Oba Abdulfatai Oyeyinka, the Ojora of Ijora and Iganmu Kingdom in Lagos State, has given the state’s Nigerian Red Cross Society a 14-seat Toyota Hiace bus and a number of other things.
Oyeyinka said tthat he made the donation on the final day of 2022 to mark the New Year celebration that also marks his 70th birthday.
Other donations included, among other things, sacks of rice and beans, packs of noodles, clothing, and diapers.
The traditional chief said he has been working with the Nigerian Red Cross for 25 years to provide aid to the indigent and enhance their quality of life.
“I am passionate about caring for the needy especially motherless children, that is why I engage in humanitarian service every year.
“I am happy for the opportunity of donating the bus, food and cloth items to the society. I hope it will go a long way in assisting their humanitarian services,” he said.
Oyeyinka invited other well-meaning Nigerians to support the Red Cross by contributing supplies that would be useful for their emergency preparedness and response efforts.
Mrs. Adebola Kolawole, the chairperson of the Nigerian Red Cross in the state, called the act “a last-minute miracle.”
She said it happened on the final day of 2022, with just a few hours left in 2023.
Kolawole praised the chief, stating that the bus will undoubtedly help with transportation issues for the motherless and abandoned kids in their care during visits.
“The bus will be used to convey the children and people to the Magistrates’ Court from time to time, clinic and other outings.
“The bus will also be used as emergency response although not an ambulance, it can also move us from one point to another to do few administrative work also,” she said.
Kolawole stated that the Society welcomed additional assistance as emergency responders and thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his ongoing support of humanitarian efforts.
“We look forward to more support and we are very hopeful that the government is having something in the kitchen that it is going to reveal to us soon.
“He is a listening governor who has been supporting us in the past. We recognise the role he played during the Ita Faaji building collapse in 2019 just as governor-elect,” she said.
Sanwo-Olu recently received the Henri Dunant Award of Excellence, which is presented just once every ten years, according to Kolawole.
“We recognise all his humanitarian projects targeted toward relieving the suffering of the people especially the needy in the society.
“We hope that a good number of people will imbibe this attribute of supporting humanitarian services just like the governor and Ojora of Ijora.
“We pray and look forward to more support and a good emergency response in 2023,” the chairman said
