Don urges govt on all-round devt

Akinwale Aboluwade, Ibadan

The former Chief Medical Director of University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Olujide Ajayi, has said for the Nigerian citizens to enjoy democracy, government at all levels must offer holistic approach to development.

Ajayi said after the formal launch of the Beatrice Olujide Ajayi Foundation at Jogor Centre, Ibadan on Wednesday that government’s attitude to the welfare of the masses was poor and called for a review.

He lamented that the country was still at a crawling stage and had yet to progress in line with the great nations of the world.

The foundation, Ajayi said, was to assist the learners who he described as the future hope of the country. The founder of the BOAF explained that some of the objectives of the foundation were to assist bright but indigent students in the pursuit of their education.

The former CMD said N1,475,100 had been disbursed to 23 indigent pupils from some selected primary and secondary schools in Oyo, Lagos and Ogun states in the first phase of the award.

The schools that are selected for the award are Queens School II, Ibadan, where Mrs. Beatrice, wife of the founder of the foundation (now late) taught for many years and CMS Grammar School, Lagos, where Ajayi was a student.

The other schools that benefitted from the scheme are Holy Child College, Lagos, Ijebu Ode Grammar School, Cheshire High School, II, Ibadan and Cheshire Junior School, Ibadan.

Some of the recipients of the award are a pupil of CMS Grammar School, Lagos, Atolagbe Damilola, who was given N151,500; Onuora Tacey of Holy Child College, Lagos got 119, 500; while Azees; Marian of Chelshire Junior School, Ibadan was given a wheel cheer worth N30,000.

Noah Roda of Qeen School, Ibadan got N50,000. IbitoyeMotunrayo of Holy Child got N119,500, Sambo Veronica, N119,500 and Akinyosade Darafunmi of Ijebu-Ode, N43,000.

Ajayi reiterated the need for government and well-meaning Nigerians to give priority attention to the needy in the society.

He said that the inauguration of the foundation was the coming to fruition of the aspiration of himself and his wife, who passed through thick and thin of life to attain the positions that they reached.

He said, “The best way to show appreciation to God was to establish the foundation.” The foundation, according to him, would be run managed by a Board of Director to be chaired by Dr. Olujinmi Akinkoye.

Among the dignitaries on the occasions are Justice Tayo Moronkeji (retd), Chairman of the occasion, Prof Akin abogunje and other university lecturers.