The immediate past Chairman , the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun, has admonished the Nigerian elite to pay attention and offer pathways to the growing social tension in the land or be prepared to face the consequences.
Speaking at the 27th edition of the scholarship award scheme and 4th empowerment programme instituted by the Wole Olanipekun Foundation (WOF) , the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) disclosed that the economic realities are creating tension, unrest, anxiety, pressure, confusion, hatred, anguish, pain, distress and transferred aggression among many people.
At the ceremony held in Ikere-Ekiti, the country home of the legal icon,no fewer than 1050 people benefitted from the schemes.
The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) specifically called on wealthy Nigerians to rise to the occasion and be more benevolent, as many people world over are facing hard times and conditions in different dimensions.
“The poverty level in Nigeria today is not just scary but also terrifying, as over 70 percent of Nigerians are rudderless, poverty stricken”,adding that Nigeria’s problem is compounded by the burden of insecurity.
“This situation then beckons to those who have received God’s benevolence to also tap from God’s attribute of compassion by lending helping hands to their fellow human beings.
Olanipekun said ” If you are sleeping and snoring in your house and you care less about your neighbour ; the cries of your neighbours will wake you up one day and you may not be able to sleep again.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.
“How much it is essential 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”.
“The essence of humanity is to add value to lives, adding that, there are lots of hungry people who have been affected by the economic downturn, as such, called for more collaborations from well meaning Nigerians.
250 students were captured in the scholarship category, ranging from secondary schools to university/law school education levels, 100 youth were beneficiaries in the empowerment while 100 aged and widows received grants. Another flavour to the annual event was the distributions of palliatives to over 600 beneficiaries.
