By Francis Onoiribholo / Bureau Chief, Benin
Philanthropy is an inborn grace that the Holy Spirit only can make manifest. It is often said that it is not he who has that gives, but the one who gives, always gives no matter the circumstance of condition.
Imansuangbon, Igbiinedion (fourth right) and others at the event
The latter description is apt for Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon. The ‘Riceman’ as he is popularly called, is one that would brave all odds to maintain a tradition of giving in spite of a daunting challenge that would have deterred a less courageous person.
Barrister Imansuangbon has acquired the status of a household name in Edo State, especially among politicians and the downtrodden. Apart from being a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Edo State, for the past four years now, many people have benefited from his yearly rice gifts during yuletide.
However, in December 2013 about the same time the annual presentation of rice to the poor begins, something unusual happened to the man. He was involved in a motor accident along Ewohimi/Agbor road on his way from Ewohimi, his home town, his car was cleared off the road by one articulated truck during which he sustained severe injuries and was taken abroad for medical attention.
While in America, his consignment of rice for the year arrived a Nigerian seaport and after spending two weeks in the American hospital, he regained consciousness and immediately gave an order to his aides that the rice should still be distributed to the poor as usual.
It was during the distribution that many beneficiaries of his annual gesture got to know that their benefactor was involved in an auto crash especially as he was always involved physically in the distribution every year, his absence thereafter raised questions.
Spontaneously, marathon prayers from both old and young in Edo State and beyond, including the students who benefit from his annual essay competition took root, that Imansuangbon must not die like the biblical Dorcas in Acts 9: 36.
He did survive and gave a moving testimony recently at the presentation of 126 computer laptops and nine ipads which cost him over N40 million to procure in order to distribute to students of three tertiary institutions and pupils of junior and senior secondary schools in Edo State who came 1st, 2nd and 3rd in his 2014 Essay Competition.
Imansuangbon told the audience at the presentation ceremony that, “In the past seven years, the venue of the Kenneth Imansuangbon’s Essay Competition has always been at Abuja” but that he decided to extend the competition venue to Edo State this year because of the prayers of Edo people for his recovery after the accident.
“Soon after the motor accident, I lost consciousness but when I came to and was still groaning in pains, my wife told me that she just received 10,000 pounds sterling from Chief Dan Orbih to defray part of my medical bills. I will never forget the money, and that is what culminated in our being here today. So, that young boy, that beautiful girl who will take away this laptop today, if Chief Orbih had not given that 10,000 pounds maybe we would not have been here today,” he said.
He empahsised that he was indebted to the people who gave their time, effort and prayers to ensure his good health, and that he would give his best to repay their love especially if he gets the mandate as the next governor of the state after Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
He said: “Though, I agree that doctors treat but God heals, I will continue to thank the people of Nigeria in general and Edo State in particular for their prayers. I assure them that when Governor Oshiomhole shall hand over to me in 2016 as the governor of this state, I will continue to lay down my life for them.”
Imansuangbon gave another reason for the essay competition which is to raise the standard of education in Edo State and to be remembered not for the amount of money in his bank account, but to help those around him.
The participating institutions in this year’s competition were the
University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal Polytechnic, Auchi who all had their Student Union Presidents in attendance as well as students of junior and senior secondary schools in the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
Goodwill messages came from very distinguished personalities at this year’s ceremony chaired by the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion. They all thanked and praised God for saving the life of
Imansuangbon and also thanked Imansuangbon for championing a cause that would enable the younger generation secure their future and be good leaders of tomorrow.
On his part, the Chief Imam of Benin, Skeikh Abdulfatah Enabulele said, “First of all, I thank the Almighty God, for my occupying a spiritual position; therefore, I must speak the truth because I am going to give account to God Almighty. I make research otherwise I would not be able to deliver the message to the people every Friday. So,
I am very current. I understand the political terrain of this state and of this country and the world in general. So, Kenneth Imasuagbon is a material in PDP, the country and Edo State in particular has to make use of him.
“One of the problems we have with our politicalparties in Nigeria is this imposition of candidates from which we must begin to desist so that we can be able to produce good and credible candidates who can deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
The greatest problem we have in this country is that of leadership therefore, if we have pragmatic leaders all these problems of Boko Haram will become minor issue. We have leaders who have questionable characters and which is why we have problems but I believe that your party, this great party PDP has what it takes to move this country to greater heights.”
He however disclosed the need for politicians and other leaders in the state to unite and work together to take the state to greater heights.
According to him, “Again, there is a problem in Edo State House of Assembly at the moment, although when religious leaders and traditional rulers speak on issues, we always hear our politicians telling us that in politics we should not be partisan, as if politics is not meant for religious leaders or traditional rulers.
I want you to look at history, Bishop Desmond Tutu is a religious leader but was involved in politics, the first Martin Luther King of the ancient time and that of America was also involved in politics.
So when I hear politicians making this statement, I decided to carry out research in the Qu’ran and then the Bible to see where God said that religious leaders should not talk about politics, I have not seen it anywhere.
“Please, if somebody out there is putting more fuel and kerosene we should not follow him. I want to beg all of you, you have a lot to do, PDP is a great party. We pray for peace in Nigeria, that the problem we have now can still be surmounted, no problem is bigger than us if we can work together.”
The Bishop of Anglican Communion, Benin Diocese, Rt. Rev. Peter Imasuen in his message said, “We thank God for sustaining our brother; we thank God for his mercies upon your life and for how he rescued you. When God preserves the life of a man that means there are many things ahead of him, because God wants you to fulfill your destiny and that was why he preserved you. We pray that God will bring it to pass in Jesus name, Amen.
“I want to at this time appreciate our brothers and sisters who won this year’s essay competition. I want to admonish them, that this computer is not for picking up girlfriends or playing games, but that this computer is given to you to explore and find solution to the economic problems, to the political problems and to the agricultural problems in Edo State and in Nigeria. So, you must utilise it to the praise and glory of God.”
Rev. Felix Omobude, president, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and General Overseer of New Covenant Gospel Church said: “I want to thank the donor for his philanthropic gesture, he has been helping people all over and I want to encourage those who are the beneficiaries of this great award to make sure they utilise it judiciously so that the purpose of this gesture will be fully realized in their lives.
‘I want also to pray that God will continue to uphold the donor and grant him the enablement to continue and also like he said, that after God calls him home, his son should continue. My prayer is that God will grant his son more grace than he granted his father to do more, not only for Edo State but for Nigeria in general.”
Uncharacteristically for a politician, Chief Dan Orbih was taciturn in obvious deference to the goodness of God.
The Edo State Chairman of PDP, in his short statement declared: “It is always very difficult when I am facing a crowd like this to speak, sometimes on other occasions, I could forget and start shouting PDP, as if in a political rally. But I have reminded myself that this is not a political rally.
However, to the Chief Imam, I have listened to everything you said and I will only say that I have taken note of them. Well, mine is to congratulate the winners of this essay competition and also to say a big thank you to Barr. Kenneth Imasuagbon for the initiative.”
Barrister Washington Osifo, Edo State Commissioner for Higher Education in his message said, ”Firstly, I want to put on record that one thing that can help young people is education, sports and religious matters. Today, we have been able to set aside our political differences to bring to the front burner the collective future of our people represented in investment on our children who are the leaders of tomorrow as exhibited by our brother here, Barr. Kenneth Imansuagbon.
“I am sure that very many persons will want to ask themselves when they heard that I will be coming if really I will be here, the fact remains that not every time you play politics on issues that matter the most.
The collective future of our people, the destiny of our state is embedded only in proper training of our children especially when you expose their inadequacies and increase their potentials so that they can do better by giving them what you are doing today.
“Now, the Chief Imam made reference to somebody I respect so much, and that is Martin Luther king Jnr. He said we shall one day be defined by the content of our character and I add to it that it is not by the association we belong to. What that simply means is that it does not matter whether you are a Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo, or whether you are PDP or APC, whether you are a good man or a bad man.
We ask him when was the best time to do this, the best time to do this was yesterday, the second best time is today and he is here today championing a cause that will lead our children to take over these positions that we occupy today.
So let us de-emphasise political party, let us emphasise our dear state, let us emphasise the best in us, it is an incontrovertible fact that we cannot have a safe future except we begin collectively, irrespective of gain or political party to build the future of our children.
One thing I will give to those who conducted this exam is that, they were able to live by the rules of no cheating and that was why you got what you got.
We are in a time where principals go to offices, collect question papers; hire men and women from the university, lock them in their office having collected N10,000 each from the students to allow them to cheat. They mass produce the questions and give it to them, unfortunately sir, if the questions were right the answers would be right which would have made it okay.
“However, as a literature student I went to one of these schools and saw that the answers provided to questions written by a teacher were also wrong and these children were copying, is that not a disaster?
While we celebrate you here today, I want to thank you very much for believing that we need to partner together to take education to the next level. God will bless you and God will bless your family.”
The Esama of Benin Kingdom declared: ”Today I am being honoured but I did invite it. It is a rare privilege for somebody to leave his own honour to come and honour another person that is what I have done for you today. Words are inadequate to thank you and your wife, and do not be discouraged because the ‘hands’ that have always give to the ones that have not.
“When I see you year-in and year-out feeding people, people still criticise you saying, ‘is it only 25 kilogramme of rice that I will eat till next December?’
But my reply to them is that the hand that gives never dies.”
In his response, Imansuangbon said “Words would not be enough to appreciate all of you, ministers of God, Imam Enabulele, who declared fasting and prayer in the Mosque for me. Sirs, silver and gold I do not have but I am still part of the job.
One thing that is sure, the unity in our state cannot be broken. This state is strong, this state cannot be divided, this state is for you the children, because in 10, 20 or 30 years down the line, you are the ones that will sit like we are sitting today.
Nothing can be more than a professor of Law coming all the way from Afe Babalola University to honour me including various civil society groups.”
He also called on the youths to up their game.
“Children of Edo State, step up your efforts, in 20, 30 years from now it will not matter who your father is, listen to me very well, who your mother is will no longer matter, all that will matter is this laptop you are receiving the ability to use it to make cars, to make airplanes, to solve the question of HIV/AIDS disease. What will matter then will be for you to be able to serve Nigeria with single-minded purpose, for hard times is awaiting the country except you the younger ones take the challenge to make a change. It is deliberate action by my wife and I to provide you computers even as some of you will also be taking away with you the sums of N100,000, N70,000, and N50,000. As we speak, I brought the last money in my account to honour you people.”
He then thanked the government of Edo State for providing the venue of the event at no cost, and also disclosed that the computers/ipads including cash prizes of N100,000, N70,000 and N50,000 are for those who came first, second and third respectively, while the ipads were for students of tertiary institutions across the three senatorial districts in Edo State.
Earlier, National Coordinator, Kenneth Imansuangbon Essay Competition, Mr. Segun Awogbade, noted that the competition was brought to Edo State to bring out the ingenuity among the young ones so that in future, they could successfully take hold of the mantle of leadership.
Two of the beneficiaries, Ighoyivwi Joy, a 600-level pharmacy student, University of Benin, and Etuk Blessed, a pupil of Gloryland Group of Schools, expressed joy for being part of those that won prizes in the essay competition.
They thanked Imansuangbon for the gesture and prayed God to continue to bless him and his family.
The post Imansuangbon: Empowering Edo youths, others appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.