By Adeyemi Adeleye
The Aina Onimole (Oju Iyewa) Chieftaincy Family Foundation has unveiled plans to improve community welfare through healthcare, environmental sanitation, education and youth development initiatives in Lagos.
Alhaji Hakeem Amode, Chairman of the Foundation, disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos on Saturday to announce preparations for the forthcoming Aina Onimole (Oju Iyewa) Chieftaincy Family Reunion.
Amode, who spoke through his Vice, Chief Dehinde Onimole, said the foundation was established to provide a platform for family members to contribute to community welfare and development while preserving their cultural heritage.
He said the foundation’s activities would focus on healthcare, education, environmental responsibility, youth development, family welfare and cultural preservation through practical and sustainable interventions.
“Our philosophy is simple: Our heritage should inspire service, and our family unity should translate into positive impact,” he said.
Amode said the reunion would bring family members, traditional representatives, distinguished guests and well-wishers together to celebrate their heritage and strengthen their commitment to community development.
He said the foundation had planned several initiatives to ensure the reunion delivered tangible benefits to residents and local institutions.
Amode said a free medical mission would be organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and Eko Club International to provide basic healthcare services to community members.
He said the medical outreach would take place at the Olorogun Adodo Family Palace owing to availability of adequate space for the exercise.
The chairman also announced that the foundation would donate N1.5 million to purchase drugs for the Isale Eko Health Centre to support healthcare delivery.
“In addition, the Foundation will be making a cash donation of N1.5m to purchase drugs and donate to the Isale Eko Health Centre as part of its contribution towards supporting healthcare delivery within the community,” he said.
Amode said the donation reflected the foundation’s determination to support existing healthcare facilities beyond the reunion activities.
“We believe that supporting existing community health facilities is an important part of ensuring that our contribution continues beyond the reunion itself,” he said.
He added that environmental sanitation was another priority, with the foundation planning to collaborate with the Ministry of Health to promote a cleaner and healthier community.
According to him, the initiative will involve distributing refuse bins and cleaning equipment to 20 traditional compounds, known as Iga, to improve waste collection and storage.
“We believe that good health is closely connected to a clean environment. Environmental responsibility must therefore be a collective effort involving residents, community leaders, institutions and organisations,” he said.
On education and youth development, Amode said the foundation planned to support six secondary schools and six primary schools in Isale Eko.
He said the initiative would include supporting inter-house sports activities in participating schools and designating a school sports house as the Aina Onimole (Oju Iyewa) House.
According to him, the foundation will donate fully equipped first-aid boxes and trophies to participating schools while encouraging pupils to take part in sporting activities and academic competitions, including spelling bees.
He said the initiative was designed to promote discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, confidence and healthy competition among pupils.
“This initiative is more than the branding of a school house. It is an opportunity to introduce our family name to a younger generation in a positive way while encouraging discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, confidence and healthy development,” he said.
Amode said the foundation hoped the intervention would encourage young people to appreciate the importance of service, community participation and responsibility.
He added that the reunion would feature activities promoting family interaction, cultural awareness, youth participation, recognition of members and community engagement.
The chairman said the foundation intended to sustain its interventions beyond the reunion by building partnerships with government agencies, community organisations, schools and other stakeholders.
He identified healthcare outreach, environmental sanitation, education, youth development, sports, community welfare, support for local institutions and cultural preservation as the foundation’s major areas of focus.
“The Aina Onimole (Oju Iyewa) Chieftaincy Family Reunion is an occasion to remember our past, celebrate our present and invest in our future,” he said.
Earlier, Chief Elizabeth Mobolaji-Alabi, Head of the Aina Onimole (Oju-Iyewa) Chieftaincy Family of Lagos and Chairman, Board of Trustees, reaffirmed the family’s commitment to heritage preservation and community development.
Mobolaji-Alabi said the occasion provided an opportunity to honour the family’s ancestors and uphold the values of integrity, hard work, leadership, service and respect for tradition.
She urged family members at home and in the diaspora to remain united in preserving their heritage and building a lasting legacy for future generations.
“Let us look beyond our history and work together to empower our youths, promote excellence, and serve our community,” she said.
Also speaking, another member of the family, Mr Kayode Adegboye said that the foundation was motivated by love, family unity and the need to preserve the family’s heritage.
Adegboye said that preserving cultural heritage was a collective responsibility, noting that Nigerians should be equally committed to protecting their traditions.
He said that the family was proud of its royal heritage in Lagos State and was committed to ensuring that its history and traditions were passed on to future generations,” he said.(NAN)
AYO/BHB
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Edited by Buhari Bolaji
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