The road a philanthropist built in Enugu - The Nation Nigeria

The call to think home and build Igbo land is sinking in. It was in response to the call that a young Port-Harcourt-based philanthropist, Prince Lawrence Eze, decided to give his Mburubu community, in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, something to cheer and remember for life.

He single-handedly built a 4.5km asphalt road with street lights to alleviate their suffering and enhance the evacuation of farm produce to Enugu metropolis and other States of the country. The road links Nara through Mburubu to Nomeh rail lines.

The Prince had also way back in 2013, rehabilitated 3 bridges linking the communities of Ugbawka – Nara – Mburubu and Nomeh.

The commissioning of the road project was however, part of activities lined up to mark the 50th Ofalla festival of his father, the traditional ruler of Mburubu community, Igwe Emmanuel Eze, the Ozulumba I of Mburubu, who has reigned for fifty years.ý

Speaking while commissioning the project, Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, re-emphasised the need for the participation of the private sector in the development of the country.

Ugwuanyi, who was full of praises for Prince Lawrence Eze for touching on the lives of his people, noted that the country needed more of the young Prince to move forward, as government alone cannot meet all the needs of the different communities.

While congratulating the Mburubu community for having a son like the Prince, the governor expressed joy that the road network was completed and delivered before the rainy season when the farmers would need it most and called on corporate Nigeria to emulate the Prince of Mburubu example and support government in its rural development drive.

Prince Lawrence Eze, who believes in action instead of much talking, told the people that his philanthropy was a continuous exercise, stressing that his target was to rehabilitate all roads within the community.

He stated that the only way he felt he can appreciate God for His gift of life and resources, was to give a face-lift to his community and put smiles on the faces of his people through roads construction and award of scholarships to indigent students from Primary school to the University level. He said that he also believed that the luxury of good road network should not be the exclusive preserve of those in urban areas, adding that those in rural communities should have a test of it.

The prince of Mburubu thanked the Enugu State governor for coming to personally commission the road project despite short notice and prayed God to grant him a deserved second tenure next year.

The president General of Mburubu Town Union, Prof. Alphonsus Njoku, said that the road project was a great relief to Mburubu and neighboring communities, pointing out that for the past 100 years, movement in the area had remained difficult for his people, forcing them to trek long distances to sell their farm produce.

Njoku, stated that in addition to the roads and bridges constructed by Prince Lawrence Eze, thousands of indigent students in the area had benefited from his scholarship scheme, even as poor pregnant mothers from the community had continued to enjoy financial lifeline from him.

The president-General also appealed to the Enugu State governor to capture the enterprising Prince in his administration, since according to him, “the man has all the qualities of a good leader”.

Guests at the occasion were later entertained with cultural dances and drama displays.