Onaiyekan, Kaigama To Headline Disability Thanksgiving

The Sir David Osunde Foundation (SDOF) has announced that the Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, and  the Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, would preside over its 33rd annual thanksgiving celebration for persons with disabilities, taking place on Easter Monday.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Barrister Ikem Uchegbulam, revealed that this year’s event would be held simultaneously in Abuja and Benin City, Edo State.

This move, he said, was designed to ease travel for participants across Nigeria by offering a venue in both the northern and southern regions.

According to the organisers, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan will officiate the Thanksgiving Mass in Benin City, where he is also expected to formally declare the foundation’s annual activities open.

Simultaneously, Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama,  will lead the mass in the nation’s capital.

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Thousands of guests are expected to attend the ceremonies in both cities, marking a significant return to Benin City — a location that last hosted the foundation’s event 19 years ago.

The annual gathering is a central part of the foundation’s mission to honour and empower Nigerians living with disabilities.

The event includes not only spiritual reflection but also an empowerment programme that distributes assistive devices and other forms of support to individuals across the country.

Speaking on the empowerment efforts, the programme manager of SDOF, Anuniru Emmanuel O, commended the foundation’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities.

“We distribute items through our state coordinators, and we ensure proper follow-up through video and pictorial evidence,” he explained.

“When we receive images and videos of beneficiaries using the aid provided, we know the support is reaching the right hands.”

He recounted one such instance, in which a man with a physical disability in Akwa Ibom received a tricycle sent from Abuja. A video showed the man using the tricycle to fetch and transport water from a borehole — a powerful testament to the impact of the Foundation’s work in promoting independent living.