By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – A group known as Uromi Like Minds Initiative (ULMI) has donated foodstuffs, medical supplies, personal hygiene materials and financial aid to orphanages, elderly homes in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Chairman of the Welfare Committee of ULMI, Mr. Sylvester Ezehi, described the exercise as a consistent gesture that has brought hope and relief to the underprivileged over the past five years.

According to him, “Our mission is simple yet profound; to bring smiles to the faces of the needy, the forgotten, and the less fortunate in our community. It is a cause we have embraced wholeheartedly, and we are committed to sustaining it for years to come,” he said.

In his goodwill message, the Executive Chairman of ULMI, Deacon Darlington Okpebholo Ray, called for unity, compassion, and collective responsibility in rebuilding Uromi and the greater Esanland, at a time when the community grapples with security challenges.

He said “As sons and daughters of Uromi, both at home and in the Diaspora, we have a moral obligation to reshape the prevailing narrative about our homeland. Uromi is a town blessed with an illustrious heritage and a legacy of greatness.

“We are the birthplace of national icons such as the late Chief Anthony Enahoro, a foremost nationalist, and Chief Tony Anenih, a political colossus. It is incumbent upon us to honour this legacy by championing peace, charity, and communal progress.”

He said that the activities of ULMI are not only humanitarian but are also deeply symbolic, serving as a platform for promoting hope and restoring dignity to those in need while projecting a more positive image of Uromi to the wider world.

Okpebholo Ray also used the opportunity to extend an open invitation to Uromi sons and daughters and friends of Uromi who are yet to join the Initiative, urging them to identify with the group and actively contribute to the transformation of the town.

“We call upon every well-meaning indigene of Uromi, irrespective of status or location, to align with ULMI in this noble quest. Let us consolidate our efforts, pool our resources, and forge a future that reflects the pride and dignity of our heritage. Uromi is a peaceful land, and through our shared commitment, we shall ensure that peace is not only preached but practised and preserved,” he concluded.