Metro
Spring of Joy Foundation Debuts, Conducts Free Medical Checkup, Shares Foodstuffs to 250 Widows
By Eric Elezuo
A Godsent not-for-profit organisation, the Spring of Joy Foundation for Widows, has unleashed wholesome kindness to humanity as it reached out to 250 widows with its milk of human kindness, in an event tagged Food Pantry and Free Medical Checkup for Widows.
Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation, founded by a quintessential and passionate professional, Mrs. Anastiasia Daniel, is an NGO committed to making a profound difference in the lives of widows, addressing their unique challenges, and ensuring they lead lives of dignity, independence, and purpose.
The Foundation is grounded in a deep sense of compassion, equality, and social justice, with the goal of creating a world where widows are not marginalized, but celebrated for their resilience and strength.
At the well organized event held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Christ Disciples Parish, Surulere, Lagos, which the Resident Pastor, Richard Umoren, graciously gave out for the occasion, the Foundation released diverse and assorted food items to deserving widows, as well as conducted free medical checkups to ascertain the state of their health, using the best of medical personnels, drawn from the Christian Medical and Dental Association, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) chapter.
Originally planned to cater for the welfare of a maximum of 100 widows, the Foundation ended up catering for 250 as women, who needed assistance continued to surge into the arena, and were well catered for.
In her address during the event, the Founder, Spring of Joy Widows Foundation, Mrs. Anastiasia Daniel, who spoke from her base in the United States of America, appreciated the women for turning out in their numbers, and revealed that help has come in the form of the Foundation, to cushion the effects and mitigate every challenge they have been going through.
“I’ll like you to know that you are not alone in this journey as we are here to walk alongside with you every step of the way,” Mrs Daniel assures the widows.
Below is the detailed speech of the Founder, Mrs. Daniel:
“My name is Anastasia Ndidiamaka Daniel, and I am the founder of Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation. I would like to send out a warm welcome to all the widows who have graced us with their presence today at the Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation food pantry and medical checkup. We are deeply honored and humbled by your presence here.
Today marks a special occasion as we gather not only to provide essential support but also to celebrate the strength, resilience and spirit of the incredible women in our community. Your presence here is a testament to your courage and determination in facing life’s challenges with grace and dignity. The Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation is committed to serving and uplifting widows in our community. An event like what we are having today, the food pantry and medical checkup are just one way we strive to fulfil that mission. Through the generosity of our donors, our volunteers and our supporters all over the world, we are able to provide vital resources and services to ensure your well-being and empower you on your journey forward. As you partake in today’s food pantry, medical checkup and also counseling session, i would like to encourage you to not only avail yourselves of the practical assistance provided but to also embrace the sense of community and solidarity that surrounds you. I would like you to know that you are not alone in this journey and we are here to work alongside with you every step of the way. I would like to recognize our dedicated volunteers and staff, If I am permitted I woulike to recognize certain persons too.
I would like to recognize first my dear husband, Pastor Samson Daniel for being a source of strength to me; he has been a backbone and my supporter. I want you to know that I love you and appreciate you. I want to say thank you for standing with me through this journey even the days I was down, I was scared and about to give up, you held my hands and said keep going. From the deepest part of my heart, I say thank you.
I would also like to appreciate my outreach coordinator, Apostle Paul Nwankwo of the Assemblies of God Church, who from the very beginning stood with me; a young lady he just met a couple of years ago, I say thank you.
I would also like to appreciate my personal assistant, Mrs. Elizabeth Adegbite; thank you for your resilience, thank you for running with this vision, thank you for not giving up, thank you for all you have done, I am highly grateful.
I would like to thank Pastor Richard Omoren and Pastor (Mrs.) Richard Umoren for your great support to this food pantry and medical checkup; thank you for opening up the church for us to use. I want to thank the RCCG community for allowing Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation to partake or come in to do this, we are really grateful. Thank you for giving us a platform, we really appreciate you.
I would also like to say a big thank you to the provincial pastor, Pastor Supo Oluwasakin, I am grateful to you for taking out time to come out, and be a part of this food pantry and for being a source of encouragement and strength and support for the widows and everyone there, you have never met me before and you did this; Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation is highly grateful. I will also like to use this opportunity to thank the doctors from LUTH. Thank you for accepting our invitation, thank you for what you are doing today, thank you for taking care of our widows, and ensuring that they are healthy, we are grateful.
I would like to thank the amazing widows that came out today, I want to thank you for leaving your homes and coming here, you could have said you don’t want to come but you came.”
In his sermon at the humanitarian event, the guest Minister, and RCCG Assistant Provicial Pastor, Lagos Province 4 (LP4), Pastor Supo Oluwasakin, took the audience on a journey of the importance of giving, as it breeds returns. He charged everyone present to imbibe the attitude of giving, and always remember the less privileged in the society, who needs daily assistance.
A Nigerian citizen of Enugu extraction, and born in Lagos, Mrs. Daniel is an embodiment of compassion, who has taken it upon herself to contribute to the upliftment of the indigent, using the widows as a starting point.
She strongly believe that the fact that a woman has lost has husband, does not mean that she has lost her purpose, self-will and destiny goal, maintaining that “Every widow is still destined for greatness no matter the circumstances.”
This is the first leg of the food pantry and free medical checkup for Widows as undertaking by the Spring of Joy Foundation, and many more are bound to follow.
Mrs Daniel added further that come August 17, 2024, a formal launch of the Foundation will be held, in addition to a fundraising, at RCCG, Christ Disciples Parish, in Surulere, Lagos.
The Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Bayo Ojulari, has acknowledged growing complexities in the effort to revamp Nigeria’s state-owned refineries.
Although the Port Harcourt refinery began processing crude oil again on November 26, it was later shut down in May for maintenance.
Meanwhile, rehabilitation work is still ongoing at the Warri and Kaduna refineries.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the 9th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, Austria, Ojulari said NNPC is in the process of reassessing its refinery strategies, with plans to conclude the review by the end of the year.
“So refineries, we made quite a lot of investment over the last several years and brought in a lot of technologies. We’ve been challenged,” he said.
“Some of those technologies have not worked as we expected so far. But also, as you know, when you’re refining a very old refinery that has been abandoned for some time, what we’re finding is that it’s becoming a little bit more complicated.
“So we’re reviewing all our refinery strategies now. We hope before the end of the year, we’ll be able to conclude that review. That review may lead to us doing things slightly differently.”
When asked whether the review could result in selling the refineries, Ojulari said a sale remains a possibility.
“But what we’re saying is that sale is not out of the question. All the options are on the table, to be frank, but that decision will be based on the outcome of the reviews we’re doing now,” he said.
Ojulari also addressed the cost of oil production in Nigeria, stating that operating expenses range between $20 and $30 per barrel.
“For the cost of crude production, there’s a capital cost and there are the operating costs,” he said.
“The operating cost right now in Nigeria is hovering over $20 per barrel, which is quite high.
“Part of that is because of the investment we’ve had to make in terms of security of our pipelines, which as you know, today we have 100 percent availability of our pipelines. That came out of significant investment.
“So we believe with time, with stability, that cost will start going down, but for now it’s somewhere between $25 and $30 a barrel.”
Looking ahead, Ojulari said NNPC aims to increase Nigeria’s oil output to 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of the year.
By Eric Elezuo
A group, Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR), has called on the governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebanji, and other well meaning Nigerians, to come to the aid of a female inmate at the Ibara Custodial Centre, Rashidat Abdul, who is reported to be in critical health condition, and needs urgent medical attention.
The deteriorating health of the said inmate, was reported by officers at the Custodial Centre to the Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR), a grassroots organization focusing on human rights and access to justice for those deprived of their rights on death row and in detention.
Speaking with The Boss, the Coordinator of the group, Hezekiah Deboboye Olujobi said, “Upon seeing the woman’s health condition during our visit to Ibara, we pleaded that she be transferred to a hospital where she could receive the necessary medical care. Despite concerns about the financial burden, we took this step of faith to save her life. She is now admitted to Ogun State Hospital, Abeokuta.”
Narrating the genesis of the inmate’s ordeal, Olujobi added that “Rashidat Abdul was sentenced to death by the Ado Ekiti State High Court. She appealed the judgment, but her appeal was unsuccessful. The court convicted the entire family based solely on the testimony of one individual relying on third-party information, without the presence of the alleged witness in court. It is also important to note that her son had just sat for his WAEC examination before their arrest.
“We submitted appeals to the Ekiti State Board of Mercy in September last year and again in March 2025, but these pleas have yet to receive the attention of the Ekiti State Governor. We have conducted a thorough review of the court records, including the brief of argument before the Court of Appeal, and we can see the innocence of this woman and her husband. While the appeal is still pending before the Supreme Court, we are appealing to the human and Christian conscience of the Attorney General of Ekiti State, Hon. Dayo Apata, to look into this case. God delights in true justice and mercy; God hates oppression, so must we.
“The critical state of this woman’s health calls for urgent attention from concerned individuals in Nigeria and abroad. The officer in the prison maintains transparency in this matter, and we are committed to doing the same.
“This morning, 9/7/2025, I received a message from the officer informing us that the funds we deposited have been exhausted. There is an urgent need to purchase injections costing ₦10,000 each daily, conduct X-rays and a series of tests from time to time, engage a caregiver and physiotherapist, provide feeding, and buy supplements to aid her recovery. Additionally, payment for the hospital bed space is required, along with a stipend for transportation for the security personnel on guard and other logistics.”
The group therefore, is appealing to the governor of Ekiti State, Oyebanji and other well meaning Nigerians to come to the woman’s aid so as to preserve her life.
“We kindly ask for your support to respond to this urgent call. Although Rashidat is a Muslim, our service to humanity transcends religion.
“We understand that some who have been deceived in the past may find it difficult to trust those genuinely committed to serving others, and those involved in fraudulent activities may be reluctant to support genuine efforts.
“However, this is the very mission our Lord Jesus Christ has called us to fulfill. We earnestly seek your support.
“Thank you for your kindness and generosity,” Olujobi pleaded on behalf of Rashidat and the group.
For donations and more information, please visit the website: [https://www.cjmr.com.ng](https://www.cjmr.com.ng)
Account Details:
Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation
Zenith Bank
Account Number: 1012189729
Phone: 08030488093
During the price hike, marketers stated that the product was sold at N960 and N980 in the far north because of the distance.
However, as crude prices fell below $70 last week, the pump prices of PMS also declined. Crude prices had crashed because Israel and Iran stopped bombing each other, alleviating fears of a supply disruption in the Middle East.
As of Tuesday, many filling stations sold petrol below N900 per litre in Lagos and Ogun States.
PUNCH Online reports that the filling stations sold petrol at rates ranging from N875 to N890 a litre.
A marginal drop is expected in the price of the product at the pumps.
