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Sir Paul Chukwuma, a frontline APC aspirant for the 2025 gubernatorial election in Anambra State has condoled with families who lost their relatives in the stampede that occurred during the distribution of Christmas gifts in Okija on Saturday.
While expressing shock at the nature of the stampede, which claimed about 20 lives, Sir Chukwuma observed that the incident has brought untold grief to Ndi Anambra in a season of love.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe urged Ndi Anambra to remain strong despite the despite tragedy. He appealed to those involved in the noble act of philanthropy not to get discouraged.
“Ndi Anambra, this tragedy has touched us all, but it must not be allowed to break the Anambra spirit, our sense of community, our legendary philanthropy and our belief that wealth has no meaning until it brings relief and happiness to ordinary people,” Sir Chukwuma advised.
Observing that the people’s communal spirit always peaks when social conditions deteriorate, Sir Chukwuma urged Anambra’s wealthy indigenes not to be discouraged by the Okija incident but to use their imaginations more and come up with clever ways to reach out and touch their communities this Christmas.
Noting that the mystery of life was so complex that sometimes, a well-intended effort to heal and bring succour to people could lead to unexpected outcomes, Sir Chukwuma called for a collective introspection and prayers for the peaceful repose of the souls of the dead and a speedy healing for their loved ones.
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“We are in mourning. I have directed my campaign council to suspend the planned physical distribution of Christmas gifts to various communities for now and to quickly come up with a strategy that will be of minimum discomfort to the intended beneficiaries,” Sir Chukwuma explained
Speaking further, he said, “my family and I shall continue to hold the grieving families up in our prayers and ask God to grant them a speedy healing from their irreparable losses.”
It would be recalled that an effort by a well-known and highly respected Anambra born philanthropist to distribute Christmas gifts to people in Okija town in Anambra State had resulted in a stampede that claimed many lives at the weekend.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
