Former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili, has donated various relief materials to some of the country’s flood victims, even as she urged them to regard their travails as temporary.

Akunyili, who is a member of the National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation set up by the Federal Government, had visited flood victims temporarily camped at Atani, headquarters of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Sunday (October 28, 2012) to share their grief.

She made what she described as a “modest gift” of 90 bags of rice, 50 loaves of bread, 273 bags of sachet water and a quantity of bottled water to the flood victims.

“I have heard much about what you are going through and now that I am here, I have seen things for myself. I will tell my colleagues in the National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation set up by the Federal Government what I have seen, as it will help us to know how best to help you and other flood victims across the country,” Akunyili told the flood victims.

She explained that she was there in her private capacity to sympathise with the flood victims and share with them a message of hope.

“It may seem as if you have lost everything, but our people say that ndubuisi. We also say that ndubuaku. Yes, life is supreme and life is superior to material things which, as the Bible tells us, can vanish anytime,” Akunyili said.

She drew attention to the Bible’s admonition to give thanks in all things, telling the flood victims: “You should, therefore, thank God because it could have been worse: Many people lost their lives in the floods and would have wished to be alive because when there is life, there is hope.”

She urged them “never to lose hope but should regard this as a temporary problem,” saying: “As Christians, we all read the Bible or like to have it read to us. No doubt, you have read or heard about the righteous man Job. The Bible tells us that Satan made him to lose everything he had, including his health and his entire children, but that he continued to trust in God. In the end, God came to his rescue and restored all that he lost, even adding to it.

“The God Job served is the same God we also serve. You should, therefore, have faith and trust in God to restore what you have lost and to add to it, just as He did in the case of Job.”

The former NAFDAC Director General advised the flood victims not to doubt God’s ability to care for them, saying that “He can use individuals or groups, the Federal, State or Local Governments, or the National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation” to care for them. “The important thing,” according to Akunyili, is for the fold victims “to remain hopeful and strong so that when God will replace what you lost and rehabilitate you, you will be there and will have the good health to enjoy it.”

Akunyili’s speech lifted the spirits of the despairing flood victims, who were beside themselves with joy, thanking her profusely for her visit, her gift and her words of encouragement.

*Photo shows Prof. Akunyili (left) during the donation of the relief items. With her are Anambra State SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze (addressing the flood victims) and the Commissioner for Budget Planning, Prof. Chinyere Okunna.