The retired Bishop of Ihiala Diocese, Rt Rev. Ralph Okafor, has urged Chief Ernest Obiejesi, popularly known as Obijackson, whose foundation was distributing bags of rice, a gallon of vegetable oil and five thousand naira to each beneficiary in Okija community, before the stampede that claimed 22 lives last December, not to be discouraged in assisting the less privileged because of the unfortunate incident.
The bishop also urged the families and relations of the victims of the stampede not to mourn like those who have no hope.
Preaching during the Okija Kingdom- interdenominational burial service for the victims of the 21st December 2024 stampede, titled “Okija Mourns” the retired Bishop Okafor, told the bereaved families that something drastic must happen to somebody’s life before the person experience new life.
According to Bishop Okafor, “The whole world mourns today not only Okija, Abambra State or Nigeria. The world is a global village. We are in the world where bad things happen everyday and therefore, we are all mourning today as a people.
” Today is not the day to blame anybody for what has happened. We should rather thank God for people that are giving to the masses and I am calling on Obijackson and others like him not to be discourage in giving to the poor masses.
“What is important today is that we should not ask God why this kind of thing happened, because we don’t have that right, but what we should ask God is, now that this thing has happened, what does He want us to learn as a lesson from it. The past is past and we must move forward.
“There is life after death, so the important question is, if am the person that is concerned, what will be my faith. In this world we are living in now, there is suffering, there is hardship but God said that heaven is the only place we will not suffer and cry and therefore, we should strive to make heaven.”
Quoting copiously from Psalm 23, the retired Bishop Okafor, said, “Stop mourning and never to mourn like people who have no hope. God is always with you people and will never abandon you in time like this”.
In his speech during the ceremony, visibly sad Chairman of Obijackson Foundation, Chief Ernest Obiejesi, said he would make sure that such sad incident does not happen again.
He also said that the tragedy should bring Okija people together, and make the community stronger and resolve to continue to forge ahead,
He said, “As a foundation, we will make sure that Okija never suffers this kind of loss again.
“To my beloved Okija community, this has been a dark moment in our shared history. We are humbled and reminded on fragility of life and importance of putting safety first in the heart of everything we do. We are taking decisive actions and our mission to serve and uplift Okija people will remain steadfast.
“Together we heal, together we will rebuild, together we will honour the memories of those we have lost for making our future brighter and for making Okija a safer place and a place where you will always eat, share and remember your brothers and sisters.
“May I also say on behalf of the foundation that God being on our side, that the Obijackson Foundation, will continue to do good. As the founder of the Foundation, we have done this for 15 years and this kind of thing has never happened. I will still reassure you that as long as Obijackson Foundation exist and as long as I am still the Chairman, that we will continue to bring support, succour and help to Okija people we love.
Also in his speech an Okija born industrialist, Chief Daniel Chukwudozie, who is the Chairman of Dozzy Group of Companies, regretted the incident saying that the loss was a general one for Okija people, but urged the bereaved families to take heart even as he donated N10 million to them.
In his speech the traditional ruler of Okija Igwe Emeka Okezie urged the families of the deceased never to lose hope but pray to God for the repose of the souls of the deceased.
“I was afraid that this incident will discourage Osuifia Okija, but I am happy that he has assured our people publicly here that he will continue the distribution of rice every December. That distribution is the hope of every family in Okija every December and he should please continue as he has promised. I urge him to even increase the distribution to two bags.”
“I was afraid that this incident will discourage Osuifia Okija, but I am happy that he has assured our people publicly here that he will continue the distribution of rice every December. That distribution is the hope of every family in Okija every December and he should please continue as he has promised. I urge him to even increase the distribution to two bags.”
