Christmas Celebration : Philanthropist, Edward Ekeanyanwu doles out N10m to less privileged

loo

Photo 2 : From left Rev. Fr. Patrick Mbara, receiving the cheque from Mr. Edward Ekeanyanwu of Chioma CB Charity Foundation while Rev. Fr. Kingsley Ejimadu of St. Patrick Catholic Church Idem Ogwa watch in admiration.

Barely two weeks to Christmas, and as part of his humanitarian and philanthropic gestures of given succours to the less privileged widows, widowers, youths, poorest of the poor and Churches during festive periods, Mr. Edward Ekeanyanwu, on behalf of Chioma CB Charity Foundation has doled out a whooping sum of N10m (ten million Naira) to be distributed among the aforementioned groups, in Idem Ogwa Village of Ishi Ogwa autonomous community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State and beyond.

Ekeanyanwu who’s the founder and financier of the Foundation disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting the cheque to Rev.Fr. Patrick Mbara, the Head of Chaplaincy and Archdiocesan Secretary/ Chancellor, Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri in his office in the presence of Rev. Fr. Kingsley Egbujor of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Idem Ogwa.

The philanthropist who’s also the CEO of CB Electronics, with franchises of Hisense, Funai and IG electronic products at No 6 Douglas Road, Owerri recalled that the foundation was inaugurated in 2024 and N10m was equally distributed as empowerment to churches, widows, widowers, people living with disabilities and less privileged persons for entrepreneurship and skills acquisition.

According to him, “the motivation is built as act of thanks giving to God for lifting me from grass to grace, from nobody to somebody. I came out of the University, without any clear cut vision of what to do, there was no job nor prospect of getting any.

“I started struggling on my own, hawking clothes on the streets of Owerri, electronics and other things, it’s only God that changed my story, today, am one of the top dealers of electronics in South East Nigeria. I will remain ever grateful to Him.

“This year 2025, we are bringing again a minimum of N10m as one of our ways of thanking and appreciating God’s immense grace in our businesses and other activities, to reciprocate we are determined to positively touch lives, no matter how small.

The money will be used for propagation of Christianity, empowerment of youths, assistance to indigent students, widows and widowers.

“It’s my candid directive, that the money will be distributed thus; N1m to St Patrick Catholic Church, Idem Ogwa my ancestral home church, excluding the payment of their electricity bill for the entire 2026.

“Recall that the church equally got N1m cash last year from the Foundation, N1m cash goes to St John The Beloved Catholic Chaplaincy, Irete in Owerri West LGA of Imo State. Similarly, St Mark’s Anglican Church, Idem Ogwa, the foundation through the money will pay off their 2026 electricity bill.

“Subsequently, the 6 kindreds in Okwaraji Idem Ogwa Village in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo state will each benefit N1m to be shared among the widows, widowers, youths and poorest of the poor” he stated.

Ekeanyanwu passionately advised people on the need to have uttermost faith in God and to jettison idleness and laziness, even as he urged them to be focused with vision, noting that God rewards hardwork and dedication, using himself as a point of reference.

He expressed profound gratitude to the leadership of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese for their solidarity and input geared towards achieving the aims and objectives of the Foundation.

The philanthropist further thanked Chief Jawachi Onyechege Uwandu, Sir Chinaka Ekeanyanwu as the Head of his family for his patriotic commitments towards establishment of the Foundation, Prince Obi Morgan Uwandu and the leadership of Okwaraji Village for their tremendous encouragement and support.

Earlier, in his speech, Rev. Fr. Patrick Mbara, commended Mr. Edward Ekeanyanwu for the establishment of the Foundation and his commitments in appreciating God’s goodness in his life, and prayed for God’s abundant blessings upon him and his family.

Mbara advised the Foundation to always give priority attention to willing youths with sincerity of charism, in terms of empowerment through skills acquisition, scholarship and entrepreneurship, insisting that most of them need destiny helpers to overcome their ugly status.

He equally reiterated that most of the youths derailed in life due to poor foundations and up bringing noting that most of them are eager to grab opportunities to excel.

The cleric further opined that the church, even though lives on charity, is also tremendously assisting in empowering most of the willing youths in terms of free skills acquisition training, scholarship and entrepreneurship funding through the church welfare oriented organ known as Justice, Development and Peace Commission, JPDC

He also thanked the financier for involving the Church in disbursement of the empowerment activities of the Foundation noting that Catholic Priests are meticulous and prudent in ascertaining those genuinely in need and follow them up through mentorship and pastoral accompliment, so that the overall aims and objectives of the foundation will not be abused but rather be achieved.