Foundation brings succour to indigent students, orphans, others.
President of the Care People Foundation, Revd Paul Tunde Tioluwani, popularly known as Lesekese, has admonished governments at all levels to provide more support for people with disabilities, saying the government has not done enough in this regard.
Delivering his keynote speech at this year’s edition of the annual carnival for the physically challenged, orphans and the less privileged organised by the Care People Foundation at its Orphanage Home on Ibadan – Lagos Expressway, Ibadan last Sunday, Tioluwani said government must come to the aid of the less privileged in the society, especially at this time of harsh economic realities in the country.
He said the carnival, which featured music performances by various invited orphanages and schools for the people with disabilities, was organised by the foundation to let the less privileged also feel the aura of celebration which is associated with the Christmas period.
Aside the food and entertainment, the attendees were also showered with gifts, including wheel chairs, pepper grinding machines, rice and other items.
The foundation also, in conjunction with the Animasahun Foundation, Canada, gave out a one million naira scholarship award to 15 indigent students from tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Speaking further, he said: “If I am doing this in my own little way, the government should do more. The country is hard and government must ensure that people with disabilities are supported and encouraged.
“The government is not doing enough to help the people with disability. The government should do more for them. Government can do better.”
Speaking on the effort of the foundation to help the less privileges, Tioluwani said: “At our foundation, impacting lives is a golden assignment that must be done. Since our take-off in the year 1990, we have left no stone unturned in this regards. By grace, we have established a multimillion naira orphanage where thousands have benefitted. We commissioned the first indigenous pitch for disabled football in Nigeria in the year 2004.
“We have given scholarship to thousands of poor students in the tertiary institutions and assisted thousands in our computer training school co-sponsored by Torino Police, Canada. We have given out hundreds of brand new wheel chairs to persons with physical disabilities and assisted many widows who are currently on monthly salaries.”
On the achievements of its orphanage, the President of Care People Foundation said it has produced seven graduates with one of them, Lamide Olowere working as an officer of the Nigerian Army.
Also speaking, the Vice President of the foundation, Mrs Favour Tioluwani said God has sustained the philanthropic assignment despite the harsh economic environment.
She said she had been collaborating with her husband in helping the less privileged because she believes it is an assigned project from God.
She expressed her joy that the foundation every year makes orphans, people with disabilities and other less privileged people to feel the Yuletide celebration.
Dignitaries at the event include the Chairman of Ibadan Central Hospital, Dr Abib Olamitoye and his wife; former Vice Chancellor, Bell University, Professor Isaac Adeyemi and his wife, Prof. and Mrs Ogunbode; and Special Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on Culture and tourism, Hon. Akeem Ige, among others. (SUN)
