…calls on persons, corporate organizations to support less privileged
Widows and seniors in Ogun State could not hold back so much excitement as over 100 persons from across 18 communities earlier today, benefited from Oko Opo Foundation as the maiden outreach was launched.
The Foundation, which was piloted by Ambassador Dr Babatunde Adeyemo, the real estate merchant held its maiden edition at the porch glassy event place of the Pelican Valley, Laderin Abeokuta Ogun state.
The event which started with health awareness and sensitization talk from experts on age related issues, as well as the appropriate response tips they needed to adopt in order to cope effectively.
An octogenarian widow, and the mother of the chief promoter of Oko Opo Foundation, Iya Adinni of Ginti Community Central Mosque Ikorodu, Alhaja Sidikat Adeyemo, also shared useful experience to encourage her colleagues, advising them to be closer to God and fight off lack, boredom and despair by engaging in productive ventures and being people – oriented.
In addition, veteran broadcast journalist, Chief Eddy Aina urged the widows to pay more attention to their age, diet and health to live an healthy lifestyle. He , advised that some of them that is above 60, should henceforth eat more of vegetables, fruits, unripe plantain, fish or crayfish and less of beef, salt, rice, gari, amala, yam and other sugary products because of their high sugar contents.
According to him, with old age setting in and the body system also losing its vigour and vitality in respect to food metabolism, high sugary food could spike blood glucose level, compound an existing diabetic condition or trigger one in someone.
Similarly, Old Age advocate, Mr Olamilekan Jaji, spoke on “Acceptability” the only way to enjoy the aging process even after loosing a loved ones.
He noted that getting into this phase of acceptability would allow the widow to move on with life and forge a new frontier, instead of dwelling on illusion that leads to frustration and incapacitation of the will to function productively.
The event was preceded by a 45 – minute long Live Executive Media chat with executive members of the foundation – Dr. Babatunde Adeyemo, Mr Adeyemo Ibrahim; Secretary of the foundation and Mrs Titilayo Babs Adeyemo, Director and Mr Olukayode Olasehinde, the Brand Ambassador of Oko Opo Foundation.
Speaking on the event, Dr. Adeyemo who was highly impressed with the huge success the Oko Opo Foundation formal launch recorded, especially the sight of the overjoyed widows, said the passion to make things happen positively in this country and change the narratives informed the reason for the establishment.
The philanthropist who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, a foremost Nigerian real estate firm behind Pelican Valley Estate Laderin where unusual home happens, Pelican’s Brief Estate, Pelican Ecostay Apartments and Pelican’s Greenish Acre Farm Estate – all the three located at the Kobape – Masa corridor of Ogun State, revealed that the Foundation is a “covenant” between him and God.
He revealed that he has expended almost N150million planning the project since the idea was conceived about 10 years ago, in addition to donating two acres of land towards providing housing in the future to the most vulnerable widows among them.
He said, “The motivation is simply the passion to make things happen in this country and to also change the narratives. I came from a very humble beginning, a very humble background where we suffered a lot. My father was a philanthropist, he was a senior civil servant, he spent almost 27 years in service but my Dad didn’t build a house of his own. He was busy using all his money to empower people. From my home town he empowered them, sent them to school. Unfortunately, he was retired suddenly and we moved from there into uncompleted building. We stayed in an unknown persons uncompleted building without electricity, doors and windows for about a decade.
“We have people that have billions but could not do what we are doing. It is in the blood. It is hereditary. For example, most of my staff, apart from given them their salary, I give them daily stipends because I can’t afford to work with somebody that is hungry. So, the same integrity we have brought into real estate. We are one of the best in Ogun State right now. We are the Omoluabi in the real estate business.
“So, I want to bring those integrity and goodwill to help the widows and I’m doing this to live by example. I have committed over N150million of hard earned funds into this project. This building that is called The Podium where the programme is being formally unveiled was purposely built for the foundation. We spent almost N150million to put this place together. It was long term project, I conceptualised this project in the last 10 years and I have been systematically working to achieve it.
Speaking on why the event come up on Boxing Day , said “I’m just been directed by God and by my spirit. I just thought over it and felt I should do it on Boxing Day.”
He said,” Foundation is not coming by accident, it is an ambition we have been nursing for about 10 years now, meticulously preparing for it. It took me almost eight years to put The Podium we are using for the foundation. We are trying to live by example.”
So, once you help them accept the situation they are in now, it becomes easier for them to cope and do the necessary adjustment. And that is why we are brought experts to guide them.
Once you fail to accept, it throws up other health challenges. We want them to know all those health challenges, most of them are elderly people, we want to know about momentary forgetfulness(amnesia) due to old age. This is even necessary for their caregivers so that if any is developing or manifesting such symptom, people will not label the person a witch or wizard. That is what we are trying to do.
We are calling on every wealthy Nigerians, excluding the politicians, to add value to what we are doing because I don’t want what we are doing to be an instrument of politicking. I’m not interested in politics. I want to try as much as possible to make a mark with this Foundation and I’m ready to donate major part of my resources towards alleviating the suffering of the widows.
“It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this kind of situation. We are just being over joyous in Nigeria. We are damn too comfortable. Nature puts us in this kind of situation. I was in London few weeks ago and I realised that electricity is a necessity in London.