Over 1,000 households benefit from ‘Abitoye Family’s Palliative’ in Ondo

An Ipele born medical practitioner based in the United States of America,Dr. Oluwatoyin Abitoye on Monday put smiles on the faces of families by sharing foodstuffs to over 1,000 households, both indigenes and non-indigenes to cushions the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on his people.

The palliative items , tagged ‘Abitoye Family’s Palliative’, was carried out by his friends on his behalf, and was handed over to the Head of each quarter in Ipele town in Owo Local Government area of Ondo state, after a royal welcoming by the Olupele-in-Council.

According to Abitoye, the gesture of reaching out to the people from his little resources was aimed at helping others,especially in a time like this.

Abitoye called for an emergency approach that would directly provide food on the table of Nigerians during this lockdown occasioned by Covid19.

He said “ It is hard to fathom the extent at which a token such as the little we have provided can go in terms of providing a meal for a family. Though, this is just a drop in the ocean with regards to what our people need to thrive, a more sustainable and comprehensive programme is required”. He said.

Abitoye, therefore, advised Nigerians to heed to the government’s directives on how to contain the pandemic, noting that “bad economy is reparable, but loss of lives is not recoverable”.

He affirmed that over four million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been recorded globally, noting that USA’s projection by next Friday was that, the number of deaths would surpass 100 thousand.

His words: “This huge number is obviously only a fraction of the true amount of those infected. But what is more striking is the number of those that have died in such a short period of time.

“I honestly believe both the federal and state governments are doing the best they can, given the resources within their reach. Remember this is a pandemic in the sense that it’s affecting every part of the world at the same time and it came on suddenly and unexpectedly.

“Obviously most governments all over the world and not just Nigeria could have done better to contain the outbreak at the outset and to mitigate the spread. But most governments do mean well and are doing their best.

“The expectation is that these leaders’ reaction to the pandemic is led by science and they in turn are well advised by scientists who are experts in this field”.

“The one thing that is guaranteed is that mankind will eventually beat this virus; but we must be patient, deliberative and cautious in our daily lives and activities until then”.

In his reaction, the Acting Olupele of Ipele kingdom, High Chief Raji Sanni Olujashe appreciated the gesture and prayed for the donor, saying posterity will remember his kind-heartedness.

The coordinator of the distribution, Hon. Dairo Tunji affirmed that about 1,000 households benefited from the gesture and commended the donor for his generosity.

Mr. Akinrogbe Olatunde, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the area, said Abitoye had really made many people because they weren’t expecting the gesture from somebody like him who he is not a political office holder. He, therefore, called on other well-to-do sons and daughters of Ipele to emulate the gesture and give back to their fatherland this season and not wait till election period.

Some beneficiaries, including Mr. Momoh Jimoh representating the Ebira group in Ipele, and an elderly woman, Mrs. Margret Olotuyemi, lauded him for his passion towards his people, and for remembering them in a time like this, despite not be in Nigeria.

About Author

Admin

See author's posts