Yesterday, Thursday, 6th of August 2007 the Rotary club of Makurdi D9125 (formally D9120) officially handed over the safe water supply project undertaken in Jingir, a local village in Buruku Local Government of Benue State Of Nigeria.
The project, a joint one between Rotary Club of Makurdi D9125 Nigeria, Rotary clubs of Marganton, Marion and Hickory, all from District 7670 in North Carolina U.S.A was undertaken some 150km from Makurdi the capital city of Benue State.
While handing over the project over to the local traditional chief, PDG Lemmy Ijioma who led the local Rotary organising committee admonished the maintenance team set up by the village to make sure they guard their new asset jealously.
He reminded them what arduous journeys the LOC had to make through hills and dales to make the water project a success story.
The club president while praising the LOC and the villagers for their collaboration in the implementation of the project reminded them of the need for them to also be participants in the polio immunisations.
The locals were highly elated and showed appreciation with dances and praises.
Below is the text of their acceptance speech.
A SPEECH BY ENGR. A. A. ADZEGE, PRESIDENT GENERAL MBALAGH DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION,
AT THE COMMISIONING OF JINGIR ROTARY WATER PROJECT, 6TH AUGUST, 2009.
(A) Protocol
(B) Introduction
It gives me much pleasure to address you today on this epoch-making event. It is the first of its kind in our clan. Rotary, as I know it, is a non-governmental organization that caters for the needy and the downtrodden in the society. It is international in scope which explains why its services have reached such a remote place like ours. I salute Rotary for this wonderful gesture and like Oliver twist our community is asking Rotary for more of these gestures.
(C) The role of our Sons in Rotary
As president General Of Mbalagh Development Association, I commend our sons Mr. Joseph S. Ikyaator and Engr. Akaha Bajah for the roles they played in bringing the project to Jingir, the Headquarter of our clan. This is what I have been preaching since I was elected the head of this Association. I have said repeatedly that our sons, who are well-placed in society, should come home and develop our land since there is no one to do it for us. We are isolated all round mainly by river K/Ala and the landscape without access roads. Due to this constraint, many projects have eluded us.
However, despite all the constraints, Rotary has remembered us. Accordingly, this community and indeed the whole Mbalagh clan will not forget Rotary.
(D) Our Request
The Rotary President and Rotarians, we are exceedingly happy with what Rotary has done for us to the extent that if Rotary were a man, we would have given him our daughters to marry. Although you will leave us after commissioning, we want to continue feeling your presence. Consequently, permit me to present one prayer to you. I am a community leader so if I don’t ask for fairness (just like your 4 way test of the things we think, say or do), I may be accused of being biased. The Mbalagh clan is made up of three wards: Binev, Mbaatirkyaa and Mbaikyongo. This borehole is located in Mbaatirkyaa Ward which is also my ward. I therefore urge you to please construct similar boreholes in the remaining two wards.
Our association did geophysical studies in these three wards, made up of Jingir in Mbaatirkya, Uga in Mbaikyongo and Agwabi in Binev. This very borehole which you constructed is at one of our sites and it represents one of our contributions to your noble service. You are free to use the other locations which we also consider as our modest contribution.
(E) Conclusion
I lack words to express my gratitude to you Rotarian President and Members of this wonderful club. However, the only thing I can do for Rotary is to encourage all our responsible sons and daughters to join Rotary. If two of our sons are able to bring a borehole to us, when ten more join Rotary, we may have at least five more projects.
Finally, on behalf of the traditional rulers, our Executive Committee and the entire Mbalagh sons and daughters at home and in the Diaspora, I thank you most sincerely for this wonderful gesture you have done to our community. I wish you and your team journey mercies as you travel back to Makurdi.
Thank you and God bless.
Account and more photographs are to follow through snail mail.
Lemmy Ijioma
This project is a wonderful example of good projects and an International connection from the GSE Program. For those of you who may recall PDG Lemmy was the team leader of the Nigerian GSE team a few years ago.
I hosted PDG Lemmy Ijioma when the GSE team visited Marion, NC and
continue to be in touch with him. I received an email from him yesterday telling me that one of his pictures would be in the
Rotarian Magazine in the February 2011 edition. He is a great photographer and I look forward to seeing some of his work.