Physically Challenged Lauds Onitsha South Mayor For Handing Over Cheque Of #510 For Support Of Shoe Making Business
…..My Spirit Directed Me To Meet Him
By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
A physically challenged, Mr Kelechukwu Iloka has continued to thank God for his prayers being answered by the Mayor, Onitsha South Local Government, Hon Chief Emeka Orji for handing him over a cheque of Five Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira, #510 for his shoe making business.
Speaking after the handover of the cheque to him by the Mayor, witnessed by the Head of Local Government Administration, HLGA, Mr Victor Orji and the Treasurer, Mrs Ugwummadu Sylvia at the office of the Chairman at the Council Secretariat, Mr Iloka expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the kind gesture.
In an interview when he was asked if he was directed by anybody, Mr Iloka said that he was directed by his spirit to ask for help from the Mayor, “Nobody directed me, I decided to, because I have waited for help and looked for it but I don’t know how to get it or whom to get it from, that was the reason I went to the Mayor and asked for help.
“I am the one that demanded for the amount because I told him that all I need was #510,000 to start making shoes for supplying, I was born crippled, I stays at Shoe Site Tarzan after learning shoe making business and on retail but it wasn’t okay for me.
“I later wanted to start supplying which is far better than retail, but have no money for that but thank God for the Mayor, he has provided the money, I decided to request for the #510,000, though I need more, but on a second taught, he is equally a family man with his own challenges, I don’t want to ask for greater amount.
“I pray that God would grant him and the family their heart desires and also those who helped me to see the Mayor. God would bless all of you”.
Earlier while speaking, the Mayor said “The young man came into my office and asked me for help, I wanted to give him #150-200,000 but after he told me that all he need was #510,000, I decided to add it up since there is no much difference, what moved me was that this man in his condition decided to go and learn skill while others in this condition decided to turn to street beggars, so it touches me, I made up my mind to help him” Orji said.
In his words, the HLGA, stated “This young man came into my office and informed me that the Mayor wanted to see me that he(Mayor) want to help him(Iloka), he told me that he learnt shoe making and was pleading for help so that he can start his own.
“I looked at the man with his cluches and wondered how he managed to climb the two storey building, I left him in my office and went to see the Mayor, he narrated to me how the man came to him and what enticed him was that the man did not go to the street for begging but chose to learn skill, that he want to help him and I told him to go ahead.
” So the Mayor told him to list all the necessary things he needs, this #510,000 given to the man was the cost of all the things he wrote down for his work and the Mayor approved it and I instructed the treasurer to raise a cheque in favour of the man to go and buy things for his work, I myself , also appreciated the fact that the man is not among those with this condition who decided to become street beggars”.
