• Excitement as Richard Akinnola Foundation spreads joy among widows
By Vivian Onyebukwa
Over the years, it has become an annual ritual. This year’s was no different.
On Saturday December 2, Richard Akinnola Foundation again brought smiles to the faces of widows of late journalists and activists. Many of the women got various types of food items.
Participants at the medical outreach
The event took place in Ikeja, Lagos during the foundation’s end of the year empowerment programme.
Items shared at the event include bags of rice, packs of noodles, bottles of vegetable oil, packs of salt and five yards of Ankara cloth for each of the beneficiaries. Each beneficiary also got a stipend of N20,000.
Some of the women
Founder of the organisation, Mr Richard Akinnola, a veteran journalist and activist, those outside Lagos would get their own money transferred to them.
In addition to this year’s programme, there were medical checks for blood pressure (BP) and diabetes for beneficiaries and attendees.
Incidentally, three of the beneficiaries had very high BP. “The medical team had to ask us to quickly get a BP medication for one of them which was administered under her tongue. We trust God to expand the medical outreach next year,” Akinnola said.
Mrs Odofin receiving her own items from the founder, Richard Akinnola
Alonge Oyerinde
Akinnola said that he established the foundation 13 years ago basically because of his experience over the years. “I have been in the profession for 41 years and I have seen a lot of cases where journalists and activists died.
Ndukwe Aladelokun
Apart from the momentary cries and tributes, after the burial the widows were left hanging. With the nature of the job itself, which is not a well paying job, things would definitely be difficult for these widows and their children. So in my own little way, I decided to see how I could take care of the widows, and we have been trying to do this with our little resources. People have been assisting in their own little ways.”
Akinnola stated that the event is the foundation’s flagship event which takes place every first week of December. He noted however that, beyond that, between January and November, the foundation makes a lot of interventions on medicals, school fees, rents and emergencies as situations arise.
“Beyond the one we do in Lagos, there are those who are outside Lagos too under the foundation’s cover. So the second phase is to send money to those ones outside Lagos because we can’t send materials to them physically.”
On how he raises funds for the organisation, he said: “It’s been tough, considering the economic situation in the country, but some people help in their own little way. It’s a commitment one has made so you just make sure you try and do your best.
There are still some people on the waiting list that I have not been able to integrate.”
for those that might be wondering what would happen to the organisation without its founder, Akinnola disclosed that the foundation has been institutionalised, which means it can still function even when he is gone.
And widows speak
Some of the widows who spoke to Saurday Sun related their sad experiences since their husbands died. They expressed gratitude to Richard Akinnola Foundation for coming to their rescue, and urged others to join in alleviating the suffering of widows in the society.
Yemisi Aladelokun, widow of Dada Aladelokun who died on September 15th, 2015, said she has been heartbroken since her husband died. Her late husband, Dada Aladelokun, was a journalist with The Nation Newspapers where he rose to the rank of Assistant Editor. According to his wife, Aladelokun was ill for about nine months and eventually died, leaving behind his wife and three children.
“Life without him has not been easy for his family, but for Richard Akinnola Foundation who has been assisting us. Apart from this one, at times he would send us school fees once we send him the message. He is really trying for us. He is doing what some millionaires cannot do.”
Speaking about life without her husband, she nearly became emotional. Her words: ““Since Richard died, many of his family members try to avoid me.”
Another widow, Steph Odofin, widow of Mr Festus Odofin, who was a photographer with The Sun, expressed gratitude to Richard Akinnola for the programme organised to cater to the needs of widows.
“We are grateful because he makes us to forget about our loss. We pray that he will live long. God will preserve his life. He will continue to prosper. His home and endeavours will flourish. He will not experience sorrow. His organisation will not be engulfed by fire. We are very grateful.”
Nzechukwu, the widow of late Olaitan Oyerinde, described Richard Akinnola as a wonderful man to everyone, emphasising that he has been of tremendous help to the widows.
“When you call him in the night, he picks your call to listen to your complaints. If he has, he would surely do. If he does not have, he would still squeeze out something,” she said.
The late Olaitan Oyerinde, an activist, was the Private Principal Secretary to then Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State when he died. According to his wife, he was killed in Benin in 2012 in the presence of his wife and children. “We were living in Benin then. I don’t know what happened and one night they came and murdered him, and nothing has come out of it since then. It has not been easy, but to the glory of God, I am shining. God is there for me. Since my husband died, I also get support from my family, (both maternal and paternal), friends, community, Adams Oshiomhole, and Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).”
Oyerinde who is self employed, pleaded with the government and other spirited individuals to support the foundation and all the widows too, and advised other widows not to trust in man, but in God.
Another widow, Edith Ndukwe told Saturday Sun that she lost husband in July last year, and that he was buried in December.
According to her, her husband, a retired Customs Officer, Kanu Ndukwe was ill for some time and eventually gave up the ghost.
Expressing how she has fared since her husband’s death, she said: “Since he died, it’s not been easy because we were together for over 30 years. God has been on my side, and with the in-laws and children, they have been there steadfastly supporting me.”
Lamenting further she said, “Each time I remember my late husband, I cry. It’s not been easy. Even that room I shared with him, even that last day we took him to the hospital, any time I enter that room, I feel bad. So I try to occupy my mind with my job as a matron at the hospital.”
She expressed gratitude to Richard Akinnola Foundation for touching the lives of widows positively. “I was touched when he called me to be part of what is happening here today. When I lost my husband, he was one of the people that rallied round me.
He and his wife supported me all round- financially, psychologically, and otherwise. I have known him for some time; he is one of my patients. I have known him as a great man, and someone that has the love of others at heart. He is a simple man, always happy, jovial, and helping others. God will continue to bless Him. I am more than grateful for what he has done and what he has been doing,” Ndukwe said.
Bolanle Ajibade came to the empowerment programme with her baby of about a year old..
According to her, she was nine months pregnant when her husband, who used to work in an eatery, died as a result of hardship. “Since the time he died, I have been shouldering all the responsibilities alone – we have three children. But God sent Mr Richard to help me. Since he died, I have developed high blood pressure.
I used to cry every day, thinking of how to cope with the situation. After checking my BP today, it was very high and they advised me not to think for the sake of my children. It’s so painful. I hand over everything to God,” Ajibade lamented.
Alonge Glory is another widow that participated at the programme. She also narrated her ugly situation since she lost her husband who left behind his wife and four children. Alonge Glory, who hails from Delta State but was married to an Edo man, said: “I lost my husband last year August.
Since then, I have just been struggling and managing. I do not have a job. I used to sweep for people just to enable me feed the children. For the children to go to school is not easy, it’s a problem to me. I don’t know what to do. It’s only me and God. Since my husband died, no member of the family has asked of me and the children. I would go and wash toilets for people, and the little they give me, we would manage it.
At times, my children won’t go to school for three consecutive times a week because of food. When there is no food, I would keep them at home because you can’t go to school without food. At times, people would give me garri and we would eat. At times they won’t go to school for three consecutive times in a week because of food. My house rent is due and the landlady is worried, threatening to give me quit notice, and I have been begging her to calm down. I explained to her that it was not like that when my husband was alive.”
Glory expressed how she remembers her husband with nostalgia, especially as the family has been facing some tough times. “It was not bad when he was alive. I miss him in every angle because he was always there for me. My children had never stayed at home for a day because of school fees when my husband was alive. We were staying in a three-bedroom flat when he was alive. Now, we are using a room and parlour which could not contend our property, so I had to sell some of the loads. I need help. I don’t want the landlady to throw out my belongings,” she bemoaned.