Madam Eburuaja: Umuaka Times creates support group.
3 min read
Umuaka Times, an online weekly news portal has created a fund raising whatsapp group for the burial of Mrs. Ezinne Regina (Nwanyioma) Eburuaja, the mother of Rev Father Emmanuel Eburuaja, who was a former parish priest at St Mary’s Catholic Church Umuaka. The decision to create this group was reached between Umuaka Times and Mr Jude Eze, an Akalite who lives in Europe.
According to the creators of the group, the reason for constituting a committee of friends for the burial of Ezinne Eburuaja was to reciprocate the love Father Eburuaja has so far displayed to Umuaka and her people.
During his time as the parish priest in Umuaka, Eburuaja created a lot of reforms which directly left highly impressive and positive impact in Umuaka. As the parish priest, Eburuaja was also the principal of the Catholic mission school, Santa Maria Secondary School, where he groomed students of the institution to be responsible and positive minded citizens in the society. His strictness did not only pay off, but it also gave the school national recognitions from the government quarters.
He helped to build many marriages and was always ready to assist in times of emergency. His love for sports led to the birth of Father Eburuaja FC, and Father Eburuaja Stadium in Umuezeala Uba. Today, a young Akalite Mr Onyekachi Durugbor is in Europe playing football after Eburuaja discovered him from Santa Maria Secondary School.
After the creation of the whatsapp group, some Akalites pulled out from the group for some personal reasons while some others called Umuaka Times asking why their names were not included in the group.
First to write a note and open the floor for donations was Dr Albert Okunwa, the Umuaka Times Cultural Ambassador of the Year 2019. He commended the efforts of the creator of the group and expressed his happiness for being a part of the group. Dr Okunwa went further and made a pledge of N50, 000.
Chief Jude Ezeala (Ebubeagu), despite running round for the burial of his late dad, the iconic Dr JOL Ezeala, expressed his happiness for being a member of the group and promised to participate fully as time goes on.
MCD Simon Iberosi, another Akalite based in the United States was another person who displayed his unusual happiness over the group. Iberosi requested to be made one of the admins of the group to enable him use his use his personal and social contacts to reach out to other persons Umuaka Times could not reach out to. Immediately and without delay, this request was granted by Umuaka Times and almost instantly, MCD Iberosi’s giant strides became noticeable and he dropped a cash donation of N50,000.
Chief Celestine Agu, the Ekwembiriba of Umuaka did not only appreciate his membership of the group, he said that the love Fr Eburuaja has for Obinwanne is beyond measures. For that, he further submitted the name of Chief Julius Igboeche to be added in the group so that the man would coordinate some people from Obinwanne towards taking part in this cause.
Mr. Onyebuchi Eze, a Lagos based businessman and a high profile Akalite, could not delay his joy after he noticed his name in the group. He made a call to Umuaka Times and asked that his two friends from Anambra State, Mr Ikechukwu Nwokedike and Mr Ikechukwu Ezeogwu who never met Eburuaja before in their entire life, be added to the group. Minutes later, when the additions have been made, Mr Ikechukwu Ezeogwu pledged N50, 000.
As at press time last week, pledges and cash donations so far received have surpassed half a million naira and so far, donations have come from 11 persons. This week will make the group one week old.
Umuaka Times will publish the comprehensive list of donors at the end of the project.
