The BAGE Children Are Coming by Francis Ottah Agbo

I was extraordinarily excited recently. Not because I made more money, or got what normally excites my generation.

My happiness was premised on the positive activities of my good friend and brother, Barr Adole Godwin Eche (BAGE). He sacrificed so much to buy and personally distribute free exercise books and other teaching aides to pupils across Okpokwu, his LGA of origin.

This is a personal effort of a man I like to describe as my ideological soul mate. BAGE is a principled and industrious personality who means so much to me and family. A man without a sustained principle is a ‘dead’ man!
In BAGE, the next generation has a mentor.

This is not the first time that this communitarian Lawyer, Advocate of the masses and quintessential gentle man would do such charity work.

In fact, BAGE has made it his passion since 2013. I also know of a fact, he usually and positively engages Okpokwu youths, and in the process, channel their energies from crimes and criminalities to worthy ventures like sports. It is against this background that, he made it a bounden responsibility to organise a yearly football competition for the youths. It is my wish and prayer that this competition will produce future stars. It is not impossible. Where there is a will, there shall be a way!

Last year’s football competition held with pomp. I look forward to attending the BAGE football fiesta this year, God willing.

BAGE deserves commendation for taking the less travelled route. At a time when most people only think of their stomachs and comfort, at a time when many young people desperately preserve unearned privileges, at a time when many young people in our clime, have made a career out of blackmailing people, this upcoming Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN made a sacrifice out of his meagre earnings as a lawyer and touched the lives of these children.Many of these children will be leaders in the future.

A cursory look at their eyes shows that, these children are already taking advantage of BAGE’s generosity. They will continue from where their hero and mentor would stop. The BAGE Children are in deed coming, watch out. Okpokwu looks forward to having many BAGEs in the nearest future. Aren’t you lucky? I am super excited.

Ottah was Honourable Member representing the Ado, Okpokwu and Ogbadibo in the 9th Assembly.