Kunle Adelabu
A non-profit making organisation, Shakirat Enifeni Foundation, is set to support young people to achieve their dreams by engaging and guiding them through their aspirations.
The founder of the Foundation, who is a Professor of Philosophy and Humanities, University of Maryland Global Campus, United States of America (USA), Prof. Olanrewaju Shitta – Bey, said that the mission of the Foundation which he named after his late mother, is to make young people better persons to themselves and the society at large.
Prof. Shitta unveiled the foundation’s agenda to THE IMPACT, at an outreach program where the foundation gave out bags containing food items and household items to elderly people and others in need.
About 100 residents benefited from the foundation’s gesture, at an event held at the Ariya Hotel, Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu, on Thursday, December 29, 2022, with commendations and praises heaped on the donor by the beneficiaries for supporting them during the festive period.
Aside the distribution of food items, the event also featured a lecture session during which the America – based scholar spoke to the gathering on the importance of education, and why they have to sacrifice to ensure that their children get education to be somebody that they would be proud of in future.
He made reference to his mother whom he said sacrificed to make him and his siblings get good education and also assisted others.
“Basically, the foundation is focused on young people; how can we engage young people to be better persons for themselves and for the society?; what can we do to support their education to be better persons for the development of the society?”, Prof. Shitta – Bey said.
Unveiling the Foundation’s programmes for 2023, Shitta – Bey said that about five programmes are in the pipeline with two scheduled to hold between March and June this year.
“We have about five programmes ready for 2023, and as I speak with you, we have two of those programmes already concluded and it’s a matter of execution that is remaining. We hope to do this between March and June. We are going to have a day or 10 hours with Prof. Shitta – Bey where we are going to have discussion with young people about life, career, focus and how to navigate the very turbulent and difficult terrain of life”, he said.
“So, between March and June, we are going to have a discursive topic about life and career which is going to be tagged, ‘A Day with Prof. Shitta-Bey’, and the plan really is just to have it at intervals. At this forum, we will talk about anything and everything that agitates the minds of young people about life, how to survive and make their dreams a reality. I think everything takes off from understanding”, Prof. Shitta – Bey added.
Speaking on the sustainability of the foundation which he and his immediate family are presently funding, the Professor of Philosophy and Humanities said that the foundation hopes to reach out to individuals and organisations to support in achieving the foundation’s goals.
“This is one of the few difficult questions that I had pondered and pondered upon. I am a doer and believe in actions, even though I am a theorist, but I believe in action. I don’t toy around with ideas without knowing what to do with them practically”, he said.
“Talking about sustainability, right now, the financing and funding of the foundation’s programme is coming from my immediate family. Moving forward, we still hope to reach out to well – meaning people, both at home and abroad, including my former students who believe that I have mentored them and they feel that they want to pay back. This is a way to pay back, they can always come to support the foundation.
“For future and sustainability, we are looking to reach out to individuals and organisations that may have grants to support our programmes. This is the way we hope to sustain the foundation and our programmes, and I really hope and positive about getting these support”, he added
