By Olawunmi Ojo and Oyindamola Lawal
LAGOS State governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has drawn attention to the needs of the less-privileged in the society and urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of giving generously and assisting government to improve living conditions.
Fashola made the call yesterday at the Governor’s Office while receiving items donated to the state government for public use by industrialist, Chief Rasaq Akanni Okoya, to mark his 70th birthday billed for January 12.
Okoya, who explained the gesture as a way of giving back to the society, donated two new fully-equipped Nissan Urvan ambulances, 11 incubators, nine Pick-Up vans equipped for police use and N100,000 worth of scholarship each to 10 students from each of Lagos State University, Ojo (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), and Lagos State Polytechnic (Laspotech).
He also pledged to renovate and build classrooms at Ikota Primary School in Eti-Osa Local Council as requested by authorities of the school, as well as donate provisions worth about N4.5 million to orphanages, old peoples’ homes and handicap institutions within Lagos State.
Receiving the gifts and donations as items of trust on behalf of the people of the state, Fashola said the government would ensure their proper use for the benefit of everyone.
He extolled Okoya’s virtues and expressed gratitude to him for the gesture, saying it represents a spirit of public service. “This is public service without holding an office and it goes to underscore the fact that we do not need a title or an office to serve the people.”
Fashola explained that a lot of less-privileged people need care and access to basic services and called on privileged Nigerians to see it as a duty to support government’s efforts.
“I cannot resist the temptation of pointing to the quality of lessons inherent in Chief Okoya’s life and his continued support to our government. The vehicles and other items would help us in many ways to continue to pursue our obligation to maintain social responsibility to protect people, provide health care and to empower them with education as a basis of taking them out of poverty.
“We cannot do these things all on our own. To this extent, we have remained open and it is through such open doors that Chief Okoya has walked through to donate these items. We do hope this example would spur more Nigerians who are privileged and blessed to be able to give so generously,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Marvel Akpoyibo, also lauded Okoya’s gesture as good and worthy of emulation, stressing that without security, no industry would thrive.
“A man is celebrating his birthday and he has remembered the Police who are charged with the responsibility of protecting lives and properties. If there is no life, there is no celebration of birthday. If every Nigerian can emulate this gesture, we would not lack vehicles to patrol the streets, which would enhance the quality of security and policing in the country,” he said.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who was also present at the event, said the medical facilities donated would improve the quality of healthcare delivery in the state.
“The ambulances, for instance, would increase our fleet and become handy in rendering emergency services. The incubators would also aid government’s programme of reducing child and maternal mortality,” Idris stated.
