On Boxing Day, December 26 the CEO of Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited Dr Babatunde Adeyemo set to launch Oko Opo foundation at Pelican Valley Headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
This humanitarian initiative aims to empower widows, children, and vulnerable members of society.
Oko Opo Foundation is the dream project of Dr Babatunde Adeyemo and it will be unveiled through a 45-minute online Executive Media Briefing on its official Facebook page at 9 am on Boxing Day.
Notable figures, including broadcast journalist Eddie Aina, PR expert Tope Adaramola, public affairs commentator Olamilekan Jaji, and The Nation Newspaper correspondent Ernest Nwokolo, will anchor the briefing.
The event will also feature the Board of Directors and actor James Sehinde (Pa James Ajirebi), a Pelican brand ambassador. Dr. Adeyemo will use this platform to elucidate the foundation's vision, mission, and activities.
According to him, there will be a meeting with no fewer than 100 widows at The Podium immediately after the Executive media briefing and this segment will feature education and enlightenment talks on aging, age related health issues and effective coping strategies for widows.
This session will be handled by health consultants, Pelican Valley Brand Ambassador and Mr. Olamilekan Jaji who has authored a book on aging.
The Iya Adinni of Ginti Muslim Community Central Mosque Ikorodu, Alhaja Sidikat Adeyemo; the octogenarian mother of the founder of the Oko Opo Foundation, Dr. Adeyemo and herself a widow, is also expected to share her useful experience to encourage colleagues on that day.
Adeyemo said at the end of the meeting, each of the widows will go home with food items and cash gifts while transportation arrangements have also been made to convey them to and from the event venue on Boxing Day.
He revealed his long-term plans for the widows, saying he will keep the Register of the Widows for necessary follow-up, and also facilitate the provision of modest housing accommodations for most vulnerable widows in the long run – comprising one bedroom and two-bedroom studio apartments, to be built within an acre of land he had donated for that purpose.
Fielding questions from newsmen about the rationale behind the Oko Opo Foundation, he said, “I have a covenant with God that I want to dedicate my heart and soul towards given hope to the widows. We are already leading by example because apart from distributing some materials, we built the podium purposely because of the foundation. We actually want to make it a long term as what I will do for the rest of my life and my children can also take over from me.
“I don’t want the foundation to look political because if we do that, we will find ourselves in politics without knowing and I don’t want to do politics that is why I set up the foundation. I want to touch the life of people directly. The only two ways you can touch the life of people is through politics or having a Foundation, and I don’t want to do politics that is why I’m opting for Foundation.
“People often get it wrong that setting up a foundation should be a springboard to politicking. If you want to go into politics, join politics, because politics itself is a charity work; it ought not to be something you will do and collecting salary. For me, politics is like you are protecting the people, the economy and the world from imminent collapse. When you are protecting the economy, it is akin to protecting the whole world and source of sustenance of humanity but most people don’t get it right.
“Politics shouldn’t be about self interest and that is why I set up this foundation and I don’t want to invite politicians but whoever that wants to support the Foundation can support without expecting reciprocation or any gesture because even me that set it up is not expecting anything. I could have used the money I have to buy exotic cars or travel abroad. Though, I don’t have money in my account but out of none, we are still trying to cater for people that we believe are most vulnerable in the society. Instead of using the money for vacation with my family, I would rather spend the money on the needy.” Dr. Adeyemo said.
