President of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Leonard Kawas has extolled Dr. Lami Onayi Ahmed for her tireless philanthropic commitment to the academic progress of orphans in the country, saying that the Oil and Gas tycoon who clocked 60 on Saturday, is the secret behind the education of hundreds of orphans at the Archbishop’s orphanage home in Abuja.
Kawas, who is a Professor of Theology at the University of Abuja, and Founder of a pro-orphans institution – Lekced International School, Abuja, said: ‘Hundreds of children who had no hope of getting basic education have received basic education because of the thanksgiving efforts of Dr. Lami Onayi Ahmed,’ adding that the celebrant paid school fees of hundreds of fatherless and motherless children in nearly ten years.
While saying that Lekced International School offers free education for fatherless and motherless children, the Archbishop attributed the success of the Free Education Initiative of the school to the sustained financial support of ‘people like Dr. Lami Ahmed,’ describing her as a ‘solid supporter of Free Education Initiative.’
Addressing the celebrant, Kawas said: ‘For your support for nearly 10 years. I am here on behalf of the children that you have sponsored to say happy birthday to you, and to wish you many more years of prosperity.’
Discussing the importance of thanksgiving, the Archbishop said: ‘Dr. Lami has said that she is giving thanks to God for her life.’
Speaking further, he said: ‘The word thanksgiving is a compound word; the first part is “thanks” while the second part is “giving.” Thanks can be expressed verbally and can also come in the form of prayer or worshipping or praising. Giving is the doing aspect of thanksgiving.’
Addressing the audience, the Archbishop called on the living to give thanks to God while they are alive. ‘When you were born, one of the first things that people do is to thank God for the new born baby. At such times, people do it for the baby because the baby is not conscious enough to be the one thanking God. Parents do it on behalf of the baby. Friends and family also do it for the baby.’
He pointed out that when someone dies, some other people give thanks to God for the life of a loved one: ‘They would say “With gratitude to God for a life well spent….’
The Archbishop called on the people to lead a good life of gratitude to God, so that such thanksgiving will be true when we join the saints.
‘Today Dr. Lami has said that her birthday celebration is to express gratitude to God almighty,’ he said, and charged the audience saying: ‘Let it hold true when you die, that you spent your life well. Some people know nothing about gratitude to God when they are alive.’
‘While alive, many people are too busy to say thank you to God. But when they are no more, somebody else will want to give ‘gratitude to God for a life well spent,’ and they will try to describe the social circumstances surrounding his death, and they will say, ‘he is survived by husband, brother, sister and so on.’
Archbishop Kawas pointed out that the various material pursuits of human beings will not be remembered in the obituary announcement: ‘It will not be said that a man is survived by twenty houses, or survived by land cruiser SUVs, private jets or properties which keeps the rich too busy to say thank you to God, but the human beings you left behind will be mentioned in your obituary announcement.’
‘The last line in every obituary announcement is ‘may his gentle soul rest in peace. You must determine whether or not your life will rest in peace or pieces,’ Leonard said, adding, ‘Today, I urge all of you to be thankful to God now that you are still alive. You can be thankful to God by caring for the needy.’
‘We have an opportunity to thank God by giving to the needy. Whenever Dr. Lami Ahmed visits our school and shares some financial support to orphans, to support our free education for orphans’ initiative, I see in her a woman that cares, a woman with a heart of gold.’
He called on the public to support the Lift Up Care Foundation, an initiative of Dr. Lami Ahmed, adding that such support will enable the education of more orphans.
Chairman of the occasion who is the President, Azikel Group (owner of Azikel Refinery), Dr. Eruani Azibapu Godbless, CFR, described the celebrant as a ‘disciplined, quintessential Nigerian who is very trustworthy and industrious.’
According to the chairman, Dr. Lami is a successful woman and special daughter of Kogi State who has continued to impact lives for many years.
He stated: ‘I got to know Dr. Lami several years ago. I want to testify to the fact that since our paths crossed, my life has never been the same and her life also has not been the same. This is to say that for all of us that have crossed paths with Dr. Lami, our lives did not remain the same but have become better.’
‘I enjoin all of us to relax and enjoy the moment, make friends, eat and refresh ourselves as she climbs up the sixtieth floor,’ he said adding, ‘we gather here at a very special time to celebrate one of our own.’
The Idu of Ataami, Dr. Ibrahim Faari Okeji who performed the traditional cola-breaking ceremony described Dr. Lami as a universal mother, and beseeched God to continue to protect and strengthen her.
In her speech, the celebrant, Dr. Lami Onayi Ahmed thanked the guests and well-wishers saying that she regards every member of the audience in highly esteemed capacity.
The celebrant commended Rev. Fr. Segun Olugbami who presided over her Birthday Thanksgiving Holy Mass earlier in the day alongside other highly regarded Catholic Priests.
‘At Mass today, Rev. Fr. Olugbami said it all,’ Dr. Lami said, adding: ‘I remain very grateful that you travelled all the way from the United States to Nigeria in order to make this possible. I have not taken that for granted. I also thank all the priests that followed you to this event place,’ she added.
Dr. Lami thanked the President of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Leonard Bature Kawas for his speech and for the fatherly role he played in her life.
She was full of commendations to her husband, Sir Thomas Ahmed, who is popularly referred to as ‘her guardian angel,’ saying: ‘Whatever I have become today, after God, I give credit to my husband who met me at age sixteen even when I was told by my elder brother (who is seated here with us) to stay away from men.’
She explained that as a result of the fatherly counsel of the Atami, ‘when my husband approached me at the age of sixteen, I told him that I don’t want him to spoil my life, but he said to me: ‘No, I want to support you to make a life.’
‘Today, whatever I have become, I ascribe it to God and my husband,’ she said.
Eulogizing her husband, the celebrant said: ‘Whenever I am running, he would tell me that I can jump, when I want to jump, he would tell me I can fly, whenever I make a mistake, he is always there to accept me in my weaknesses. She called on their children, Sandra and Christopher to join her in thanksgiving to God and her husband.
In reverence to God, and her husband, the celebrant knelt down before her husband and said: ‘I kneel before my husband, who has made gold of me, I have no other way to thank him. I say thank you very much.
‘My deep appreciation goes to the Chairman of the ceremony, Dr. Eruani Azibapu Godbless, CFR, for finding time to attend and chair the occasion, and for constantly standing by me,’ Dr. Lami said while also deeply appreciating her children. ‘I deeply appreciate all my children, who largely planned the ceremony financially and otherwise.’
While thanking every member of the audience, Dr. Lami said: ‘Thank you to all the delegations here: The IBB Golf and Country Club; the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) led by the president; Queens School delegation; the delegation from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL); Lions Club; GSM; LSM; CCECC; the Ebira Community; the Family of Taaru Idu; the Okejis; the family of Hon. Hans; the Okejis; thank you to the president of Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, Evelyn Onyome; and to NIM.’
Dr. Lami welcomed the delegation of the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo and sent thanks the governor for the goodwill. The delegation was led by the Managing Director, Kogi Enterprise Development Agency, Alhaji. Mohammed Abdulkadiri Okeji.
She also thanked General I. B. M. Haruna for his presence and support.
She thanked Alh Isa Ozi Salami for the commendable roles he played in her immediate family and in the family of her daughter while also thanking Chief Joshua Omuya and Chief Philip Salawu.
