Kunle Adelabu
Mr Olumide Olushola Metilelu, the Deputy Rector (Academic) Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) and Mr Segun Anifowoshe, former Sole Administrator, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area, have lauded the ‘Apo Anu’ Foodbank program of Rep. Babajimi Benson, the representative of the lkorodu Federal Constituency in the House of Assembly.
They gave the commendations at the fifth anniversary of the program held at the lawmaker’s Federal Constituency Office on Saturday (yesterday) where about 1000 individuals received their monthly bags of food items.
Also joining them in commending the laudable initiative of the lawmaker, Mr Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun, a former nominee for the position of Commissioner in the State and Deputy President/Director of Programme, De – Vanguard, also stated that the program is being well organised and has been having direct impact on the beneficiaries since inception.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, Mr Metilelu said:
“Honestly, I am highly impressed that an individual has initiated a program like this which has been up and running for five years and people are coming to benefit and yet, the process didn’t stop”, he said.
“It is an impressive thing and the most interesting thing is that they have also increased the quantity of what is being given to the beneficiaries.
“It is highly commendable and it shows examples of leadership where those who are serving the community are also showing concern for the people’s well – being and I think that Hon. Benson deserves our support and prayer so that he will continue to prosper in all areas of his endeavours.
The ASPOTECH Deputy Rector said further that people appreciate the lawmaker’s gesture with a smile on their faces.
“With all sense of sincerity, it shows that people appreciate the gesture; their mood show that Hon Benson is actually putting smile on their faces and I think it is very good and it should be emulated by other politicians”, he charged.
“The mood is so interesting that they are happy and they are not eager to go home and they are taking their time to enjoy themselves and as you can see, the level of arrangement shows that the people are well – organised.
While enjoining beneficiaries to keep praying for the lawmaker to do more, he also added that they too should not hesitate to give back when they are in position.
“To the beneficiaries, it is important for them to continue to pray for the honourable to be able to do more and when they are also in a better position, they also should help other people
“To the honourable, the people have entrusted their mandate unto him and he has looked back and given back to the people. May God Almighty grant him all his heart desires”, he prayed.
The former Sole Administrator, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Segun Anifowose, in another interview, also commended the initiator/sponsor of the ‘Apo – Anu’ foodbank program.
“Well, for me, it is a landmark in the history of politics. Honestly, Babajimi Benson has put a smile on people. This is really a welcome development and I really commend him for a job well done and I pray that God will continue to assist him to do more in the future”, he said.
“To the beneficiaries, I am going to congratulate them and pray they would continue to appreciate the lawmaker and my prayer for them is that in the future, they too will be in a position to assist people and they should learn from the way Babajimi Benson has been given out to people and by so doing, the whole world will be at peace.
“For Hon. Babajimi Benson, I want to thank him for caring for the people of Ikorodu Division at large. He has done well in several aspects of politics, health, education, infrastructure and he is still doing more and on behalf of the whole lkorodu division, I want to thank him and wish him well in the future”, Anifowoshe added.
In his own remarks, Aroyewun Hammed Olalekan, a youth leader and the Deputy President/Director of Organisation, De – Vanguard, thanked Rep. Babajimi Benson for helping in reducing poverty with his foodbank program.
He described the lawmaker as ssomeone that is passionate about his people’s welfare.
“Well, it is commendable and we must appreciate Hon. Babajimi Benson for this gesture. Indeed, when the issue of hunger is removed from poverty, it diminishes”, he said.
“It takes somebody who has passion, human feeling to do something like this and he has been doing this for over 5 years. He has fed over 30 thousand families. Just imagine the ripple effect on the economy.
“It is commendable and we appreciate him. The Almighty God will continue to bless him and we encourage other people to imbibe such gesture too, so that food will spread more and people will feel the impact of good governance.
Aroyewun also commended organizers for ensuring that the food always get to the people who really need them at the grassroots.
“I must commend the iCare foundation family, they have been organising the food programme in such a way that it always gets down to those who really need it and you can see that the number of the beneficiaries has continued to increase and spread, which is marvelous. When you go out and you sample people’s opinion, you will definitely see the impact. The people are feeling it; they are happy about it and they are calling for more which is indeed a good thing”, he said.
“My message to Babajimi Benson whom I usually called, “Ologun ebi”(provider of food for the masses) is that he should not get tired and you know God rewards whoever that feeds His people and I pray that he will continue to go higher. To the beneficiaries, they should also share what they have been given with others and should not be people who eat alone”, he advised.
