Nigerian culture spotlighted at Aurora church benefit for African charity

Nigerian food, music and culture was spotlighted at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Aurora on Sunday afternoon.

After a Nigerian-style morning mass, the church held an international taste fest to raise funds for ImaBridge Africa. The faith-based nonprofit located in Sycamore is a 501(c)3 charity that supports education, clean water, health care and economic development in the nation on the west coast of Africa.

Nigerian-born Father. Godwin N. Asuquo, St. Joseph pastor and ImaBridge founder, kicked off the event with a welcome and opening prayer.

Highlights included Nigerian food platters, live music, drum making, kids' games, and a cooking contest with Father Asuquo.

Food platters included pepper goat meat, baked chicken, jollof rice, white rice, fried rice, red stew, beans, moi moi and fried plantain.

Father Asuquo said, “ImaBridge supports local families with microloans, farming tools and cooperatives that create lasting change. The charity supports widows and women's groups by providing tools to thrive with dignity and hope. Opportunity is the bridge to lasting impact.”

Past successful projects include 12 solar-powered boreholes that give entire villages safe, drinkable water and a palm press and cassava mill that enables villagers to earn an income and feed their families.

Also, a 50-bed medical center offers 24/7 medical service focused on maternal care, malaria treatments and up to 10,000 treatments and surgeries during medical mission trips in December and January.

Father Asuquo added, “With help from our supporters, we are working toward building our own college of medical science and allied technological sciences.”

For more information, email imabridgeafrica@Gmail.com or visit imabridge.org.