03/27/2024
THE BIOGRAPHY OF ENGINEER SUNDAY AMANOGHO— A STORY THAT MUST BE TOLD
ORIGIN
Engineer Sunday Inope Amanogho was born in Ibadan into the family of Mr. and Mrs.Thompson Amanogho. He is a native of Ivioghe in Wanno Kingdom in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
EDUCATION/CARRIER
Engineer Sunday Amanogho attended Army Day Primary School, Ibadan. Upon completion of his primary school, he moved to Oghe Community Secondary school, Ivioghe, where he sat for his West African Certificate Examination and obtained his certificate in 1996.
He is an alumnus of the prestigious Ambrose Alli University, (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, where he obtained his BSc in Banking and Finance. However, his crave for greener pastures and quest for practical carrier beyond what school has got in the papers made him to pursue a Canada Visa, which became successful to the glory of God in 2005.
He attended strategic training at the Canada Academic Foundation where he obtained his certification, and began his career with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Engr. Sunday began his career with enthusiasm, following his father’s footsteps of maintaining peace. And as an unassuming luminary, he had a remarkable conviction for his job as an intelligent officer and its invaluable purpose in society. He discharged his duties adequately and efficiently, before seeking a further and life-dream carrier in Engineering. He delved skillfully into architecture and structural planning and became an experienced expert.
RELIGION
Engineer Sunday Amanogho is a devoted Christian who believes that whatever good he does is a duty he own to God. He believes that true Christianity is primarily a service to humanity. He is God-fearing, an astute, dogged and a courageous freedom fighter who believes that no man, no matter his position or influence, should be a bone in the neck of the less privileged. No matter how much of threats he gets and with whatever he is threatened with, he can never be gagged.
He is a single father of two lovely boys, Thompson Amanogho and Lucky Amanogho, 13 and 12 years old respectively.
A MAN WHO THE CAP FITS
As a worthy son of Ivioghe, a fertile community known to have produced giants of intellectuals in their individual endeavours, Engineer Sunday has not failed his community. He has washed his hands clean and perceived to be ready to eat with elders. His faithfulness to duty and servant-leadership representation he demonstrated has earned him the favour of God, and now he is a boss of his own empire, which he wholeheartedly dedicated to service of God and humanity.
The solidarity he enjoys from his people and his influence within his community is as a result of his unwavering philanthropical gesture, and this has earned him high accolades across the land of Afenmai and beyond.
His support for the cause of the under-privileged has been legendary. He has a heart of love that is constantly gravitating towards charitable works — from scholarships to hospital bills to electricity to water projects and other efforts.
And without any gainsaying, he represents a proactive person, change agent, result-oriented, mobilizer of men and resources, mentor, a defender of the oppressed, an avid advocate for the people, father figure, and a genuine philanthropist extraordinaire with a heart of gold.
And like a golden fish that cannot be hidden, his song is in the mouth of every Etsako youth.
THE AMANOGHO CHARITY AND HOPE FOR YOUTH
The Amanogho Charity and Hope for Youth is an Africa non-profitable organization founded in 2019 by the Agenebode born Engineer Sunday Amanogho and headquartered in his own community, Ivioghe, based on his believe that with the right support, youths can be empowered to contribute meaningfully to Africa's prosperity and social development.
VISION OF THE FOUNDATION
To impact Africa Youths through various programs and support, under the auspices of Engineer Sunday Amanogho. The Foundation supports and identifies youths who have demonstrated leadership by impacting them positively through education, youth empowerment and monitoring.
PROVISION OF BOREHOLE AND WATER TANKERS
As at when water was very scarce and borehole became a ticking timebomb and people having to travel to distant farms areas to get water— with a lot of people accepting this as a better alternative to the failure of government to provide water, and as an attempt to ignore providing it— Engr. Amanogho sunk borehole for his people in Weppa, a community in Agenebode. He went further and bought two big water tankers to distribute water across the villages in Weppa and Wanno on a daily basis. Water was sold at the most affordable price, and distributed freely to those who could not afford to buy.
Since then, there has been an astronomical increase in the number of Wells and boreholes constructed, and this is the legacy that people like Engineer Sunday have laid.
He also have on record to have bought a water pumping machine in Edegbe community, that could pump water for the community use.
DISTRIBUTION OF NOTEBOOKS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Schools have long been recipients of the Amanogho Charity and Hope for Youth. Engineer Sunday understands the significance of education at early age, and has taken it upon himself to coerce every limitations to child's education.
He intends to create a world free of poverty, where every child has equal opportunities to thrive and fulfill their God-given potentials, by supporting vulnerable students with payment of their fees.
He oversaw the distribution of notebooks to every primary school in Wanno Kingdom. He has been very supportive to special kids with great talents like singing, boxing and football, as a way of inspiration in achieving their aspirations.
PAYMENT OF ACCUMULATED NEPA BILL FOR IVIOGHE COMMUNITY
Most people still receive Nepa bills (Now bill from DISCOs) on a monthly basis. Most Nepa bills are being distributed by the new Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) that manages the customer area or location.
So DISCOs office in the area will issue NEPA bills to the customers in that area. In some areas like Ivioghe in Edo State, a community's collective bill is issued, which accumulates in short time if not paid monthly.
This is the condition Engineer Sunday found himself in December 2020 festive season. His very own community's bill had accumulated and Ivioghe did not see a flash of NEPA light in months.
But the man, Engineer Amanogho shouldered this responsibility through his Amanogho Foundation and paid it all.
THE MAN ENGINEER SUNDAY AMANOGHO— EARLY LIFE AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
"A man who does not know where the rain began to beat him, cannot tell where he dried his body"
The rain that beat our people many years ago is about to be dried. When people say 'Charity begins at home' they very often mean that you should look after your own circle first before you can sincerely extend benevolence to the world. Indeed, 'Charity begins at home' is a true saying because someone who cannot love or save his very own, can not save the world. And this is scriptural, because the Messiah first of all commanded the salvation message to his very own (the lost sheep of Israel) before there was ever a provision for the Gentiles.
Engineer Sunday Amanogho began his philanthropic work over 25 years ago while he was still in the village. As a very hardworking man with little savings, he thought he could affect the poverty in his community. He was a selfless youth and freedom fighter who delved into difficult issues that were not of his own making, to deliver justice to the oppressed. To achieve his objective of freedom fight for the masses, he ventured into politics and vied for the position of local government counselor of Ward 3, in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State. But God's ways are not men's ways. However, because of his effortless determination, he was appointed a supervisory counselor, and he did not fail.
And prior to this time, he had an appointment to work as a staff in the Local Government council, but he forfeited it for a friend from a neighbouring village, Edegbe, whom he considered more in need of it because of the friend's poor financial status as at time. And glory be to God, this great friend today is still working with the Local government and has married and made a living from job because of the benevolence of Engr. Amanogho.
Many years ago, when he saw the sufferings of a relative from his mother's linage, he unleashed his benevolence and helped her. He built a house for this elderly woman from little savings he got through hard work long before his success. This was money he would have used for something personal but he considered the woman who has no helper to be more in need.
He bought a lot of motorcycles (the then 'okpai ikebe') for many men in Agenebode which used for 'okada' work to pay their bills. He expressively demonstrated his undiluted benevolence to the people of Ivioghe and Agenebode, and met their needs.
This is the kind of philanthropic leadership that the nation requires today. Society thirst for courageous individuals like Sunday Amanogho— who are not playing a political role— but authentically expressing the qualities of love and service for their fellow human beings. Humanity needs philanthropist who are not driven by self promotion, but by anyone knocking in need at their door.
But who exactly is knocking, that brave comrade should courageously champion their course by responding to their needs??
The homeless are knocking!
According to the General Assembly of the United Nations "homelessness, is a human right crises that demands an urgent global response." And this is consistent with the provisions of the Holy Scriptures: "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked." Psalm 82:3-4.
By this, I am thereby justified if I say that Engineer Amanogho has both responded to the divine call of God and humanity. He is a courageous man, and indefatigable in his doggedness towards meeting the requirements of the needy.
Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spine of others are often stiffened. Engineer Amanogho indeed is a courageous man, whose courage coupled with compassion and selflessness has a powerful contagion that distinguishes his authentic philanthropist from his counterpart who only seek to support the most attractive causes du' jour.
It goes without saying that Engr. Sunday is a most dogged freedom fighter, a comrade and a philanthropist extraordinaire. Believe it or not, he lives for the causes that lacks assistance, the wrong that needs resistance and the future in distance.
WRITTEN BY:
INOBEME SYLVANUS
