Sir Emeka Offor Foundation

Sir Emeka Offor Featured in British Fellowship Magazine

SEOF sponsors the Nigerian Paralympic Committee to the 2014 World Junior Games

The International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports (IWAS) Federation will be staging the 10^th Under-23 World Junior Games at Stoke Mandeville Sport Stadium in the United Kingdom from the 3^rd through the 8^th of August 2014. The Games give opportunity to the world’s best young athletes with disabilities to compete in diverse games which used to be the exclusive reserve of able-bodied men and women. Athletes from the Nigerian Paralympic Committee will however be part of this all important event.

It would be remembered that in the last Paralympics Games, Nigerian athletes won six (6) out of the twenty (20) gold medals up for grabs. Going by records, majority of the participants from Nigeria are Polio survivors.

The effects of Polio cannot be over emphasized as it does not only leave physical disability in those who have suffered it but physiologically effects too, both the victims and those around them for one is either infected or affected. For these people, their hopes to carry on with life are dampened because they are not only faced with the daily challenges that life presents but also have to cope facing them with disability. In developing countries like Nigeria where there are no structures in place to cater for their special needs, many are left to their not so bright fate.

With the encouragement of men like Engr. Augustine Onwuamaegbu - National President of Persons with Disability Initiative Nigeria and Monday Emoghavwe – weight lifter & President Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, few people living with disability have taken their destiny in their own hands to make their lives worthwhile. These individuals have been trained in various sports and have been chosen to participate at the IWAS World Junior Games 2014 but due to lack of funds their hopes of being part of the Games appeared dim.

However, when the news of this great challenge got to the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF), its Founder Sir Emeka Offor who is also Rotary International Polio Ambassador in Nigeria, the athletes were invited to the headquarters of the Chrome Group. Sir Offor in recent past has made relentless efforts in the fight to eradicate Polio from Nigeria and indeed the world by his generous donations of over 3million USD to Rotary Polio Plus and through his Foundation has organized massive Polio Immunization campaigns. Determined to put smiles on the faces of these athletes who are Polio survivors and ensure the fulfilment of their dreams, he donated a whooping sum of 2.6million Naira to support them to the Games.

Sir Offor addressing the delegation comprising of Engr. Augustine Onwuamaegbu, Monday Emoghavwe, Kingsley Ezeadim, David Ombugudu, Emmanuel Godwin and Emmanuel Nweke said “Our Foundation is interested in supporting good projects especially when it has to do with polio survivors and disabled people. We’ll do whatever we can to support you because your success will encourage other survivors to develop confidence in themselves and come to the understanding that there is ability in disability.”

He said they should use the platform of the Paralympics Committee to reach out to other disabled people in the society especially those that desire to be better. He encouraged them to win the gold medals and come back as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria.

In his appreciation speech, Mr. Emoghavwe said “I thank Sir Emeka Offor Foundation for championing the cause of making people living with disability happy. Since I joined the Paralympic Committee, I have not seen or heard of any philanthropist or organization supporting persons with disability the way you are”. He asked for their visit to be publicized so that people will know what the Foundation is doing and others can join in the effort.

Sir Emeka Offor through his Foundation is not only going on to support the fight to eradicate Polio but has gone ahead to support Polio survivors to make living more meaningful.

 

 

 

Loretta Epuechi wrote via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

  

Rotary Ambassador Sir Emeka; Journey to End Polio Now

 

 

Written by Dr. Edwin Ndukwe

 

In August 2013, after surprising Rotarians and the world with a recent mega donation towards the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Sir Emeka was conferred the Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, the first ever.

 

 

 

Sir E as he is fondly called, the impetus for joining Rotary and committing his resources hinged on pure altruism. As a result, when he learned of Rotary's plan to offer him the role of an Ambassador, he humbly declined. "All I wanted to do is support immunization efforts so that my children and others may be protected from the debilitating disease." However, after much convincing, he agreed to accept the challenge.

 

 

 

Setting aside the daily grind of his massive business empire, Sir Emeka readied the rudder to steer the boat of polio machinery to the shores of END POLIO NOW in Nigeria. In Sir E’s proverbial parlance, “It is the hand that made the fish bend.” The implication is that Sir Emeka sought the intellectual wit of a dynamic Rotarian, the District Governor Nominee, from district 9140,  Ijeoma Pearl Okoro

 Sir E said, “Ijeoma helped me to gain understanding of the true role of a Polio Ambassador. She gave me the courage to embrace my new commission as the Polio Ambassador to Nigeria without any befuddlement. I am very thankful that our paths crossed in the shaping of a roadmap for Polio eradication in Nigeria.”

 

 

 

Flattered and humbled by Sir Emeka’s candid remark on her part, Ijeoma said, “I saw in Sir Emeka; the heart of a child, the courage of a lion and the stillness of a wise Igbo man. I knew then Providence has unveiled a new visionary. I, therefore, unclasped my hands to lend him the support he needed to advance the objectives of Rotary International towards Global Polio Eradication Initiatives.”

 

 

 

“Charity," they say begins at home or better yet, should begin at home. Therefore, Sir Emeka’s first port of call in his Ambassadorial role was no other place than the quiet and convivial paths of his quaint country home, Oraifite in Anambra State. Amidst the volcanic and epochal drumbeats of the Ogene and the Udu familiar to his people, old men and women, widows, young mothers with their newborns in their arms assembled at his Foundation’s headquarter in Oraifite to learn of the danger of polio and to have their children under 5 years old immunized. Over 150 infants and children were successfully immunized during the outing. The event became the springboard for a number of immunization drives, advocacy projects,   culminating into the establishment of a Polio Ambassador Office dedicated to Rotary International at the instruction of Sir Emeka Offor and at no cost to Rotary.

 

 

 

At the convention in Sydney, Australia, where Sir Emeka donated another $1M to Polio-Plus End Game Strategy, he recognized that significant strides have been made by Rotary and its partners towards making the world ultimately polio free, but he expressed his continued determination to see the fight to a successful end.

 

 “Rotary is proud to be working with business and humanitarian leader like Sir Emeka Offor,” said Past Rotary Vice President John Germ, who leads the organization’s fundraising efforts for polio eradication. “With Sir Emeka’s support, Nigeria has made significant progress and is closer than ever to eliminating polio within its borders. We are confident we will eliminate this disease from the world and ensure no child ever again has to suffer from its crippling effects. ”

Sir Emeka and RI Presidents "Lights up Rotary"

 

 

 

Written by Dr. Edwin Ndukwe

Sydney, Australia 2014- Polio Summit drew to a flamboyant and colorful end today, June 4th. The world and indeed Rotarians celebrated their friendship, their courage, and their determination to pull resources towards promoting peace and conflict management, prevention of maternal and child death, education and literacy, and certainly polio eradication. The central theme of the summit, the "END POLIO NOW" and the "END GAME strategy" are well alive in the hearts of Rotarians as was seen throughout the various activities organized at the AllPhones Arena and at each of the plenary sessions.

The highlights being the pledge of $100M towards polio eradication by the Australian government and the independent donation of $1M by Sir Emeka Offor sparked a new enthusiasm among Rotarians. More than ever, they believe and therefore are determined to rid Nigeria and the rest of the endemic countries of Polio disease.

In his outgoing message, the RI President Ron Burton said, "Together, we can dream big and we can achieve. We can change whole communities for the better, not for a day but for a lifetime." His message reverberated through the walls of the arena, drawing a vigorous applause and leaving attendees to reclaim their belief that in a healthy collaboration, a great success can be achieved towards the end game strategy.

Similarly, the incoming RI President Gary C.K. Huang believes in working together. He called on members to spread the awareness of Rotary in their various communities. Endorsing a new theme, "Light up Rotary" for his tenure, which will begin in July, he encouraged Rotarians to "Use your hand to help, use your head to make sure you are helping in the right place, and use your heart to make it sincere. Without your heart, nothing else matters."

"Without your heart, nothing else matters," is so true a statement. Sir Emeka Offor embodies all of that. For two consecutive years and in between, he has given his resources to Rotary International for Polio eradication. Beyond resource provision, Sir Emeka has put his booths on the ground, criss-crossing the country of Nigeria and using his gentle hands to administer polio vaccine to young infants. His heart is certainly in it.