subjected to compulsory breast check to halt the increasing figures of new cases and deaths.

    Head of the Breast Imaging Society of Nigeria (BISON), Cross River State Chapter, Dr Ofonime Ukweh, maintained that “though, all through the phase of Covid19, breast cancer remains the leading cause of death globally with over 600,000 deaths in 2018 alone”

    Dr Ukweh further called for a shift of attention from the consideration or believe that Breast Cancer is peculiar to the female gender alone, she calls on men at all ages and profession to present themselves for regular breast check in teaching hospitals across the country, with BISON ready to support patients who are diagnosed of cancer.

    She used the opportunity to call on all people to have an improved lifestyle through proper diating and regular exercise as well self and frequent check.

    She averred that the group in the past five years have seen them offer services including world class breast imaging, image guided intervention and research following best global practices.

  • Inyang Asibong Tells UN, EU And Human Right Commission How Linda Ayade Is Curtailing Money Marriage In Cross River State

    By Admin

    The efforts of the wife of Cross River State Governor, Dr Linda Ayade to fight the practice of Money Marriage in Becheve community of Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, took the centre Stage at the two days workshop organised by the National Human Right Commission in Collaboration with the United Nations and European Union.

    The workshop which held at Lagos Hall, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, had the Commissioner For International Development Cooperation, Dr. Inyang Asibong gave the expository of the Cross River Challenge.

    Dr. Linda Ayade had through her pet project Mediatrix Develoment Foundation intervened and engaged the communities involved in the act, through the traditional rulers, religious leaders, the Media as well as Civil Society organizations.

    The Governor’s wife efforts according to Asibong had increased advocacy to policy makers and community leaders, expanded efforts to educate, sensitize and provide a platform for the people of Becheve and Utanga communities to discuss issues related to gender-based violence.

    Asibong explained how Cross River State Government had also set up a high-powered Committee through the effort of the wife of the Governor in a bid to end the inhumane cultural practice of money-Girl-marriage which she described as a form of Gender-based Violence.

    She explained the Cross River Challenge and the effort of the State Government with hope that the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU) and other International Donors will partner the state Government and possibly be on ground in Becheve to see things for themselves.

    According to Asibong, the plight of the girl-child should be a collective concern with a drive to end human right abuses in the Country.

    “These young girls are married out to pay debts owed by their parents. This marriage could take place at age five, three, and sometimes even before their conception, where hey are already sold to pay debts. This can go on for decades, so it’s a form of child slavery.

    “It has been an age long cultural practices which have been transferred from generation to generation. But what I came here to tell you is that Cross River State Government has taken it as a challenge and we are solving the problem using the political will of the Governor and special support of his wife, Dr Linda Ayade.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, it is better to be there than said because it is real and on behalf of His Excellency, I wish to call for immediate support and partnership between Cross River State Government and the United Nations, the European Union and other Development Partners to end the practice of Money Marriage in the State” she added.

  • Linda Ayade Condoles MDF Board Chairman, Ortamen Manz Denga On Father’s Death, Stresses That Heaven Was Missing An Angel For 76 Years He Had Lived On Earth

    Linda Ayade Condoles MDF Board Chairman, Ortamen Manz Denga On Father’s Death, Stresses That Heaven Was Missing An Angel For 76 Years He Had Lived On Earth

    By Elijah Ugani

    The wife of the Cross River State Governor and President/Founder of Mediatrix Development Foundation, Dr. Linda Ayade has commiserated with the Board Chairman of Mediatrix Development Foundation, Mr Ortamen Manz Denga over the death of his father, Pa Gideon Atule Denga.

    Dr. Linda Ayade in a condolence massage to Mr. Manz said “It is with great sadness in my heart that I join your friends and well-wishers
    to commiserate with you over the death of your beloved father.

    “I can only imagine the palpable pain that can result from the loss of a father as dear as Pa Gideon Atule Denga!.

    “Papa’s departure has provoked mixed feelings in my mind; feelings of thanksgiving for a fulfilled life and sadness for the vacuum his departure will leave in the hearts of those who were influenced and blessed by him. He was an honourable, genial and peace-loving man whose passing away will be deeply felt by all.

    “Heaven was missing an angel for the 76 years that Papa lived on earth with us! So, we rejoice that he has returned to eternal rest with his Creator.
    May the Almighty God grant you and your family the fortitude to bear the
    irreplaceable loss of a noble personality”

  • C’River Govt, Dr Linda Ayade, MDF, And Pink Africa Walks Against Breast Cancer In Calabar

    C’River Govt, Dr Linda Ayade, MDF, And Pink Africa Walks Against Breast Cancer In Calabar

    By Admin

    In commemoration of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is globally observed on October annually, the wife of the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Dr Linda Ayade, Cross River State Government, collaborated with Pink Africa Foundation (Convener of the walk) and other partners like Mediatrix Development Foundation, Lions Club International, Aruba Hospital, Nurse’s association, Labour union amongst others held a breast cancer awareness walk in Calabar, tagged ‘ Calabar gopink day; beyond walk the talk.

    Cross River State First Lady, Dr Linda Ayade who addressed participants at the Calabar Municipality Council Headquarters at the end of the walk disclosed the low level of awareness regarding the disease, its courses and prevention among women and men, coupled with the population not being proactive enough to leave their comfort zones and go for lifesaving screening for breast cancer,” These are the major reasons for poor prognosis of cancers in our environment and increase mortality .

    Against this backdrop, Her Excellency said she is calling on women to take advantage of Mediatrix Foundation free Breast cancer screening across the State especially at the grassroots. “Because given requisite information, early screening, early detection and management, most of this cancer related deaths are avoidable”, she stressed.

    The Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu disclosed that Breast Cancer Awareness Month is one of those sad and most important month of her life. According to her she will continue to do everything possible to save lives of women, getting as many women as possible to go for breast cancer examination, screening and treatment.

    “It is important for both men and women to get regular checkup as breast cancer account for the highest mortality from cancer in women. She commended the wife of the Governor for introducing the grassroots strategy of mobilizing Women in all wards and town criers you bring their fellow women to primary health centers or General hospital for free breast screening this month. She said so far over 20 cases have been picked in the villages with some at very advanced stage needing urgent attention”.

    We say no to breast cancer devastating our women. That is why we are bringing this life saving message, to all people in our community that early detection, proper management and right habit, is the key to survive breast Cancer scourge”, Says Dr Janet Ekpenyong, Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.

    Earlier Speaking, Dr Ani Nchewi of Pink Africa Foundation describe cancer as a deadly disease that affects a lot of people. When the good cell of the body stops producing and the body starts producing bad cell resulting to a multitude of bad cells, that health situation can cause cancer.

    She said Pink Africa Foundation will continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring incessant lost of lives due to lack of breast cancer screening is avoided. According to her, “ women should be breast aware. that unusual difference between the two breasts, that visible lump, dimpling or indentation in the breast tissue, that redness, scaling or other changes to the skin or nipple that appear abnormal, that changes to your nipple that is newly inverted or pulling in, should be the first signals to get you discussing with health experts and then follow with up treatments.” The pink Africa Foundation is donating free post Mastectomy bras to women.

    In what turned out to be one of the most exciting numerous Breast Cancer Awareness walk, the streets of Calabar metropolis came aglow as passersby were caught in rapt attention, digesting the message and asking questions.

    The procession took off from the Eleven Eleven Roundabout where the calabar go pink day was flagged off by the Wife of The Governor Dr Linda Ayade, through Mary slessor to Rabana, Marian Road, and up to Calabar Municipal Council were the Mayor and Chief Host, Hon (Elder) Effefiong Nta Eke received the entire team at the Council Headquarters. The DG of SACA Dr Etcheri Ansa and Lions Club International representative amongst many others were in attendance to marked the breast cancer day while free breast scan for over 200 women happened at same venue.

  • God Used The Ayades To Make Me Chairman Of Obanliku Local Government Council – Margaret Inde

    God Used The Ayades To Make Me Chairman Of Obanliku Local Government Council – Margaret Inde

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde, has stated that God used the Ayades to perfect his plans of making her Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council.

    The Chairman disclosed this during the thanksgiving service held in her honor at Message Point Assembly, No. 199 Parliamentary Road, Calabar on Sunday October 11th, 2020.

    In her words “I want to thank God for this day, indeed God is still using his own to perfect his plans. I would not have become Chairman of Obanliku if not for my dear mothers, Dr. Linda Ayade and Mrs. Elizabeth Frank Ayade. I was at this alter praying and asking God to have his way, while here praying, the wife of the Governor was busy calling and asking me if all was OK with me. They ensured that everything went according to God’s plan.

    “Prior to the election, I had a dream that President Umaru Musa Yaradua of blessed memory, visited Calabar, and in that dream, he singled me out and asked me to come to him at the podium and I did, he made me sat beside him. After the function he came for, he flown me to Abuja, gave me a position and showed me a mansion to live in, that was the libration for me.

    “When I woke up and realized it was a dream, at first I wasn’t comfortable, and couldn’t believe myself, but I had to believe God and waited for the appointed time, and that time is now.

    “I see that God has used the Ayades in place of the late Yaradua, the former President of this country. I want to thank God for a dream come true.

    “I’m grateful first to God Almighty for his magnanimity and love towards me for this opportunity to serve my people in spite of my unworthiness, secondly to the Ayade family for the support and believe in me, in fact, I am a foster child of the Ayades. Also, my parents in the Lord, Apostle and Mrs. Bassey Udosen who have always prayed and prophesied for me.

    “I had another dream when God told me that I was going to build a house for him, and I asked myself, how can a civil servant whose salary was just seventy thousand naira build a house for God.

    “I didn’t know that God has something great for me and that he will provide the fulcrum for me to begin this project of building a temple for the Lord, it is on this premise that I want to call on you all who have identified with me today in thanksgiving to the Lord to join me to support the building of this church”

    Earlier, Apostle Bassey Udosen, admonished the congregation to utilize the opportunity they have while still alive for the service of God and mankind.

    He noted that nothing will be important when we breath the last, are the things we did while we were alive. He charged all present to consider living a life of impartation and good deeds.

    The man of God used the opportunity and prayed for Governor Ben Ayade and his Deputy as well as the Chairman of Obanliku, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde, he asked for God’s guidance, and that his favours and grace to directs her affairs as she steers the ship of Obanliku local government council to an enviable height.

    The Deputy of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu, joined the Chairman of Obanliku local government council in thanksgiving and made a donation for the church building project.

    Also, the wife of the Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade was visibly filled with with joy to be in the Lord’s presence and used the opportunity to pray God Almighty to grant the Chairman whose emergence is a manifestation of his plan, the grace to complete the work he (God) has started in the life of his dear daughter, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde. She further joined the Deputy Governor and made a contribution to the church building project.

    The thanksgiving was graced by numerous friends, fans, supporters, PDP party faithfuls, Council Chairmen of the 17 local government areas, well wishers of the Chairman too numerous to mention who made their donations to support the church building project.