CEO 3Cees Hotel Donates N.5M To Four Fire Incident Victims, One Other In Abraka

By Daniel Dafe

A popular business tycoon in Abraka, Delta State, Mr. Ikechukwu Duru has donated the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000) as support to four persons that fire razed their shops in the university town some weeks ago.

The business man who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 3Cees Hotels and Suites and Iyke Supermarket, was moved by the appeal of the leader of Igbo.Community in the area, Chief Nnamdi Uwalaka.

He hinted that while four Igno indigenes had their shops razed down, another was in Oghara Teaching Hospital undergoing treatment after sustaining injuries during an accident.

He gave the names of those whose shops were burnt down as Odah Udaka, Sunday Irem, Stephen Oke and Mr. Jacob Nwankwo.

Moved by the predicaments of the five, Duru gave the sum of N100, 000 to each of them.

Earlier, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the said area led by Uwalaka had donated an undisclosed amount to the victims.

Speaking to Oasis Magazine, an Igbo leader in the town, Ogrishi Jonathan Ogechi Maduuwa, the traditional prime minister, Ohanaeze, Igbo Community, Abraka, said: “We woke up one morning; I didn’t save the date but I think it was a Sunday morning, to see that some shops of our brothers and sisters, wives and husbands by the police station was gutted by fire. So, we came here and joined to sympathise with them, pick up the debris and console them. We thought of what we can do and realised that it was not something we can attend to immediately so we kept everything till first week of February which was supposed to be our meeting day.

“So, when we met, it was the first thing on our agenda; how to show them that we feel concern for them. So, we raised the issue and a lot of us gave what we could and we were able to raise a reasonable amount which we gathered to give them.”

ALSO READ: Oborevwori Admonishes Church Leaders Against False Prophecies

He continued: “It will be a continuous process. We are still contacting politicians as well so that as they bring, we will keep coming to give out to them.

To the beneficiaries, he said: “I have wept and the tears is in my eyes. I know what they lost and its really heartbreaking. We have been praying and we will keep praying that heaven will speak for them.

Asked what his message to the state government was, he said: “We are not of Delta but we cherish Sheriff and we also cherish the local government. All we ask is that in whatever they do, they should not be far from the people.”

Furthermore, he used the opportunity to appeal to the local government chairman that he should not allow touts take over the economic management of Abraka because most times, they come to their shops and they fight them, while using some foul languages in a way that one wonders who they are.

In his words, “you see them in motorparks and when they come out, they say they are local government workers and inflict pains. We are fighting it and we won’t let it lie low.”

One of the victims, Udaka, who also spoke to Oasis Magazine, said: “I am very happy to have them meet with me and my people today for the fire outbreak that burnt down our shops because no one has reached out to us or consoled us since the fire outbreak. No one has offered us assistance or encouragement. We’ve just been moving about, holding ourselves.

He added: “I am grateful to my President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Mr Nnamdi Uwalaka and our Prime Minister, Ogrishi and our second Prime Minister. I am grateful to all the members for the way they volunteered themselves to render help to us. May God bless them and reward them in a thousand fold in Jesus’ name especially the owner of 3CEES Hotel.

To the government, he said: “We pay revenue and taxes here. Even the permit, sanitation permit, signboard permit etc there is nothing we don’t pay.

“About four to five years ago, my own personal shop burnt down and I didn’t see the presence of the government at all not even the local government nor state government. This year again, we have not seen any of them. So, we appeal to the government to come and help us. I am a married man with four children and they have nothing to feed on for now not even a cup of rice. So, if the government can come to our aid, we will really appreciate it no matter how small or big we will be very happy.”

While blaming power supply for the incident, he said: “I was selling phones and accessories. I lost about seventeen Million (#17,000,000) which i have not fully recovered from yet now I have lost about two million naira again (#2,000,000).”

At the time of this report, Oasis Magazine gathered that the Member representing Ethiope East Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly and Deputy Speaker of the House, Barr. Arthur Akpowowo did his own bit by donating the sum of N50, 000 to the victims.

Chief Uwalaka also disclosed that the Chairman of the local government area, Chief Victor Ofobrukueta has also promised to support the five persons, saying that his donated was yet to be received.

Meanwhile, the group appealed to the public to support the victims.

Please see account details below-
2196249542 ,UBA Ohanaeze ndi Igbo