As part of his social responsibility, a Cross River State-based business man, Sir Kells Mbeh Williams, on Saturday launched a foundation to immortalize his late parents, Nma Lucy and Williams Abang, who passed on decades ago, saying that the foundation would be taking care of the aged and widows, who are unable to fend for themselves.
The philanthropist also feted about 121 aged and widows as part of the activities line up to mark his 63rd birthday celebrations, which he said meant a lot to him.
Explaining the rationale behind the gesture in an interactive session with newen at Akparabong community, Ikom Local Government Area of the state, shortly after feeding 121 under privileged people, and gifting the food items and unspecified amount of money, Mbeh stated that it was the only way to thank God at 63.
He said, “I had a vow with God Almighty that once he allows me to hit 63, I will celebrate with the underprivileged people because my late father did not make it to 63.
“I am celebrating with the underprivileged and it’s a fulfilment of the vow that I made with God that if he allows me to surpassed the years my late dad spent on earth, I will celebrate Him.
“This initiative is to cushion the effect of subsidy removal and tackle the economic hardship the people are facing. This is the only way I could reach out to them. It amazes me when I hear people make comments saying, ‘I own this and that, have this and that,’ when we die we go home with nothing..
“You have one car to drive, one house to live. All the claims made about material possession while the underprivileged around you have nothing to eat makes no sense.
“This is my own little way of sending a message to those withholding the commonwealth of the people to reach out to the underprivileged. I have instances where this foundation had bought artificial legs to those in need in the last 17 years.
When asked to mention names of those who benefited from the artificial limbs, the business man said, “Like the Bible told us in Mathew 6:6, ”Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your father in heaven.”
He stressed further that this explains the reasons he isn’t ready to blow his trumpet.
He added, “As the Holy Bible said in Proverbs 19:17, “Whoever is generous to the needy lends to the Lord, and if you help the poor you are lending to the Lord, and he will repay you. Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, which He pays back those loans in full.”
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Power and Renewable energy, Prince Eka Williams, eulogized Mbeh’s virtues, describing him as an elder brother who mentored him and his clergyman-younger brother to find their feet,
stressing that the lashes collected from the celebrant when they growing up helped in producing good result.
