Jubilation in Ndiowu as Ekwueme’s Wife Donates Two-Bedroom Staff Quarters to Community Health Centre

By Olisemeka Obeche

There was jubilation in Ndiowu, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, as Chief Mrs Ifeoma Ekwueme, wife of Nigeria’s Second Republic Vice-President, late Dr Alex Ekwueme, commissioned and handed over a newly constructed two-bedroom staff quarters to the Model Health Centre, Ubaha, Ndiowu.

The project, which is expected to strengthen healthcare delivery in the community by providing accommodation for health workers, was part of activities marking Mrs Ekwueme’s 70th birthday.

The intervention attracted commendation from the traditional ruler of Ndiowu, Igwe Sir Ben Chibuzor Okekeifi (EzedioraNma); the Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike; the Mayor of Orumba North, Barr. Casmir Chinonso Nwafor; and other community leaders and dignitaries.

The traditional ruler of Ndiowu, represented by Chief Alexander Nwafor, praised Mrs Ekwueme for what he described as a lasting legacy project and her continued efforts towards promoting unity and development in the community.

He expressed gratitude to the benefactor, the town union leadership and all those who contributed to the successful completion of the project.

He also emphasised the importance of sustaining peace in Ndiowu, noting that the prevailing atmosphere of unity had made it possible for the community to witness the commissioning.

“We are grateful to everyone making efforts towards peace and unity in Ndiowu because it is where there is peace that progress thrives. If the crisis had persisted, I do not think we would have gathered here today to witness this project commissioning. We therefore pray that we do everything possible to sustain peace and unity in Ndiowu,” he said.

Nwafor urged other prominent sons and daughters of the community to emulate Mrs Ekwueme’s philanthropic example.

“Just as her name signifies, she has consistently done good things, and the people of Ndiowu have continued to benefit from her kindness and generosity. Our prayer is that she and her family will continue to reap the rewards of their good deeds,” he added.

The Commissioner for Health, represented by Dr Chizoba Ezeaso, Executive Secretary of the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, described the facility as a significant intervention that would improve healthcare delivery at the centre.

She commended Mrs Ekwueme for investing in healthcare infrastructure, noting that the provision of accommodation for health workers remained critical to addressing staffing challenges in rural and underserved communities.

“Today, we are not just commissioning a building; we are celebrating a thoughtful investment in people who dedicate their lives to saving others,” Ezeaso said.

According to her, inadequate accommodation for healthcare professionals has remained one of the major challenges affecting service delivery and the retention of qualified personnel, particularly in rural communities.

She explained that the new staff quarters would improve workers’ welfare, encourage commitment, promote punctuality and ensure the availability of healthcare personnel, ultimately enhancing services for residents.

The Mayor of Orumba North, Barr. Casmir Chinonso Nwafor, also commended Mrs Ekwueme for the intervention and pledged the council’s support towards improving the facility.

He promised to work towards deploying essential healthcare personnel, including doctors, to the centre. He also pledged to provide a borehole to ensure regular water supply and improve sanitation within the facility.

Other dignitaries, including a former Mayor of Orumba North and former Majority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emeka Aforka (PhD), and Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, also applauded Mrs Ekwueme for her contribution to healthcare infrastructure in the community.

They prayed for God’s continued protection, good health and longevity for the benefactor.

Speaking at the event, Mrs Ekwueme said she opted to construct staff quarters at the health centre to ensure that residents could access healthcare services around the clock.

She disclosed that the project was initially conceived as another development initiative for Ndiowu, her hometown, but was eventually abandoned because of divisive political considerations.

She said she subsequently settled for the staff quarters after recognising that the project would benefit the entire community through improved access to functional healthcare services.

“I was forced to choose staff quarters because I know that the whole community will benefit from functional healthcare services round the clock,” she said.

Mrs Ekwueme used the occasion to call on Ndiowu indigenes to rally behind the traditional ruler, Igwe Ben Chibuzor Okekeifi, and other community leaders to consolidate peace, unity and development.

She declared that the era of division in Ndiowu should be over, urging residents to put aside their differences and embrace collective efforts towards sustainable peace and progress.

The philanthropist also appealed to the Anambra State Commissioner for Health and the Mayor of Orumba North to support the health centre with resident doctors and nurses, as well as a functional borehole, to improve its capacity to provide quality healthcare services.

The highlight of the event was the formal commissioning and handover of the two-bedroom staff quarters by Dr Chizoba Ezeaso, alongside other dignitaries.

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