Rotary Club donates electronic wheelchair to 42-year-old polio survivor

The Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, District 9125, on Wednesday in Abuja, donated an electronic wheelchair to a 42-year-old polio survivor, Mr. Festus Aziken.

Aziken is a graduate of the Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo state, and works with the FCT Hospital Management Board, Abuja.

Mr. Goddy Nnadi, District Governor, Rotary District 9125 while presenting the wheelchair to the beneficiary, said the donation was part of its commitment to adding value to the lives of the vulnerable in the country.

“Look at this gentleman, for more than 32 years, he has been crawling because of the impairment on his limbs.

“But with the help of this club today, he can now use his motorized wheelchair to move around independently.

“Things that his wife had to support him to do before and has the club selected him and donated the wheel chair worth N1.5 million, it is a new change, as it will bring a turnaround in their lives.

“Rotary for us is giving back what God has given to us. The only difference between us is the opportunity God has given to us, not because we are the best or the richest,” he added.

Also speaking, Mr. Yusuf Alli, President of the Rotary Club of Abuja, Maitama, said the wheelchair worth N1.5 million was donated to him to assist him and take away the pains of moving around on his hands for the past 32 years of his life.

“The essence of today’s fellowship is to present the electronic wheelchair to a polio mellitus survivor.

“As a club we decided to assist him, he has been crawling and challenged in the last 30 years.

“We conducted due diligence and we found him worthy, he is not a beggar on the street, he has a job and all he needed was assistance from us,” he said.

Responding, Aziken, who could not control his emotions, appreciated the club for the donation, adding that his prayers had been answered.

Aziken, married with three children, said his wife and children had been his pillar of support for the past years.

“I was 9 years when all this happened to me and when I was taken to the hospital, it happened to be that I had polio mellitus and I am a survivor today.

“I have met so many persons who I thought will do this for me but I could not get it.

“It takes me time to get to some places, but right now, this is like my legs which I lost so many years ago.

“Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, are like my second god and I want to urge them to keep doing good,” he added.

Newsmen reports that the club also donated cash gifts to the beneficiary and his family.