A Kogi based businessman and philanthropist, Gabriel Enemona-Onoja, has donated a 600-seat capacity church to a community that he accused of being unfair to him.
Mr Enemona-Onoja said that although the community once sought for his elimination by his kingsmen, he had decided to show love to the community members.
Mr Enemona-Onoja, the President and Founder of Enemona-Josh Humanitarian Foundation, described the gesture as “a great opportunity to return good for evil” to Inele-Ugog community in Olaboro Local Government Area of Kogi.
Speaking during the inauguration of the church donated to United Evangelical Church, UEC, on Saturday, the 37 year-old Enemona-Onoja, said that he had left behind him the ugly incident of the past between him and the community..
“As a young man, who was struggling to make ends meet incurred the wrath of my kinsman, who sought after my life but God helped me, I escaped and got blessed by God.
“I feel extremely grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to immortalise myself while I am still alive through the completion of this N60 million church project, which is so dear to my heart and my entire family.
“My desire is that anyone, who steps into this church, will pray for the peace, unity, development and socio-economic progress of Kogi and Nigeria at large,” he said.
He said that he knew what it meant to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, provide for orphans and widows and the poorest of the poor, among others.
He expressed appreciation to the Kogi government, especially Gov. Yahaya Bello and his deputy, Mr Edward David-Onoja for their unalloyed support to him as a person and the Enemona-Josh Humanitarian.
David-Onoja, who commissioned the church, commended the philanthropist for the initiative and magnanimity displayed at building a worship centre for the community within three months.
The deputy governor charged the people to take advantage of the church to draw near to God and worship him for his visitation and blessings upon the community, the state and the nation.
Also speaking, Apostle Yahousha Burrell, a U.S. based co-founder of Enemona Foundation, said “because you have done this, God will inturn reward you.”
Burrell called on other wealthy individuals in Kogi and the country to join Enemona-Onoja in the mission to touch lives, especially the orphans, widows and the poorest of the poor in the society.
Rev. Fr. Anthony Okoliko in his sermon, prayed to God to reward the philanthropist for building a house for God in the community.
“This your act of love will definitely not go in vain but will witness God’s visitation and blessings beyond measures, ” Okoliko stated.
An 87 year old Mama Merlyn Borotha-Johnson, another co-founder from U.K, described Enemona-Onoja as “a gift to his generation”.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the commissioning of the 600-seat capacity church witnessed N50 million charity fund-raising.
NAN
