In the spirit of the season, the Nkemsinachi and Mkposong Asuquo Endowment Foundation (NMAEF) has empowered over 500 residents of Ukana Ikot Akpabio in Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
Its founder, Mr Mkposong Asuquo, cautioned that the gesture was his donation to the people, especially the needy at this time, but not for political reasons as he was not eyeing any political position ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the thrid empowerment and get-together of the foundation, Asuquo said the initiative was driven by gratitude and the desire to lift the people, stressing that it was founded on the twin pillars of “empowerment and togetherness.”
According to him, the intervention was designed to “restore dignity, encourage productivity and promote self-reliance among beneficiaries, rather than promote dependency.”
The well-attended event, which drew community leaders, families, youths, women and widows, featured the distribution of wrappers, motorcycles, sewing machines, cash grants, educational materials for school children, and assorted food items, including bags of rice.
The programme also featured a communal feast, to encourage unity and social bonding.
Asuquo described the empowerment items as tools meant to unlock economic potentials and improve livelihoods, if properly utilised.
“These are not gifts meant to be consumed and forgotten; they are tools for dignity and seeds for growth,” Asuquo said.
He urged beneficiaries to put the items to productive use, reminding them that sustainable development begins with individual commitment and enterprise.
“A tool unused is a treasure wasted. Treat what you have received today like a CEO guarding the future of his company,” Asuquo charged.
In a strongly worded segment of his address, the philanthropist dismissed insinuations that the Foundation’s activities were politically motivated, stating unequivocally that he has no political ambition now or in the future.
“Let me be very clear: I have no political intentions. This is a covenant of gratitude to the community, not a political calculation. If my face appears on any political poster, it is without my consent and against my will. Such actions are a distraction from service,” he declared.
Asuquo used the occasion to call on well-to-do Nigerians, particularly successful sons and daughters of the community at home and in the diaspora, to complement government efforts by giving back to society.
He stressed that meaningful development would only be achieved through collective responsibility and sustained community-driven initiatives.
“Government cannot do it all. One foundation cannot do it all. But if every blessed Nigerian reaches back in their own way, we can lift our communities together,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a widow, Madam Maria Sunday expressed gratitude to the Foundation and its founder, praying for God’s blessings and replenishment upon him. She noted that the intervention had renewed hope among beneficiaries and would go a long way in improving livelihoods and ensuring long-term economic stability within the community.
The empowerment programme ended on a warm note of fellowship, with beneficiaries and guests sharing a meal and renewing calls for unity, enterprise and collective responsibility.
