10th October, 2012
I was in the United States of America when I saw some scary pictures sent to my BlackBerry phone. These pictures were taken in Delta State, southsouth Nigeria, where flood took over about 10 local government areas.
Befor the incident, I thought natural disasters like flood, volcanoes, storms, earthquakes etc, only happened overseas and not in Nigeria. As far as I was concerned that was the only consolation I believed we had about our dear country. In fact I used to say ‘all the problems we have in Nigeria are man made’. This statement to me was so true until a week ago when I found out that the state where I hail from ( Delta State) has experienced a natural disaster.
I am not sure how we can handle this disaster. I don’t think we are well prepared to handle this kind of natural disaster because it hardly happens in our part of the world.
The painful part is that it hit major villages with a large concentration of children and women. They lost their homes, schools, hospitals, community centres, churches, mosques, markets, banks, farms and every source of survival.
I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose everything around me in one day. Some lives have been lost and the Delta State has quickly set up relief camps for all the displaced people.
We all know that the state cannot do this alone because we are not talking about hundreds but thousands of people who have lost everything. No food, clothing, bed, water, books, blankets, buckets, plates, stove, gas, stationery, shoes, toiletries, provision and so many other things required to survive.
The governor of the state, his commissioners and all the liaison offices all over the country have been doing their best to take care of these people but it is not possible for them to do it on their own even if they spend all the money they have.
It is time for us to stand up now and help the displaced people, whether you are from Delta State or not. It can happen to any state or community. What I am asking everyone reading this now is to come out and help those that were displaced during the disaster. The same way we came out to help the affected people during Jos crises.
Please donate whatever you have to help these people. I don’t believe I have to play with your emotions by showing you pictures and videos for you to know how bad the situation is before you can help.
The Stella Damasus Arts Foundation And Lamboghinny Say No To Crime are partnering with the Delta State Liaison Office and government to create awareness and solicit for help for the displaced people.
Please do not brush this aside because it is a matter of life and death. We all know that when thousands of people are kept in the same place for a while without adequate care and food, they would be exposed to infections because of the things they share together. When this happens, the children are the most affected.
I am asking you to please save a life today and give our people hope. They have been through so much already, they cannot afford to lose hope too.
We just might have the future Stella Damasus, Kefee! Sammy Okposos, the Amatas, Alibabas, Gordons, Richard Mofe Damijos, Justus Esiris, Daniel Ademinokans, Omawunmis, Essence, in that place. We cannot sit by and allow our future to slip through our fingers.
To help these victims please contact Delta State Emergency Management Agency. Contact numbers and email addresses include:
Lagos : Tina: 08023270542, 07035010323
Daniel : 08023063440
[email protected] : 08120776757
Abuja: Apine: 08086661344
Nwabueze : 08086661378
Gloria : 08034534318
Delta pikin international : 08054709182
[email protected]: 08053502515
Warri : Patrick: 08037107691
Asaba : Tony: 08037230004
Julie : 08034016121
You can drop off items in Lagos at :
Delta Liaison Office: 19 Karimu Kotun Street Victoria Island.
Pink Pearl office: 5 Iyalla Street ,Alausa, Ikeja.
Oaken Events Office, 10b Ogidi Crescent, Lekki Phase One: Stella Damasus Arts Foundation Office, 1 Olatoye Ogundana Street, Off Toyin Amosun, Graceland Estate, Ajiweh,Ajah
Abuja: Index Two Studios, Road 69, House 4, Gwarimpa Phase 2 Estate.
God bless you all
Quote: Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.