By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Nigerians of all walks of life have been urged to have the spirit of giving generously and without conditions.
Delivering a sermon at the 10th year memorial Thanksgiving service for late Ezinne Lolo Jesdie Nwabaraku Nwachukwu at St. James Anglican Church Asokoro Abuja, on Sunday, a Lay Reader of the church Mrs Felicia Ike said that was the only way to make heaven.
Speaking on the topic, “The Grace of Giving – giving cheerfully and proportionately” she said the essence of giving was to Express love and care to one another. Her words, “like the apostles of old did by sharing willingly and freely with one another by solving the problems and challenges of others, I urge you all to emulate the apostles by being your brothers keeper”.
She referred to St Paul in the Bible who had concern for others, she said because God gave first, we are expected to give but no matter what you give you cannot outlive God who gave His only begotten son to died on the cross for our sins.
She said God appreciates not just only quantity but quality gifts citing the known case of Cain and Abel in the bible as reference, stressing that God accepted Abel sacrifice but reject that of Cain because he was not sincere in his offering to God.
According to her, “there is always a spiritual return for every good gift. You don’t need to be a multimillionaire before you give. Those things you regard as useless are beneficial to some one else. So give it out, but give cheerfully and Hod will reward you bountiful” she admonished.
In his own words, Venersble Andrus Ukadjiofor, the Vicar of St James Anglican Church Abuja, praised the late Ezinne Jessie Nwachukwu for the life she lived and those she helped. He also thanked the family for remembering her death after 10 years and urged them to keep doing the good work she was known for and prayed for the continued repose of her soul.
In his comments, the first son Dr Obinna Nwachukwu, a veteran journalist, said the death of his mother on 4th November 2009, the same date of his birthday shattered all his birthday celebration plans.
According to him, “Although death is inevitable, that my mother died on the day she gave birth to me, still baffles me. Could it too much love? Mere coincidence, or divine?
Fondly called mama Obinna; she was not born with the proverbial silver spoons, but through dint of hard work rose from obscurity to celebrity. This was a woman whose life was hallmark of sterling qualities, excellent record of service, credibility and patriotism to both God and humanity.
Given her parental low background, she literally pulled herself up by her own boot straps in the grueling struggle of life; overcoming and surviving the sordid experiences of poverty, child mortality and civil war which called forth all the survival instincts of every human being and challenged her to play those sterling qualities which distinguish excellence from mediocrity, solid achievement from feeble performance, imaginative insight from vision less bungling, and creativity from idealism. That was my dear mother.,” Nwachukwu said.
Born in 1926 to Late Mr.& Mrs Ukabiala Anosike of Eziala Obizi in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local government of Imo state, Lolo Jessie Nwachukwu was the first among five children. Her birth came after a long delay which made her parents to give her the Ibo name ‘Nwabaraku” (meaning a child that cost money to get).
She was loved by every body in her maiden home particularly her father who had the habit of carrying her about on his shoulders even to social functions. She later got married my father late Nze Israel Ekeleme Nwachukwu, a pioneer Councilor in the old Mbaise County council (1966-1979). The marriage was blessed with ten Children with only four now living.
