…As Ohuabunwa urges widows to trust in God
In a heartwarming gesture of compassion and community support, The Roses Ministry again, on Thursday 28 November, 2024, extended its hand to about 2,400 widows by distributing essential items, including rice, Ankara fabric, groundnuts oil, and loaves of bread to them.
The event, which is the ministry’s Annual Widow’s Day programme, took place at Bishop Adelakun Howell’s Memorial (BAHM) Church Event Centre, Surulere, Lagos. It underscores the ministry’s commitment to support, uplift and empowering widows, through acts of kindness and love.
While speaking at the event, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Roses Ministry, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, commended the widows for their resilience and reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to empowering marginalised groups. He also urged the widows to always pray to God.
“At The Roses Ministry, we are deeply committed to not just supporting widows, but also inspiring them to embrace a brighter future. This is a token of our love, and we hope it brings smiles and relief,” said Ohuabunwa.
He charged the widows to remain faithful to God. While adding that trust is important to work with God, Ohuabunwa urged the widows to stay away from playing pranks with God. “Don’t try to fool God. Don’t play pranks with God. It can be a costly mistake. Remain faithful to him”, Ohuabunwa urged the widows.
The chairman of the occasion, Sir Raymond Obieri, who was represented by his wife, who is the founder and CEO of Living Foundation Orphanage, Lady Bethel Obieri commended The Roses Ministry for always putting smiles on the faces of the widows and encouraging them.
She applauded the personality of the Co. Coordinator of the ministry, Pharm. Regina Ezenwa for her kind heartedness, saying she has the heart of Christ. “She has a genuine heart to serve God. When you see Mrs Ezenwa, you have seen Jesus Christ in action”, Lady Obieri said.
On her part, while giving updates on the activities of the ministry, Pharm. Ezenwa said the ministry started to care for about 33 women in 2007 but it has grown to about 2,400 now. According to her, till date, the ministry has sponsored 20 university graduates and currently sponsoring 12 undergraduates.
Ezenwa added that the ministry has sponsored five youths training in skill and over 13,000 youths have been reached through seminars. Besides, 10 secondary school students have been funded for books, uniforms, exam fees among others in 2024 alone.
In addition to these, she noted the ministry has been involved in business enhancement schemes for women and in view of that, over 700 women have been trained in skills and bookkeeping, adding that over 82 widows have been funded for small scale businesses.
Another area the ministry has paid proper attention to, according to her is in the area of widows healthcare. She disclosed that over 2,500 women have had quarterly medical care and many are on anti-hypertensive treatments, anti-diabetic treatments, and general healthcare medications. She added that over 200 women have had cervical cancer screening and over 300 have had HIV screening.
Food and clothing is another important area the ministry has taken seriously. Pharm. Ezenwa noted that over 2000 clothing items are being distributed to widows annually, adding that over 2,500 widows receive food items annually which include bags of rice, vegetable oil, salt, bread and noodles among others.
She expressed appreciation to the ministry’s donors, the trustees and the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Surulere Zone, for their collaboration with the ministry on medical services to the widows.
She said The Roses Ministry is a praying ministry, noting that God has always answered the prayer of the ministry, insisting that everything the ministry has done and doing is the manifestation of the power of God.
“When I received this call, and we started, many people were asking me, are you dropping pharmacy? But for me, it’s not that I was dropping pharmacy but doing what God asked me to do; but God showed me in ways that I cannot begin to talk about now. The most important reason for which I’m alive is this ministry”, Pharm. Ezenwa said.
Addressing the widows, the guest speaker at the event, Dr Victoria Ekhomu, who is the managing director of Transworld Security charged the widows to always pray to God. She noted that many widows don’t succeed because they refused to work hard. She therefore charged the widows to always work hard, saying God is always there for the widows and faithful to them.
Meanwhile, some of the beneficiaries who shared their heartfelt appreciation at the event, lauded the ministry’s consistent efforts in bringing joy and support to their lives. One of the recipients said, “This gesture is more than material support; it reminds us that we are seen, heard, and valued.”
Another widow who identified herself as C. Maduka, in her testimony, said the ministry gave her interest free loan to do business on a regular basis. She added that the ministry is sponsoring her daughter’s university education at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK).
Another testifier, who identified herself as Salomi Onabayo said The Roses Ministry has turned her life around for good to become somebody.
The event featured uplifting speeches, prayers, and moments of celebration, reflecting The Roses Ministry’s vision of creating a ripple effect of kindness, love and hope in the community.
The Roses Ministry is a faith-based nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting widows, orphans, and the less privileged through empowerment programme, donations, and community-building initiatives.
