The spiritual leader of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS), His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu, has constructed a multipurpose edifice for less privileged children in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.
The home which is built for street children who are orphans, destitute and vulnerable to social vices is located on eight plots, Enang Ahe community at Parliamentary Extension, Calabar Municipality,LGA South south Nigeria.
The 3-storey 400-bed Orphanage Home has a chapel, children’s library, modern kitchen, laundry facilities, children’s playground, and a handlers’ lodge.
The International President of the BCS women’s group, Matriarch Victoria Imowo, on Tuesday revealed the name of the project to Journalists.
Imowo said the home which is called “Mother Elizabeth Esu Olumba Obu Redeem children home,” started in 2008 shortly before it was registered as a government-recognised Care Home in 2010.
Again, she said with the help of Cross River State Ministry of Humanity and Social Welfare the Care home was fully registered in 2013.
On how the name of the home came about, she said “the then Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mrs Patricia Enderley after a visit in 2016 suggested that the Home be named Redeemed Children Home to reflect the work of redemption being carried out in the Care Home.”
Truth Live News learned that Following the formal recognition of the home by the UNICEF and the Cross River State government in 2015, was the construction of the home from 2013 to 2023.
“Before now, we occupied a 1-storey building with few rooms on Ambo Street Calabar South but it was grossly inadequate for the ever-increasing number of less privileged children and staff,” Imowo said.
She said that the decision to erect the 3-storey 400-bed home to collect the 380 children together in a much more conducive complex followed constant visits and commendations from the state ministry of social and welfare development as well as from UNICEF.
“We had to pull our resources together and with robust support from our Father, a philanthropist par excellence, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu, used the Universal Women’s Fellowship, an arm of the spiritual organisation to spearhead the welfare home project.”
On his part, Dr Amah Williams said “The evolution of The Holy Mother Elizabeth Obu’s Care Home could be traced back to the cradle of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star at number 8 Eton Street, Calabar.
Dr Williams who is the spokesman of the organisation, said the orphanage home bears eloquent testimony to His Holiness commitment to practically demonstrate the ideals of love, compassion and charity that he preaches daily.
“During the Nigerian Civil War, many people took refuge at our 26 Mbukpa Chapel which was about the only safe place,” he said nobody that visited Brotherhood premises at that time left without being taken care of.”
“The refugees were taken in and fed to their fill. “Children whose parents were killed in the war found succour and warmth in the Home,” he continued.
“Through the post-war period, many more children were abandoned on the premises of our organization.This was how the idea for this ultra-modern Home was nurtured which today has been blossomed,” Williams said.
The welfare home which will soon be replicated in other states of Nigeria and other countries is not limited to the Nigerians alone.