Aggression By Nigerians, Result Of Poverty – Wole Olanipekun, Gives Scholarship, Empowers Elderly

By Ayodele Oni

Legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has lamented that the spate of poverty among Nigerians has turned them to aggressive human beings.

The Senior Advocate, who is the founder and Chairman of Wole Olanipekun Foundation, (WOF) and that of the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme, (WOSS), noted that the level of aggression on display by Nigerians is  terrible.

Olanipekun, made the remarks while interacting with journalists at his Ikere Ekiti residence after empowering students, market women and many others numbering over 1,050 with financial assistance.

He called on other well meaning Nigerians to rise to the occasion and join him in the task of lifting people out of poverty and their low level lifestyles in the Country.

According to him, the essence of humanity is to add value to lives, adding that, there are lots of hungry people that have been affected by the economic downturn, as such, called for more collaborations from well meaning Nigerians.

“We have a lot of people that are hungry, thirsty, poverty stricken in the society. We have to lift up souls. The essence of today is, how do we add value to humanity.

“There are transferred aggression against people like you and I in the nation and that is what we need to address.

“In a situation where we have almost 50 percent of people who are stinkingly poor, and another 20 percent who are loosing their jobs, while only the remaining 30 percent are the ones saying they are okay.”

He expressed doubt whether there is any one in the Country today, who can boldly say that things are okay.

“How much will it cost to lift people up from their ugly and terrible situations? I came from this environment and I have been trying to lift people up to help them to grow and be lifted up. It takes grace to give, it takes grace to recognize people that are in need.”

Olanipekun explained that the primary aim of the empowerment initiative is to help the youths realize their potential through self-awareness, giving hope to the aged and propagating good life through grants.

“The various empowerment initiatives aimed at bringing the best out of our youths to realize their given potential through the various annual grants and awards have galvanized the beneficiaries over the years to channel their energies productively.

“It has added values to them and the society, but all they also have is extension been adding values to others, and living lives meaningfully. While the Aged and Widows have been given hope and a good lease of life through the annual grants too.”

Speaking on the beneficiaries, he said, “the beneficiaries of the empowerment cut across the 11 Wards, religious Institutions and Trade Associations in Ikere annually with painstaking screening due diligence and without bias or any influence by the promoter. The beneficiaries do not need to know anybody to benefit. Knowing anybody does not guarantee the criteria.”