The activities of Mr Thomas Etuh in commemoration of his late wife , Jennifer Etuh with a foundation to propagate not only health care facilities, but empowerment, capacity building, skill development and acquisition as well as charity across the country named after the wife , Jennifer Etuh Foundation was highly commendable.
These honor according to him was not for public consumption, but the society we are into today , may not condone that going by apathy of government and private entities to explore both social services and corporate social responsibility CSR across board.
The innate decision of Sir Thomas Etuh, a business conglomerate had no little or any attachments to politics, public and private office benefits, but purely on humanitarian ground, services and gesture.
Etuh, aside giving employment opportunities to many Nigerians in his private conglomerate without public glare, arrived at a decision to provide basic health services to some rural communities across the country with an initial ones covering the North- Central in Kogi state located in Dekina local government were he hail from, North- West in Kagoro local government area of Kaduna state and South- West in Ifewara local government area of Osun state.
The three medical centres promised post COVID-19, the global pandemic that ravaged the country are already completed and commissioned to the glory of Almighty God and services to humanity.
During the commissioning of the maiden centre located in Odu , Dekina local government area of Kogi state in the North- Central Nigeria, his promise to follow up without delay the subsequent ones in Kagoro, Kaduna state and Ifewara in Osun state was completed in a record time.
The argument that the medical centre in Odu was his own ancestral town, could not be out of place, what about of the Kagoro and Ifewara was a clear indication of charitable tendencies taken beyond expectations.
Not done at that, in line with the wishes and desire of the late wife, Mrs Jennifer Etuh whose foundation was named after, the project will gradually be replicated across the six geopolitical zones including the South- South, South- East and North- East part of the country as a fulfilment of age long dream of the late dear wife and provision of succour to ordinary Nigerians.
Aside taken to the intention and instructions of the late wife, the passion of Sir Thomas Etuh to better the lives of Nigerians through provision of basic health care facilities, empowerment, capacity building and skill acquisition will go along way into resolving the dearth of underdevelopment in our society.
With the maiden commissioning of the first medical centre in Odu ogboyaga in 2021, Kagoro in 2022 and Ifewara in April 2023, was an indication that the subsequent ones in the three geopolitical zones will be completed between now and 2026 in a record time , as a promise keeper and great philanthropist of our time.
Etuh , an indigene of Dekina local government area, from Odu ogboyaga village in Kogi state and North -Central part of Nigeria had uniquely touched the lives of people in his own way in the three geopolitical zones in Nigeria and intends to go round subsequently.
With his genuine ideas, it is incontrovertible that the desire of the rural communities in Nigeria to forestall both rural and urban migration will only be curtailed with provisions of basic health care facilities, education, empowerment, skill acquisition and development as well as capacity building which foundation he had laid solidly.
But ,as a lone ranger who may not be able to do all, it is high time for selfless individuals, corporate organisations, well to do and prominent Nigerians who also hail from the rural communities and with desire to touch lives, to roll out such laudable programs that will complement the efforts of Sir Thomas Etuh into bringing the people to the quest for an egalitarian society.
For Sir Thomas Etuh, he had pioneered a good vision and written his name in gold in the anals of Nigeria's history, that posterity will continue to reckon with him while alive and in the nearest future, having instituted a good legacies in the present dispensation.
It is now left for communities, local government, states were these facilities are located not to allow the life long facilities to wallow in destruction through adequate maintainance and attention it desired , for the intended attention not eroded.
Yusuf Writes from Abuja and can be reached on [email protected].
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