From a shop in Lagos to a Throne of service

Three decades ago, Eze Dr Amb Chika Nwokedi, Eze Okpoko Okpoko I na Obodoukwu, arrived in Lagos with nothing but hope. He had no roof over his head. For years, a shop became his bedroom. He bathed in the open, survived by carrying heavy engines, gearboxes, blocks and sand, and struggled daily just to eat. Today, the same man stands before hundreds of widows, widowers and indigent residents in Ijegun and Ijeododo, handing out food items, Ankara fabric, cash and hope.

On Saturday, the Eze Ndigbo of Ijegun and Ijeododo empowered 211 widows, widowers and vulnerable residents during the fifth edition of his annual humanitarian outreach in Lagos, reaffirming a promise he said he made to God at the lowest point of his life. As bags of rice, cartons of noodles, spaghetti, sachet tomatoes, beverages and other food items and financial support changed hands, hundreds of residents also received free medical screening, while the atmosphere reflected gratitude, relief and renewed hope.

I thank God for today. Every June, September and December, I organise this outreach to support widows, widowers and those who cannot afford food. I came to Lagos in 1990 without anything. I had nowhere to sleep. I slept in a shop for years, bathed outside and survived by carrying engines, gearboxes, blocks and sand just to feed. I prayed that if God blessed me, I would touch lives and help those who were abandoned the same way I was. What you are seeing today is the fulfilment of that promise.

— Eze Dr Amb Chika Nwokedi

"God told me not to ask anybody" - this year's outreach self-funded

Unlike previous editions, Nwokedi disclosed that this year's outreach was funded entirely by him. According to him, he deliberately declined financial assistance after receiving what he described as divine instruction not to solicit support from anyone.

Last year, some friends supported me. But this year, God told me not to ask anybody for one naira. I obeyed, and God made everything possible.

— Eze Dr Amb Chika Nwokedi

For the traditional ruler, philanthropy is not measured by the size of one's bank account but by the willingness to respond to another person's pain.

It is not the person who has money that helps people. It is the person who has a good heart. I don't have excess money, but whenever God directs me to help someone, I obey. I don't want anybody to suffer the way I suffered. Whenever I have and refuse to give, my spirit will not allow me to rest.

— Eze Dr Amb Chika Nwokedi

A legacy beyond food: Houses, land and sponsored education

His acts of charity, he said, extend beyond food distribution. Over the years, he has built houses for widows and indigent families in his hometown, donated parcels of land to residents in Lagos, settled hospital bills and court fines, sponsored education and provided start-up capital for several small businesses. He challenged fellow traditional rulers and wealthy Nigerians to make compassion a defining legacy.

I want other Ezes to emulate this. We should not just wear expensive clothes and occupy positions. We should open doors for people and touch lives. When we leave this world, people will not remember our houses or cars. They will remember the lives we impacted.

— Eze Dr Amb Chika Nwokedi

He also urged beneficiaries to continue the chain of kindness.

If I touch your life today, tell your children that tomorrow, when God blesses them, they should also touch another person's life.

— Eze Dr Amb Chika Nwokedi

A minister who preached during the outreach described the programme as an example of practical Christianity, urging widows not to give up despite life's challenges. Quoting James 1:27, the cleric said pure religion before God is to care for the fatherless and widows in their affliction, adding that what the monarch was doing represented practical Christianity in action. He prayed for God's continued protection and blessings upon the monarch.

Beneficiaries Testify: "Apart From God, He Is My Helper"

Among the many emotional moments of the day were the testimonies from beneficiaries whose lives, they said, had changed because someone chose to care. Mrs. Anu Olumikeye said she had benefited from the outreach for about five years, adding that Nwokedi did more than provide food - he helped her establish a Point of Sale, POS, business that still sustains her family.

Whenever I need help, he responds. There was a time I told him I wanted to start a POS business and he immediately transferred the money. That business is what I am still doing today. He has been putting food on my table for years. Apart from God, he is my helper.

— Mrs. Anu Olumikeye, Beneficiary

Another beneficiary, Mrs. Rita Anabowog, fought back emotion as she described the monarch as a man whose kindness knows no ethnic boundaries.

He does not care whether you are Igbo, Yoruba or from any other tribe. If you are in need, he will help you. He has helped many families, intervened in difficult situations and continues to support widows and the less privileged. More leaders should emulate what he is doing.

— Mrs. Rita Anabowog, Beneficiary

As the beneficiaries departed with food supplies and renewed optimism, the outreach became more than another charity event. It stood as a reminder that sometimes, those who know hunger best become the people most determined to ensure others never experience it.