Why I invited Aki, Paw Paw to meet flood victims – Uduaghan

By Emma Amaize
ASABA—DELTA State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, said Monday, that he invited popular Nollywood actors, Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme, popularly known as Aki and Paw Paw, to visit flood victims in the state as motivational speakers to alleviate the pains of the internally displaced persons.
Aki and Paw Paw were first noticed by some persons at the inauguration of the 12-man committee on the management of Federal Government fund released to the state over the flood disaster and the Post-Flooding Rehabilitation of Victims, headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Francis Tabai, at Government House, Asaba, by Governor Uduaghan.
They were conspicuous in their attire and size and that attracted the crowd, which went hysterical.
Governor Uduaghan, who painted a sorrowful picture of the pains the internally displaced persons, IDPs, were going through, having been sacked from their homes by flood, said everybody who knew how to ease pains should help to ease the pains of the victims.
FOR FLOOD VICTIMS—Nollywood stars Chinedu Ikedieze and his friend Osita Iheme (Aki and Pawpaw) during a visit to some of the flood displaced persons in ICE camp, Asaba, Monday. Photo: Henry Unini
The governor said he decided to invite Aki and Paw Paw after he visited the Institute of Continuing Education, ICE, flood victims’ camp at about 11.00 pm on a certain day and discovered that the IDPs, who were watching a Nollywood movie, were so engrossed that they barely gave him attention when he walked in.
Uduaghan said: “As I walked in, half of the population were watching television; you know we provided a giant television for them.
“I tried to attract their attention. Some looked at me and greeted me, but they turned to continue watching the television. When I looked at the television, I saw it was Aki, Paw Paw and Ibu that they were watching.
“You see, because they were watching Aki, Paw Paw and Ibu, they forgot their pains. For them, these Nollywood actors were helping them to ease their pains. That was why I invited them to go to the different camps as motivational speakers because the victims require a lot of motivation, while they are preparing to go back home.”
The governor observed that some of the victims, indeed, required psychological support, adding that he was optimistic that Aki and Paw Paw would provide it for them.
“That is why they are here as motivational speakers.  I believe that the few minutes they will spend will ease the pains of our IDPs. Those who have ability to ease those in pains, please help, it is not about food alone for the victims – that will not ease their pains.”