By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
Government at all levels have been advised to place widows, the aged and other less privileged in the country on monthly salary to give succour to the vulnerable persons in the society.
A philanthropist, Mr Opeyemi Falegan who gave the advice said such will give them a sense of belonging away of meeting parts of their needs.
He spoke in Ado Ekiti during his 7th Opeyemi David Falegan Foundation annual empowerment programme over 1000 widows, aged, the physically challenged and other vulnerable persons as well as market women were presented with cash gift and food items.
Falegan also visited the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Abiye Hospital to pay the bills of indigent patients, visited market women in Ado/Ilkere Ekiti, distributed free fuel to motorists/motorcyclists and assisted some petty traders to clear their loans from microfinance banks.
He stated that government is not really doing enough to ameliorate the suffering of the people especially the less privileged and the vulnerables.
“Though government cannot always do everything but I wish they could do more because there is a huge gap for them to fill in terms of easing the hardship Nigerians are going through. There is so much poverty in the land. The state is only a civil service state with little or no industries that can add to it economic values and make it economically viable.
“What the governments should do to cater for the poor, the widows and the vulnerable persons is to place them on salary, like wages every months. Paying them monthly stipends to them will go a long way in addressing some of their challenges. It doesn’t need to be huge. Let’s say everyone be given 10,000 monthly. It is what the state and the federal government can do.”
On why he is doing this Falegan said “I started the foundation 7 years ago after the death of my father late Chief Ojo Falegan and my mother became a widow. Due to that my mum became really emotional and very lonely and she always call me for one need or the other. At a point, I thought within myself , that there will be other widows like her out there who may not have children to look after them and I deemed it fit to extend the hand of love to them, that was how I start the Opeyemi David Falegan Foundation.
“Looking at the state and the country, I observed that there is no allocation to the elderly particularly, the aged women, especially if they haven’t worked in any public or cooperate organisation before.I noticed that about eight years ago that was why I thought I can fill that gap in my own little way for them and I will never stop doing it as long as I am living.”
Declaring that the activities of his foundation is not politically motivated, he said “I have been doing it for the past seven years and I have never ran for any political positions or get any political appointment. I have never been in the government but I was born to impact lives. It was out of love and the urge to help the people.
“My message to the governments is that, this kind of gesture to our people is highly imperative and it is high time they did more for the people.Because as long as they are not living up to the expectation of the people in terms of welfare of the people, the aged, the widows and other vulnerable person’s they will continue to be on your necks and the people are watching your activities.”
Speaking to newsmen at the event, the Former Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly Rt, Hon. Olatunji Odeyemi described the gesture of ODFF founder as uncommon benevolence.
The ex Acting Governor of the state said, “For the hands of love and fellowship he extended to the people, I thank God for his life and for the courage of being able to do this for the people at this hard times which is becoming unbearable for the people.
“Yet he sees it as matter of urgency to organize this program. I know he will the coughing out millions of naira to put this together and that doesn’t mean he is the richest person among Ekiti indigenes within and outside the country, there are many others who are richer than him but he found it expedient out of his kind heartedness and I commend him for this.”
Odeyemi urged all and sundry including the state government to take a cue from the ODF gesture.
On his part, the former Deputy Governor of the state, Professor Kolapo Olusola Eleka said Falegan has been able to sustain the programme for years and he should be commended for that adding that God is happy with him.
Eleka said, “I will take a cue from the bible which says that whoever lend to the poor lend to God. So, if you bless the poor, the less privileged,you have blessed God and definitely there is no one that blesses God that will not receive multiple folds back in return.
“The category of people here are those we can say are the kind of people who needed to be taken care of. They are the kind of person government should also focus on not arbitrarily given out food items and empowering people whether they need it or not. I pray God will continue to help and sustain him. He also will receive God mercy.”.
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