Humanitarian Group Builds, Donates N60m Church to Kogi Community

Ibrahim Oyewale, Lokoja

A group, Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation (EJHF), has built and donated a 600 sitting capacity Church worth N60 million to the United Evangelical Church (UEC) at Inele Ugoh in Olanaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The Church project started precisely three months ago with groundbreaking and foundation laying has now transformed into a 600 seat capacity for the church faithful with modern facilities in Inele Ugoh today.

The President of EJHF, Ambassador Gabriel David Onoja, made this known while speaking at the official commissioning of the new UEC. 

Onoja explained that the building of this church project in his community started as a joke, noting that the only capital he had when this work started was his faith, faith in God that this is what he wants to do and that it would be completed when it starts.

“As a joke, we started this project and the owner of the work-God Almighty Himself, took charge, supplied all the resources that were needed and we are here to cut the tape today. To God again be the glory!

“My motivation to build this church for the lord in my community is not because I have too much money. But because I want to attract God’s blessings to myself and my family just the way God blessed various bible personalities who built his temple. You may be happy that this has happened to the community, but for me, my interest is the blessings attached to it,” he stressed.

The founder who has primarily engaged in charity and humanitarian services to the less privileged people in society pointed out that one area that Nigeria is divided across outside politics and ethnicity is religion, noting that he took it upon himself to key into the vision of unity championed by the Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello, by creating inter-religious desk within the foundation.

According to him, this led to the building of a mosque currently ongoing in the Obehira-Eba community in Okene, Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, the provision of welfare packages for over 200 Imams every month and other programmes the foundation have in the coming days aimed at uniting the entire people of the state.

“We have also held an interfaith and interdenominational music concert, which brought Muslims and Christians under one roof in praise of God. We hope to come up with more initiatives that will foster unity amongst us irrespective of our religious creeds,” he noted.

In the area of crime prevention and youth development, Onoja posited that the major push factor for crimes and criminalities by the youths is idleness. When a productive mind is indolent, it becomes fertile for destructive activities.

“With what the government of Kogi State is doing in the area of security, I have over the months contributed my quota by engaging over one thousand youths directly or indirectly in artisanal mining activities at various mining sites in Kogi State. This has kept them out of crime in no small measures. We are proceeding to the next face of enrolling over five hundred in vocational training programmes as soon as we conclude our needs assessment,” he added.

Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr. Edward Onoja, who was present at the commissioning of the church commended the efforts of the Enemona Josh Foundation for its commitment to Charity and Humanitarian Services.

The deputy governor stated that the State government would look into areas where to partner with the foundation.