Izunaso: A heart for the disabled, By Emmanuel Onwubiko

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
– Winston Churchill

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
– Mahatma Gandhi

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.”
– Maya Angelou”

There are moments in the life of a public servant when the glare of optics fades, and what remains is the indelible impression of human lives touched, uplifted, and restored. Senator Osita Bonaventure Izunaso’s 59th birthday, and the 20th anniversary of his Kpakpando Foundation; graced by the gift of brand-new minibuses to persons living with disabilities, including a deaf and mute woman, and the freeing of 20 inmates through payment of their fines, is one such moment. It is not simply a spectacle of largesse; it is a clarion message about how leadership can belong to the powerless, by first empowering them.

In a country where rhetoric about inclusion often drowns the reality of overlooking the disabled and the incarcerated, Senator Izunaso has dared to make inclusion concrete. On October 30, 2025, in Owerri, Imo State, the Kpakpando Foundation, under his stewardship, marked two decades of committed service by distributing minibuses to specially-abled persons, awarding cars to two physically-challenged individuals, and conducting a medical outreach that extended to the Correctional Service, freeing 20 inmates who could not pay fines. Those beneficiaries did not receive merely tokens; they received mobility, dignity, and a stake to participate in society. For a deaf and mute woman, a bus is not just transport; it is a bridge to visibility, potential, and self-reliance. Such gestures matter far beyond the day.

Twenty years of sustained service is neither short nor accidental. The Kpakpando Foundation was founded on October 30, 2006, linking the beginning and evolution of the NGO with Izunaso’s own life story, and speaks to a deeply personal mission. Over these years, the foundation has carved a reputation as a “brother’s keeper” organization for persons with disabilities. It has empowered thousands through scholarships, business support, mobility devices such as wheelchairs and crutches, as well as healthcare and vocational training. In the face of Nigeria’s persistent challenges (economic hardship, infrastructural deficits, and social exclusion) the fact that the foundation has stayed afloat and grown is remarkable. Many NGOs falter after their first few years; that Kpakpando has not only lasted but expanded its reach speaks to disciplined purpose, local rootedness, and sustained resolve.

The October 2025 celebrations were not an isolated act of generosity but a culmination of two decades of consistent work. The synchrony of his birthday and the foundation’s anniversary deepens the symbolism: a man’s life interwoven with a mission to uplift those who live in society’s shadows.

It is easy in politics to arrange photo-op handouts. It is far harder to keep walking with those you serve in between the times when cameras flash. Yet Senator Izunaso has shown that the best gifts are those that keep on giving. By bringing a medical outreach into the correctional center and freeing inmates whose only crime was inability to pay fines, he reframed penal justice as a terrain for mercy, not permanent exclusion. The idea that leadership must give redeeming opportunity rather than perpetual exclusion is radical, and yet in his hands, it is practical.

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Similarly, empowering persons with disabilities with minibuses transforms them not into passive recipients, but into active agents of participation. The vehicles can facilitate mobility for work, trade, and social engagement. A nation that deprives its citizens of mobility deprives them of voice; and the ability to contribute. This is not to romanticize, but to remind that a soft heart does not mean weakness. It means listening, stepping forward, taking risks, structuring systems, and harnessing resources to translate empathy into sustainable institutions.

If one can praise the heart, another must challenge the mind. To scale, deepen, and sustain these laudable efforts, the Kpakpando Foundation must institutionalize smarter structures, secure diverse funding, build partnerships, and expand its footprint. The foundation should establish a corporate endowment fund to attract partnerships from philanthropists, corporate organizations, and impact investors. A transparent investment model can generate sustainable revenue to underwrite scholarships, mobility grants, and medical outreaches, preserving capital and ensuring continuity. Corporate social responsibility units of oil firms, banks, and telecoms can be engaged, and with proper governance and audits, Kpakpando’s credibility makes it a natural partner for impact investors.

The foundation should also seek collaboration with state and local governments across the Southeast. While Kpakpando is anchored in Imo State, its vision should expand to Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia States. Memoranda of Understanding with governments can institutionalize disability inclusion through co-funded projects, workshops, and healthcare initiatives. Local chapters in each local government area will help decentralize operations, improve access, and strengthen community ownership.

In addition, Kpakpando could develop a “mobility as service” scheme. Rather than one-time gifts, minibuses and tricycles can be leased to beneficiaries at subsidized rates, allowing more people to benefit. This creates a sustainable system where vehicles are maintained, insured, and rotated, providing modest revenue to fund further expansion.

Beyond mobility, the foundation should invest in vocational and technology training hubs, offering trades and digital skills tailored for persons with disabilities. These hubs can empower participants to earn a living through craftsmanship, technology, and creative industries. Graduates can receive seed capital, mentorship, and a space on an online “Kpakpando Marketplace” that showcases their products and services.

The foundation should also formalize a legal and rights advocacy arm to provide free legal aid, public awareness, and policy dialogue. Many persons with disabilities suffer discrimination and lack knowledge of their rights. A legal clinic can support enforcement of disability laws, public access, and employment equity. This advocacy will also encourage government inclusion of disability-friendly budgets and policies.

Kpakpando can further extend its compassion to correctional centers through vocational training, counselling, and post-release empowerment. The inmates freed during the senator’s birthday celebration can serve as pioneers in a reintegration program that helps them acquire skills, access seed funding, and rebuild their lives. This approach will reduce recidivism and transform prisons into true centres of rehabilitation.

To attract larger donors, the foundation must improve its monitoring and evaluation systems to measure outcomes such as employment rates among beneficiaries and reintegration success of released inmates. Annual reports detailing financial audits and impact stories should be made public to build transparency and trust.

Digital inclusion should also be a key part of Kpakpando’s next phase. Establishing an assistive technology lab that provides adaptive devices such as screen readers and braille printers can open doors to remote work and digital literacy. Partnerships with technology firms can enhance innovation and accessibility for persons living with disabilities.

Senator Izunaso’s model (merging personal celebration with public service) offers redemptive lessons for Nigeria’s political class. Too often, leadership events are about pageantry, not people. In aligning his birthday with tangible empowerment, Izunaso provides a living template for compassionate governance. His outreach to the marginalized demonstrates that political authority should first serve as moral authority; one that uplifts, not dominates.

In many parts of Nigeria, persons with disabilities remain invisible, their mobility restricted, their dreams constrained, their voices muted. Prisons are silent graves for minor offenders unable to pay fines. A leadership that actively reverses these silences, that restores dignity to those society forgets, stands on the side of justice. If each of the five Southeast states could commit a portion of their social welfare budgets to similar initiatives, with federal matching grants, the region could become a model of inclusive development.

Of course, the path is not without obstacles. Economic downturns, donor fatigue, political distractions, and maintenance challenges will arise. Yet, these are not insurmountable. By diversifying funding sources, ensuring strong governance and community participation, and building partnerships with other NGOs and faith-based organizations, the foundation can preserve its mission. Maintenance funds, insurance policies, and local oversight committees can also guarantee the durability of its projects.

Senator Izunaso’s 20 years of sustained compassion are already a towering achievement in a society where philanthropy is too often used as political theatre. What he has built through the Kpakpando Foundation is not just an institution, but a legacy; a living movement of hope. What Nigeria must now do is to nurture and expand that legacy.

Let civil society, businesses, local governments, and ordinary citizens rally behind this cause. Let the youth of the Southeast see that leadership is not about power, but about purpose. Let inclusion move from rhetoric to reality. And to Senator Izunaso, let this milestone be a new beginning. As he approaches his 60th year, may the next phase of Kpakpando’s journey build regional campuses, forge global partnerships, and influence policy for generations to come.

If the true measure of leadership is the number of lives transformed, then Osita Izunaso’s 59th birthday celebration was not about himself; it was about humanity restored. In a land yearning for moral renewal, his acts of empathy and vision remind us that genuine leadership is service, and service is love in motion. May the next twenty years deepen this legacy, and may we all rise to answer the call he has sounded.

*EMMANUEL NNADOZIE ONWUBIKO is the founder of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) and former NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA.