Mercy Foundation Lifts Persecuted Ebonyi Evangelist

Mercy Foundation, a non-governmental organisation in the Netherlands, has lifted a persecuted Ebonyi-based gospel Evangelist, Ignatius Nkwuda, and commenced training of hundreds of Ebonyi women and youths on entrepreneurship skills.

Evangelist Ignatius Nkwuda of Nigeria Reformed Church, Otam-Nwogba is being persecuted by his people of Ndubovu in Ndieze-Echi Community, Ominyi Development Centre, of Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State for refusing to worship their community deity. The villagers came to the preacher's home on ..,.. and packed household property belonging to the preacher and his wife which the community people have continued to detain because the preacher and his wife refused to contribute funds for the procurement of sacrificial items needed to conduct sacrifices and rituals to a deity in a community shrine known as Edukfu-Onwe. Entreaties to the ward councilor and other community leaders yielded no results as the community people have continued to withhold the property of Evangelist Nkwuda and to allegedly issue threats on him if he refuses to change his position on the community ritual levy. Evangelist Ignatius Nkwuda is also involved in the Prison Ministry which Mercy Foundation Netherlands runs in conjunction with her Nigerian affiliate, Transparency and Economic Development Initiative, TEDI.

Mercy Foundation Netherlands presented brand new motorcycles to Evangelist Ignatius Nkwuda and Barr. Levi Ibeabuchi for the Prison Ministry through the founder of TEDI, Elder Emeka Ogazi, who prayed God to bless the founder of Mercy Foundation Netherlands partners, T.J. Reneveth. Receiving the motorcycles, Evangelist Nkwuda and Barr Ibeabuchi thanked his benefactors and promised to continue to spread the gospel to both free citizens and prison inmates; and to be law-abiding by paying community development levies. Evangelist Nkwuda particularly reiterated that he will not compromise his christian faith in the face of his obvious persecution by members of his community, adding that the status of Nigeria as a secular country guarantees freedom of religion.

Evangelist Nkwuda receiving the key to the motorcycle from Elder Emeka Ogazi.

In another development, Mercy Foundation Netherlands in affiliations with TEDI foundation and the Mother and Child Care Initiative, MCCI, of the wife of the former governor of Ebonyi State, Mrs. Josephine Elechi, has commenced training of hundreds of Ebonyi women and youths on entrepreneural skills like crafts, fashion designing, hairdressing, farming, fittings, fabrications etcetera. The training package which will equip the participants with skills and provide them with necessary equipments and start-up capitals is designed to turn the beneficiaries to wealth creators and employers of labour. The teeming beneficiaries who attended the positive character orientation component of the empowerment programme otherwise known as "Ethical Workshop" which held at the Multipurpose Hall of Josel Farms, Abakaliki on 8th October, 2022 were lectured on Ethical Behavior, The Dangers of Drug Abuse and Business Ethics. In his welcome speach at the Ethical Workshop, the founder of TEDI which is the Nigerian affiliate of Mercy Foundation, Elder Emeka Ogazi, made it clear that the ethical component of Mercy Foundation's empowerment programme is what stands it out as wholesome because it strengthens the beneficiaries to pursue prosperity, integrity and their salvation and prayed "God to reward T.J. Reneveth in multiple folds for his labour of love on Ebonyi people". The event which was chaired by the wife of the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State and founder of MCCI, Her Excellency, Mrs Josephine Elechi was attended by Ebonyi State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Sunday Zjil Nwangele; and resource persons like a cleric of Nigeria Reformed Church, Rev. K.U.A. Iziogo; officials of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency; and Ebonyi State director of Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development Agencies of Nigeria, SMEDAN.

In their respective goodwill messages, the former first lady of Ebonyi State, Mrs. Josephine Elechi, charged the beneficiaries to remain focused on their goals and make maximum use of the opportunities they have through the empowerment programme; while Ebonyi State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Sunday Zjil Nwangele, thanked the Nigerian Reformed Church for investing in the development of many Ebonyi people including himself. Dr. Nwangele reminded the beneficiaries that the best form of gratitude they can show to their benefactors was to use the opportunity of the empowerment to become responsible and useful ambassadors of God in the society. In separate interviews, a broad spectrum of the trainees thanked their benefactors, appreciated them for their kind gesture and promised to make good use of the empowerment. Other beneficiaries who could not be interviewed spoke through their eyes and smiles in appreciation of the rare opportunities that Mercy Foundation, Netherlands and their Nigerian affiliate gave them to develop themselves into useful members of the society.