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Barrister Paul Edeh Donates Another 500KVA Transformer To Hausa Community In Otukpo.

Published

5 years ago

December 26, 2020

The Hausa Community in Otukpo, Benue State on Christmas day, heaved a sigh of relief as Philanthropist and President of Naija Ratels Football Club, Barrister Paul Edeh donated a 500KVA transformer sub-station worth over N7m to boost electricity supply to the area, which has been without power for more than than 11 months.

The event which was held in Otukpo, had in attendance, the Senator representing the good people of Benue South Senatorial district and former Minister of Interior, Senator Abba Moro and some other great son’s and daughters of the Idoma Nation.

Speaking after handing over the transformer sub-station to the Christian and Muslim Community of Otukpo, the Legal luminary noted that it was necessary for him to donate the sub-station after he learnt that the community have been without power for close to a year.

The United Nations Peace Ambassador said the new transformer would boost power supply, address the challenges of electricity supply faced by the people and also promote economic activities in the community which was hitherto before then grounded due to the power outage.

“You will recall that today is exactly 166 days since I donated the first transformer to Zone HB Community and a generator set to the Divisional Police Headquarter in Otukpo , which was of course motivated by the fact that they have not had light for a long time. Sadly, i also understand that this same community I donated transformer to, today have not also had light for close to a year with all economic activities grounded.

“When I got that information, almost three months ago, I was hoping and waiting that the authority concerned (Jos Electricity Distribution Company) will do the needful but they didn’t. So in on of those days in my hotel room in Uyo, I felt the need to reach out to the community and I made that call around 12 midnight and truly realised they have been in darkness for almost a year and hence, I took the onus to assist them by providing a brand new 500kva transformer.

“Indeed what I did was to build a new substation from the scratch to finish which was done within two weeks and today while celebrating Christmas with the same community, we decided to commision it and it was done by no other person, but Senator Abba Moro.

“Truly, the Muslim community are the biggest beneficiary of this donation and they were very elated and happy about the development. Infact the Transformer is located beside the St Mary Catholic Church which is adjacent the Central mosque. So I am happy that the Muslim and Christian community benefited from this project.

“The truth is that I have never been a politician and not all of us must get into politics to make impacts in our community. What is important is having the right mindset and heart to give back to the society, which is what I am doing. Am glad that for the first time in almost a year, these people will enjoy uninterrupted power supply and that is exactly what pleases my heart as a person.” He concluded.

Commissioning the transformer sub-station earlier, the Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District Distinguished Senator Abba Moro commended Barr Paul Edeh for his efforts at complimenting the efforts of the Government by providing another transformer sub-station within a space or 6 months.

He noted that rather than sit in the comfort of his office like many critics who prefer to criticise government for lack of provision of basic amenities, he rather chose to assist his community.

“For the second time within this year I am coming to commission a transformer provided by a son of Idoma land Barrister Paul. Each time Paul tells me I should commission a project, I have never asked him what is actually your motivation. Because when I begin to listen to the story of Paul, it is a story of somebody who denies himself happiness to make the other person happy.

“He is a person who tirelessly works so hard with a hard face to put a smile on the faces of other people. Paul has been a typical example of what I tell people that you don’t have to be in government to help the other person.” Senator Abba Moro stated

The Chairman of the Muslim Youth in the community, Alhaji Aliyu Yinusa thanked Barrister Paul Edeh for coming to their rescue and commended him for keeping the faith with the Muslim and Hausa Community.

“We can’t thank Barrister Paul Edeh enough, he has done something that pleases the heart of everyone in this community. We have been without power for almost a year now, and God sent Barrister Paul Edeh to help us out from this difficult situation.

“We shall jealously guard the equipment because we don’t want to go back to the days of darkness. He concluded.

Senator Abba Moro commissioned the project and performed the ceremonial switching on of the light which signaled the availability of electricity supply to the community after almost a year with the community going wild with jubilation.

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Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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