LOOK AT THE PHOTO CLOSELY AND SEE IF YOU CAN ALSO MAKE A CHANGE JUST LIKE MUTIU LESHI AND FRIENDS IN USA!
By Niyi Tabiti
Chief Reporter
You see the glamour pictures of celebrities here everyday but that is not all that is happening in the Nigeria.There are millions of people who can not feed themselves let alone send their children to school.Their life savings can not even buy an 'original' Versace shirt.
I took the photo on this post sometime ago at Victoria Island,Lagos.It shows a group of area boys desperately begging a former aide of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,Dr.Doyin Okupe for money to feed themselves. More children are going out of school to turn to child labourers, area boys and evetually criminals.
Mutiu Leshi, a pal who lives in the United States of America is one of those who believe that lives of millions of Nigerian children who are out of school would change if we all contribute our quota.Recently, Mutiu and friends sent thousands of books, pencils and erasers for less privildeged school children.The distribution would be facilitated next week by www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com and friends.
According to Mutiu "My friends and I recently started a books and stationeries drive to schools in Africa called Africa Outreach Program. We were able to collect donations of books, pencils, erasers and other stationeries that we recently shipped to Lagos Nigeria for low income schools. We are still fairly new but we hope to continue and expand on our outreach to poor families that can not afford good education"
You too can make someone happy today.Someone you have never seen but could feel his or her problems far away.It could be clothes or just anything worth at all for less priviledged people in Nigeria.Soon, i will bring some photos related to the topic.
Founding members-
Mutiu Leshi ---- Founder and co-ordinator of the program. I presently work for BearStearns now part of JPMorgan Chase.
Ese Aigbegun---- she is very resourceful, and she has acted as the organization publicity manager. She presently work for MorganStanley
Jong Lee--- He is my best friend and very concern about any issues affecting motherland. I will call him Asian African. he is been very supportive both physically and financially. He presently work for Decorum
Dimeji Ayanwale-- He works for Citibank
Tunde Tella --- He is a former employee of Oceanic bank Lagos, and presently an MBA student at University of Connecticut ( UCONN). He is one of our volunteers. He is very emotional about the issues affecting Africa educational system
Bidemi Babajide--- He is a former IT student at Intercontinental Bank, and presently a Freshman at Baruch College. One of our dedicated Volunteer.
Fatima Olude--- She is very supportive and committed to the organization. She is one of the Nigeria in diasporas that as never been to Nigeria before, but the she committed to the growth of the continent. She graduated from University of Illinois in Chicago,
Ese Aigbegun---- she is very resourceful, and she has acted as the organization publicity manager. She presently work for MorganStanley
Jong Lee--- He is my best friend and very concern about any issues affecting motherland. I will call him Asian African. he is been very supportive both physically and financially. He presently work for Decorum
Dimeji Ayanwale-- He works for Citibank
Tunde Tella --- He is a former employee of Oceanic bank Lagos, and presently an MBA student at University of Connecticut ( UCONN). He is one of our volunteers. He is very emotional about the issues affecting Africa educational system
Bidemi Babajide--- He is a former IT student at Intercontinental Bank, and presently a Freshman at Baruch College. One of our dedicated Volunteer.
Fatima Olude--- She is very supportive and committed to the organization. She is one of the Nigeria in diasporas that as never been to Nigeria before, but the she committed to the growth of the continent. She graduated from University of Illinois in Chicago,
I applaud "Mutiu and friends" course. It is indeed what we abroad need to keep doing, we have no hope and faith in any Nigerian Government because we all know what they are about- lining their own pockets". My advise is that Mutiu makes this project accountable (just as a friend has done- see his website- www.vonumu.com). Engage those in diaspora via a website, where contributions can be collected, publish all contributions and details of expense monthly, feature pupils/schools who have benefitted. Organize annual Nija event to fund raise, commend and honor contributors. Committ to all these, change the course of history and watch how we can impact on our fellow Nigerians.
ReplyDeleteWale
Niyi, I have so many textbooks that I have been saving to send to Nigeria. If you can provide contact information of Mutiu and friends in the U.S, I would love to send across university textbooks to them to help.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Hey Niyi, which one in the pics is the aide and which ones are the area boys...they all look area boys to me...
ReplyDeleteanon 1-Wonderful talk
ReplyDeleteanon 2-Once i get Mutiu on the phone i will get back to you.Meanwhile, can you pls send me an e-mail so that we can also discuss more on ur own projec too.Those books would definately go a long way in making changing something in the lives of the less priviledged.My e-mail is -niyitabiti@yahoo.com
thanks
Anon 3- Obasanjo's aide (Dr.Doyin Okupe)is the one in the Mercedes Benz car while those hustling around it are the area boys.
There are thousands of organziations that send textbooks to schools in Nigeria. It's a good cause. Hopefully, it can make a difference in Naija.
ReplyDeleteChioma said...
ReplyDeleteGood Ideas for good causes, keep us updated.
great idea. I wish Mutiu and his friends all the best.
ReplyDeleteFACT IS OUTSIDE OF STAMPING OUT CORRUPTION. we also need to preach population control.
ReplyDeletei dont see why a poor man in africa will got out and have 10 children when he cant feed himself. Even the richest man in the world bill gates only has 2 children.
so we need to realy address the issue of population growth.
Anon @ 1:22 AM...
ReplyDeleteWhile not trying to downplay real poverty that exists throughout Nigeria, I was also searching for the desperate "area boys" begging for money to feed themselves, only to be confronted by middle-aged clerks that look relatively well-tended looking for awoof from a Big Man.
Furthermore, much kudos to "mutiu and friends" for their efforts (every little bit helps), but it would be much better for folks in that position (and I personally was on Wall Street for several years) to work to attract investment into Nigeria that would create jobs and empower folks who can then buy their own books and pencils.