No fewer than 150 Ogonis have benefitted from a free medical outreach programme organised by a group known as the Ogoni United Family, OUF in Bori, Khana Local Council of Rivers State.
The outreach was part of an attitudinal change programme organised by the group
Facilitator of Ogoni United Family, OUF, Comrade Dominic Dumekpigi while speaking at the programme said the outreach is intended to attend to the health of the people and also serve as a means to foster peaceful coexistence among the people.
“We organised this medical outreach to ensure our people have a good health as part of our contribution as an NGO to the society especially our people, the Ogonis. We may not have enough to reach out to everybody so the little we have, we give out to the needy amongst us. We are doing this to enhance unity, peace and togetherness in Ogoniland.
You know we can’t talk of peace, unity, development without having the people in good health which would guarantee a change in our living standard which is why we have organised this outreach,” he said.
In a keynote address, Professor Patrick Nwinyokpugi of the Rivers State University, RSU, who spoke on “The Necessity of Entrepreneurship in the Development of Ogoni,” elaborated on the need for Ogonis to be engaged in one skill or the other that would bring them together and ensure that they are not living in abject poverty.
He used the opportunity to call on the Ogonis to embrace entrepreneurship skills, to embrace change of attitude from hating and despiting one another to refocussing on togetherness and unite as a people.
He also used the opportunity to call on Ogoni leaders to always work together in synergy.
On his part, His Royal Highness, Mene Kadilo Kabari while acknowledging that the group has touched many lives since its inception, advised that the programme should be expanded to reach more people while promising to partner with the group to see that the programme is successful.
Also, Dr Popnen Tee advised the participants to take their health seriously and to stay away from what poses danger to their health, stressing that when they have any health challenge they should always visit a qualified doctor and not rely on quacks as it endangers their lives.
Another medical practitioner, Mrs Lezua Augustus, joined in advising the people to follow laid down prescription while taking their drugs and also sensitized the people on vaginal and personal hygiene.