Senator Bode Olajumoke, Reverend Paul Tioluwani-Lesekese and the Founder of Ibadan Central Hospital, Dr Abib Olamitoye, have urged stronger assistance for People with Disabilities (PWDs) and other vulnerable groups, including widows and orphans, as the nation approaches the Christmas season.
Their appeal came during the 35th Care People’s Foundation Annual Christmas Carnival for PWDs, widows, orphans and other disadvantaged groups, held last Sunday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. At the event, 35 wheelchairs were presented to individuals with disabilities.
Senator Olajumoke, who serves as the Grand Patron of the Care People’s Foundation, said he often felt emotionally stirred whenever he met with PWDs, a sentiment that inspired him to sponsor a bill during his Senate years to end discrimination against people with disabilities in public structures across Nigeria.
”In 2007, when I was elected into the Senate to represent Ondo North Senatorial District, I worked assiduously for two years on a bill to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities in public buildings across the country,” he said.
He explained that the eventual passage of the bill had positively shaped the experiences of PWDs nationwide. The former senator praised the foundation’s 35-year dedication to the wellbeing of the less privileged and urged more Nigerians to follow its example by supporting persons with disabilities.
Reverend Paul Tioluwani-Lesekese, President of the Care People’s Foundation, said he was pleased that he and his wife, Barrister Favour Tioluwani-Lesekese, had remained consistent in hosting the annual Christmas carnival for 35 years.
He noted that the foundation had continued to spread joy to vulnerable Nigerians by providing wheelchairs and other vital supplies.
He added that as part of this year’s activities, the foundation offered 30 wheelchairs, food items, sewing machines and pepper-grinding machines to widows, orphans and other disadvantaged individuals.
Reverend Tioluwani-Lesekese called on Nigerians, especially government officials, to increase support for people with disabilities. He further urged authorities to make education free for PWDs as a pathway to ensuring a dignified life. Lamenting what he termed a lack of compassion among some wealthy Nigerians, he appealed to affluent individuals to extend help to the needy. “If our senators and members of the House of Representatives can, beyond politics, do what we are doing by helping the poor and the physically challenged, society will be better,” he said.
In his contribution, Dr Abib Olamitoye said he was always willing to assist individuals with disabilities, stressing that they were not accountable for their situation. He encouraged Nigerians, especially the wealthy, to support PWDs in attaining a decent standard of living, adding: “As you do so, God will continue to uplift you.”
