It was praises galore as Bishop Emeka Nwankpa Foundation held its 17th edition of the ‘Widows Must Smile’ ceremony where over 4000 widows, the underprivileged and the physically challenged were empowered with various life-transforming items. Speaking at the event, which was held at his Umukalu Ntigha country home of Isiala Ngwa North, the revered cleric and philanthropist who is also the Accord Party governorship candidate in Abia State, said that the annual event, which he has held for 17 years, was in fulfillment of his covenant with God, and promised better packages in the years to come.

Reminiscing about the loss of his father at the age of 10, and being left under the care of his poor widowed mother, the philanthropist and frontline governorship hopeful said, ‘I lost my father when I was ten years old. I had no uncle because my father’s younger brother even died before my father. My aunt was a poor childless woman struggling in a nearby village to survive. I had to do all manner of menial things to survive. I hawked on the streets to see myself through school. I started training my younger ones even when I was ten years old.’

On why he has been assisting widows for 17 years, he said, ‘From my experience as a fatherless child and from what I saw my mother pass through as a widow, I made a covenant with God never to allow any widow who comes my way to suffer. My church, the Chapel of Faith Bible Assembly International that today has branches across the country and overseas, started in the parlour of a widow.’

He further decried the state of things in Abia, and said that he had a mandate and was on a mission to rescue Abia from the doldrums of misgovernance, and urged Abians to rise up to the challenge and vote out the non-performing government in favour of the Accord Party.

While assuring Bishop Emeka Nwankpa of their massive votes, the widows and other beneficiaries who numbered in their thousands, expressed their thanks to God for using Bishop Emeka Nwankpa to touch their lives, and prayed to God to grant him grace and strength to achieve his governorship dream.

Several dignitaries who graced the occasion included church, community, and youth leaders from various local government areas as well as different support groups from various parts of Abia State who came to show solidarity.