UNILORIN LAGOS ALUMNI DONATES FOOD ITEMS TO MAKOKO COMMUNITY RESIDENTS

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By Oduola Farouq

On Saturday, November 12, the University of Ilorin Alumni Association, Lagos Chapter donated 100 packs of various raw food items to the residents of Makoko community in Lagos.

The association visited the Baale of the Egun’s Palace in the Makoko neighborhood, where the gifts were distributeed to both young and old locals.

The recipients most of whom are indigenes of Badagry but who reside in Makoko; thanked and prayed for the association for the thoughtful act it had demonstrated to them.

One of the community’s leaders, Mr. Benjamin Aide, expressed his gratitude for the effort by saying that it meant a lot to the community’s less fortunate residents. Following the donation, members of the Unilorin Alumni association also visited the Beam-Royal Academy, one of the local schools. While requesting help from the association, Mr. Benjamin Aide, the school’s founder and principal, disclosed how dire the situation was at the school.

He lamented that the majority of the students come from impoverished backgrounds and are orphans. The institution struggles to pay teachers’ salaries because it relies heavily on donations. He said that the students, some of whom live with him, could not be accommodated in the small hall that serves as a classroom.

After hearing Aide’s revelation, the association’s chairperson, Engr. Isiwat Akanbi-Lawal, praised him for his courage and perseverance and pledged to mobilize and enlist the association’s support.

The association’s first of two phases of programmes is the community outreach at the Makoko community.

The second part is planned to hold on December 10 at the Johnson Jakande Tinubu (JJT) Park in the Alausa area of Ikeja for the annual picnic, when citizens of Lagos state who are alumni from various classes of Unilorin come together to meet.

Bar. Oloyede Oyediran, the association’s general secretary; Mrs. Seyisola Ogbonna, social secretary; Mrs. Monsura Quadri, the auditor and Mrs. Ruqayah Badru, PRO; were among the members present at the event.

Others include Mrs Bukola Ajaguna, Mr. Kazeem Bolanle Sanni, Basirat Alimi, Mr Farouq Oduola.