The first national convention of the Adadioranma Foundation was almost marred by the late arrival of the founder to the venue, which left some of the guests upset.
The Founder, Chief Mrs. Nkoli Imoh, arrived venue of the 15th Year Anniversary on Sunday at exactly 3.10pm, hours after some of her special guests were already seated.
An awardee at the event, Senator Andy Uba (Chairman Senate Committee on National Independent Electoral Commission), HRH Igwe Gibson Nwosu (Eze Uzu of Awka), the traditional ruler of Awka and other special guests protested that they could no longer wait for her.
Before Imoh’s arrival, the traditional ceremony of breaking Kola nut was already performed by Igwe Gibson, after the Foundation’s National Chairman, Engr Izuchukwu Anene, who was visibly worried, gave consent for the commencement of the occasion.
The proposed chairman of the occasion, Bello Mohammed Tukur did not attend neither did he send a representative.
Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives and Peoples Democratic Party Governorship (PDP) candidate in Imo State was also absent, although the Patron of the Foundation, Chief Author Eze sent a representative.
According to one of the aggrieved guests who spoke to our correspondent, he said that even though Mrs. Imoh arrived very late, she did not apologise to the guests that were kept waiting for several hours.
“Yes, she is using her foundation to touch lives but she needs to drop the arrogance and appreciate people who always rally round her. Maybe she is taking the advantage of the poverty in the land, otherwise how can one explain how the founder of a foundation celebrating 15 years anniversary come unpardonably late like this, not even with apology, ” said a guest who does not want to be named.
When Mrs. Imoh arrived, the match past had to be repeated. The same would have been done with the Kola nut if not that the Igwe Gibson insisted that you don’t break kola nut twice in one event.
However, the Foundation Chairman, Engr. Anene had to be called out to again declare the occasion formally open.
Nevertheless, the turn out by the state chapters of the Foundation was impressive and different dancing groups greeted the occasion.
It was gathered that virtually all the South-East states where the foundation has been established came en masse.
The high point of the occasion was the launch of a biography on the founder, Chief Mrs Nkoli Imoh.
The event was also marked by the presentation of gift items to widows.
Some of the items distributed included cars, sewing machines, dryers, bags of rice as well as undisclosed sums of money.
Other gifts included grinding machines, tricycles, generators and cellophane machines.
Meanwhile, a guest who preferred anonymity expressed gratitude to the Foundation and eulogised the Founder for her large heart and care.
However, another complained that the Infinity and Ford Explorer jeeps given to people at the event were old as their seats and dash boards were already torn.
He also added that the vehicles would be burdens on the less-privileged recipients due to high costs of maintenance.
The occasion was also used for the inauguration of the state executive committee of the foundation.
