Have you ever found yourself in the midst of the physically challenged persons? To exhibit love and care most times we called them the special children or persons in other not to degrade their values, especially the deaf, dump, blind, and the mentally retarded? They are special because of the various disabilities they shoulder as individuals. Some are born with it, life circumstances cause it for some while human errors inflicted it on others.
If you have been lucky to find yourself in their midst you will love them for their simplicity and courage to face life challenges and difficulty without complaining or regretting their present state. They are enjoying life to the fullest, thanking God for every day they have lived. But unlike the abled ones who complain of virtually in every situation they pass through.
The abled in our society complain when it rains, when its sunny, when they don’t have money, clothes and other basic necessities of life, forgetting to thank God for the gift of life, acknowledging the fact that when there is life there is always hope for a brighter and a better future ahead.
It is wonderful to see these special ones maximise the non-verbal form of communication were they fully utilise the sign language in passing information to one another. They have so perfected these signs that you find it amazing when you watch them communicating with one another and wonder what they are saying. Among themselves they discuss freely using the sign language. They gesticulate, using almost all parts of their bodies to pass information to one another to the point that they even laugh when communicating, but to those who don’t understand these signs, they marvel at the mighty wonders of God’s creation.
These people need special attention and care but the society we find ourselves today throws at us very demanding and challenging situations that we don’t even have enough time for ourselves or those around us. The society and the governments have neglected the responsibility of catering for them and have successfully pushed them to the statues of second class citizens in the nation.
Unlike other bodies that spend their resources on issues they will benefit on, the Rotary Club of Benin King’s Square decided to be different and chose to stand where others decide to walk away. The Club led by its president Christ Omusi decided to give much love to these special children in Project Charelove’s domain. They decided to celebrate life with the children of the home by raising fund to complete one uncompleted building in the premises of Project Charelove so as to give more values to the well being of children in this home while honouring one of their own, a former Chairman of Edo State Civil Service Commission, former Rotary President, Assistant Governor, District Governor and a Chairman of the District Rotary Foundation Committee Eddy Ikponmwen who was honoured with the annual role model personality award for his personality, character and contribution to the development of the society.
Speaking at the all important occasion, the chairman of the event and the Chairman of Project Charelove, Rotarian Richard Iyasere thanked all those that have identified with the club in performing a special activity to improve the lives of the physically challenge persons in the society. He said it is the main duty of the Rotary Club to help provide services for the society. “This particular Rotary Club has chosen this place we are today, Project Charelove that takes care of the less privilege ones in our society. This place runs four special types of schools namely; school of the blind, deaf, innocent and the other one we are yet to start but have the approval to do so, but for now we run three schools here”.
“We also provide soup kitchen for our brothers and sisters at Osiomo to ensure that the children of the ex-lepers and even those who are still in the Institution as patient go to school on a daily basis. We provide one meal a day for them, as of today we do that for about 300 pupils daily, we do this from Monday to Friday. We also provide food once a day for our pupils here, clients here and some very indigent patients at the Central Hospital”.
Speaking further, the chairman of the occasion said what is needed urgently is the completion of an abandoned building which when completed will become a multi-purpose hall and will be relevant not only for the pupil of the home, but will also be useful to the clients and the Rotary Club of Benin. “Rather than building special structure like Hostels, we need to complete this big building here in the premises of Project Charelove. The Rotary Club of Benin has volunteered to help the home roof this said building so that it can be use as hall and a meeting place. “We are here today to join our strength with Project Charelove to raise fund for the completion of this building. The club is in the fore front of this event to ensure that the project succeeds. I want to appeal to our entire invited guest and those present here today to donate generously to help bring this dream to reality.
“The other reason why we are here is to recognise, appreciate and honour a man that has made a difference in our world. We are here to honour a Rotarian per excellence, a man who has contributed in no little way for the development of man kind. Eddy Ikponmwen is a man with unquestionable character and a man to beemulated in terms of his good deeds to humanity.”
On his part, the president of the Rotary Club of Benin King’s Square Rotarian Chris Omusi thanked guest who made out time from their busy schedule to attend the program but however frown at the low turnout of those invited saying it shows how we order our priority as Nigeria. He said event of this nature shows how much we care for those who are truly in need, how much we are willing to give to those who will not be able to rise up to say thank you, how much we are ready to give to those who will not give back to us in return. I want to assure you and all our guest present here today that whatever we give here we will surely get our reward in geometric proportion because we are giving to God and God who is the giver of all things knows how to pay us back in hundred fold.
Speaking further, Rotarian Omusi said the Rotary Club has decided to show love to these special children in their own little way. “As Rotarians, we believe that showing love to the less-privileged ones and reaching out to those in need in this manner is the most important service you can give or render to the society”.
How much love do you need to give love? Rotarian Omusi said “I think we have all the love we need to give love. The question should be, are we excising and utilising this love to affect the lives of others positively? Many of us are not doing that as such humanity is suffering from our negligence.
Rotarian Omusi commended Rotarian Eddy Ikponwmen who has tourched the lives of humanity and has received an award for his excellent character and personality and for his ability to contribute is own quota to the development of the society.
The awardee, a former Chairman of Edo State Civil Service Commission, former Rotary President, Assistant Governor, District Governor and a Chairman of the District Rotary Foundation Committee Eddy Ikponmwen thanked the Club for remembering him and his little contribution to the development of the society. He called on all those present at the occasion to make better use of any position they find themselves. “Whatever positions you find yourself, be humble and do your best to touch humanity.
“I want to thank the president and members of this club for the award. The award they gave without expecting anything in return will propel him to put in his best and serve humanity better. They should have picked someone from Abuja or Oil Company but this they did not do but rather believed in me and honoured me with this award, I will for ever cherish this honour.
“An award that has to do with character and good conduct is priceless. I thank God Almighty for this honour. I want to take pride in my Catholic up bringing and that is what have taught me the virtues of hard work, selfless service, discipline, consideration for others and above all contentment. As a Club, I want us to know that we have endless opportunities for service. The opportunities you have for service is endless and in doing this do not undermine little things. Mother Theresa said the smile you can give to somebody in a day; you can not imagine how much it will do to the person who receives it.
“I want to remind this club that all we have to do as a Rotarian is to be catalyst in the environment in which we are situated. We should continue to develop the society; we live by ensuring that those in needs in our domain get our attention. I appeal to the larger society to develop the spirit of benevolence, it is exact opposite of selfishness and selfishness is the root of evil. The cure to that selfishness is benevolence. It is not what we get for ourselves that makes us rich, it is what we give out that makes us rich. We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.
“My little book of poems “The Lily” where I talked about money, I concluded by reminding everyone of us particularly those who pursue money as if it is the beginning and end of life, those who do not know where to draw the limit when they are accumulating money. One thing I want you to know fellow Rotarians and guests is the ultimate gift; we need to appreciate, we are all mortals whether we live for a 100 years or not. Our motto is “be prepared” any day, any time. We are encouraged to work daily”.

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