‘You’re Not Alone’, Soul Stirring Act From Fidelity Bank, As It Distributes Food Packs to Benue IDPs
The Oasis Reporters
August 16, 2023
By Greg Abolo
Cruising through the Lagos- Ibadan expressway, one thing that is self-evident is the very long line of hawkers mingling with drivers and passengers in a bid to make brisk sales for the day.
And of course, wait for another day.
Most of the items on sale used to be mostly light snacks amongst other items that would enable hawkers to run and to mingle in the desperate bid to make a quick sale.
But now, look again, like I just did. You’d see young boys and girls hauling heavy items like yam tubers and baskets of tomatoes. On closer look at the faces of the yam hawkers, I saw tiredness that comes from excessive weight. But they seem determined not to give up.
Many of them have left their homelands under siege and have abandoned fertile farms due to the insecurity over some significant parts of Nigeria’s food growing belt.
Some of the young hawkers left their parents, wives and children including dependants to come to Nigeria’s commercial headquarters and other economically vibrant cities to eke out a living and pray for their family members living in internally displaced people’s camps, IDP’s.
Heart wrenching conditions of valiant people who ordinarily are net food producers, but are in camps.
It was thus heartening when I read that leading financial institution, Fidelity Plc, has distributed over 1,200 food packs to the internally Displaced Persons in Makurdi, Benue State in its ongoing commitment to eliminate hunger among vulnerable persons in the society.
The event, which took place on Thursday, 10 August 2023 at the IDP Camp, Federal Housing Estate in North Bank, Benue State was executed in partnership with the Hyacinth Alia Foundation and the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BESEMA).
Speaking during the distribution event, the Divisional Head, Brand and Communications, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh noted that the Fidelity Food Bank is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Bank designed to reach out to vulnerable persons and reduce the effect of hunger.
In his words, “The vision of the Bank is to reach out to the less privileged communities through our partner organisations who identify with these communities. In Benue State, we are partnering with the State Government through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
“So, as I speak with you, over 24,000 Fidelity food packs have been distributed to communities across the country to help cushion the effect of hunger which has become a global issue” he stated.
Commenting on the initiative, the Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Innovation Strategies, Special Duties, Development, Policy, and Planning, Fidelis Unongo, commended Fidelity Bank for their donation and also appealed to IDPs to exercise patience, noting that the Governor is aware of their requests and is working to ensure that they get settled back to their ancestral homes.
On his part, the Chairman of the IDP Camp, Abraham Tar who spoke in Tiv, commended Fidelity Bank for their kind gesture and promised to ensure that the items donated gets to the desired beneficiaries even as he appealed to donors to also look into the health condition of the IDPs, especially women and Children.
Some of the beneficiaries, Msurshima Kunde, Comfort Lorfa, and Terundu Shima applauded Fidelity Bank for their kind gesture and appealed for increased health services at the camp to enable them access quality healthcare services.
Kudos to Fidelity Bank for this grand gesture. Remembering the valiant and hard-working farming communities who have been forced to abandon their farms and livelihood to be sequestered in camps is distressing.
But thinking of them and doing something to alleviate their pain is superlative. So they know that there is care, and that gives hope for a better tomorrow.
Thank you, Fidelity Bank Plc. Thanks to all the other banks for such thought provoking gestures.
Let hope be renewed.
Greg Abolo.
