On Monday, April 20, 2020, publisher/author of the life-changing devotional booklet, Our Daily Manna (ODM) Worldwide, Bishop Chris Kwakpovwe, and his wife, Rev Flora, distributed food items to over 1000 people in Lagos State.
The gesture was to mitigate the harsh impact of the lockdown directives of the Nigerian government as part of measures to combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The items worth millions of naira which included bags of rice, bags of gaari, bags of beans, cartons of noodles, tubers of yams, sacks of salt and gallons of palm oil were presented to Lagosians including the under-privileged widows, children and the vulnerable, who thronged the church located at Ogudu-Orioke, Ojota, from all over the state.
The distributions were done in line with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) guidelines on safety measures.
Before the commencement of the distribution, all the beneficiaries were made to wash and sanitise their hands; the cleric and his team used face masks and gloves for the process while also maintaining social distancing. Members of the Nigerian Police Force were also on ground to ensure strict compliance with the NCDC’s COVID-19 rules.
Commenting on the gesture, Bishop Kwakpovwe, who is also the presiding minister of Manna Prayer Mountain, an inter-denominational ministry under the ODM publications, said he was concerned that the pandemic has reached dangerous dimensions, with a spike in infection numbers around the world and Nigeria. He said that the gesture was to cushion the effects of the lockdown arising from the pandemic.
“We are in difficult times, but our hope is on the word of God which assures us that we are more than conquerors.
“As we continue to pray for an end to the pandemic, which has impacted Nigeria and other countries negatively, we are also concerned about its effects; hence, this is our own little way of supporting our communities.
“One of the mandates of Our Daily Manna is to positively impact lives both spiritually and physically. We do this almost everyday even before the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The ODM publisher further stressed that he was motivated to assist the needy because the government alone cannot carry the weight of the lockdown on the people.
“Government cannot do it alone, religious and corporate institutions must continue to join hands with the state to mitigate the impact of the lockdown in the country and that is what we are doing.”
Beneficiaries couldn’t hide their joy and happiness for the support from the ODM publisher as they took turns to shower praises on the bishop and the church for remembering them in these trying times.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Omoyele, a mother of four expressed her gratitude as she collected her food parcel.
She said, “I was not expecting food today because I didn’t know how to feed myself and my children, but I thank the Man of God and the Our Daily Manna team for giving me food. Now I can feed my children.”
Another beneficiary, Mrs Eunice Nwachukwu, said, “Of a truth, it has not been easy for me and my children. But thanks to the man of God and his wife for the palliative, this will go a long way.”
A Muslim, Mr Muhammed Suleman, who could not control his emotions after collecting the foodstuffs said, “God will bless the bishop. This gesture came at the right time.”
Bishop Kwakpovwe has been fulfilling his kingdom mandate of supporting the needy and touching lives. Year after year, he spends millions of naira to provide for the needy across the country.
