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By Kehinde Aderemi
Since Monday January 5, the expansive Oluwanishola Estate, Ajah, Lagos, owned by revered octogenarian industrialist and business mogul, Chief Rasaq Akanni Okoya (CON), has been playing host to thousands of people.
The industrialist, who just turned 86, has been busy spreading joy through a free medical outreach for many of the residents of his community and beyond.
The week-long free health services will end on Monday January 12. They were part of the activities marking his 86th birthday anniversary.
For Chief Okoya, it was a moment that blended gratitude, grace and generosity, as he chose compassion over celebration to mark his 86th birthday, and also to reinforce a pattern many have come to identify with him as the soul of generosity.
The Chairman of Eleganza Industrial City Limited ordinarily turned what could have been a lavish birthday party into an extraordinary humanitarian spectacle, which left residents of Ajah and the neighbouring communities deeply moved, even as it fostered a sense of belonging in them.
Rather than roll out the drums for a flamboyant birthday bash, Okoya deliberately redirected his celebration to the streets and homes of ordinary people in Ajah and the wider Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Not unaware that many Nigerians lack access to quality healthcare.
To bridge that gap, he unveiled the Okoya at 86 Medical Outreach, a week-long programme designed to deliver free, quality healthcare services to people who might otherwise be denied such care due to poverty, limited education or lack of information.
Residents from near and far-flung communities including Ajah, Jakande, Ikota, Iru, Egunshi, Eleko, Epe and surrounding communities trooped out in their numbers.
The outreach, which continues until January 12, 2025, the actual birth date of the celebrant, stands as a bold testament to Chief Okoya’s long-standing commitment to community development, healthcare delivery and the service of mankind.
Beyond the comprehensive medical check-ups, each beneficiary who completes the cycle would get a food pack and N10,000 transport fare as earlier announced by Dr Jemilade Longe, a retired Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Services Commission and Consultant for the Okoya at 86 Medical Outreach .
In his remarks, Chief Rasaq Okoya, in his characteristic humility, said his decision to give back to the people of less means as he did was borne out of his desire to show gratitude to God Almighty for the grace to be alive.
He noted that while he has been fortunate to enjoy quality healthcare throughout his life, many around him are not so lucky.
“This birthday is not about me; it is about giving people the chance to live healthier, happier lives.
“Health is wealth. I have been going in and out of the country, but by the grace of God, now, I feel better. I see that most of us, if we detect our health challenges earlier enough, we won’t have problem.
“Six years ago, I even had prostate cancer, which I detected on time, I had been operated and I am happy with it.
“Today we have tests here, anyone who wants to do test for prostate cancer, HIV, it’s available. There is no disease that is untreatable once it is earlier detected and once you know your status and you take care of yourself, you know what to eat, what to drink and you are taking good care of your health. You can live up to the age of 100 years or more.
“And this is why I am grateful today and say I should extend what I have been enjoying to my community, so that everyone can know the status of his or her health and this is why we are here with this medical outreach today.
“And by the grace of God, I thank the government of Lagos State. We have a lot of doctors, pharmacists. We have a high calibre of healthcare workers here which, if most of the people go out to get, they cannot be able to get so easily, and they are here for the next one week and we are ready to give our services; whoever needs attention, our doctors will take care of them,” Chief Okoya said.
Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu was represented by Special Adviser to the governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi.
Ogunyemi said: “When I was called to come here to flag off this event, I didn’t even have to think about it twice and chief has said it all: “ Health is wealth”.
“The governor cannot do it all, everybody has to be responsible for their health. So, when events like this occur, when philanthropists like Chief Okoya decides to do this, it’s not just because of his community, it is also to honour God and, like he said, also to thank God because a lot of us have been going through various health issues and the best thing is to lead other people and say ‘I do not want bad thing to happen to you’.
“Early detection is going to save lives. That’s what this outreach is all about. There are many other outreaches that are going on in different places but this is such a comprehensive one. This is excellent, and from the list I have with me, we are providing not only laboratory services. Even family planning that we are always talking about in the Ministry of Health, that people should space out their children so that we can reduce our maternal and infant mortality rate.
“What participants are getting here is free, because somebody is paying for it. That is what chief is doing to commemorate his 86th birthday.”
Wife of Chief Okoya and Managing Director of Eleganza Industrial City Limited, Mrs Folashade Okoya said it was not the first time Chief Okoya would be doing a social responsibility of this nature.
According to her, Chief Rasak Okoya at 86 Medical Outreach was just something they decided to do so that everybody would be conscious of their health status and they can control from there.
“This was just an awareness for people to know what is wrong with them physically and mentally so that you know your health status.
“Participants at this medical outreach would have access to free health services and be able to know their health status as a way of checking and controlling their health. This is to ensure that everybody that participated in this medical outreach benefitted from the programme. Let me also say it that this programme would be running annually as it begins today.
“The event would run for a week and we have prepared well to ensure that the whole event is a success.
“I am excited that the event went as planned. And I thank God that Chief has continued to be such a blessing to humanity,” she said.
Health experts, volunteers and beneficiaries alike echoed similar sentiments, praising the Okoya at 86 Medical Outreach as timely, impactful and deeply humane.
For many residents, the programme has been more than a medical exercise; it is a rare reminder that wealth, when guided by conscience, can truly heal.
One of the health givers drawn from the various health institutions is Prisca Anyakee, who is head of marketing of Grandville Hospital and team leader of the hospital at the event.
Anyakee said she was impressed with the turnout. She praised Chief Okoya for the gesture.
“It was a thing of joy that Chief and his family reached out to us. We see this as celebration of a legacy, giving back to his people and it is the kind of life that chief has lived.
For example, we have attended to many people and these are lives that are being transformed because the screening is intensive.
“Our doctors are here, our nurses are here, also the eyes screening is also very thorough even the medications. These are some of the things that we are contributing to the programme because our organisation has been a friend and partner to the Okoya family,” she said.
Another health giver and optician, Dr David Ayanlere, of Haven Eye Clinic said his sector at the outreach was saddled with the responsibility of ensuring good vision for participants.
“We are doing visual screening basically. We are also trying to diagnose and help elderly patients to get reading glasses and see smartly better. But we can also diagnose early stages of conditions that are just starting up and we can refer properly and manage. This is what we have done so far.”
Mrs Haruna Oluwaseyi of Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, who headed the pharmacy team, assured that the Medical Outreach had enough drugs to take care of patients estimated to hit 1,000.
A Lagos State health official in charge of Family Planning section but declined to be identified said them free medical outreach would have great impacts on the targeted communities.
One of the beneficiaries, Mallam AbdulMalik Kolawole, who said he came from Jakande, said: “I have eye problem and that was why I came here to be attended to. That has been fixed. They gave me drugs because they said my case has not reached the stage to be recommended for eyeglasses.
“I also did HIV test. After that, I went to the dental section. My teeth were examined and I was counselled on how to treat my teeth so that it would not have problem,” he said.
Mrs Comfort Kakraba, a Ghanaian, also shared her experience.
“I did not expect it. I thank God for the man who organised this. We are here to take our medication for free. Nobody does that. “Only God can send a helper to just help a person like that. So, we thank God for everything.”
Another beneficiary, Mrs Funke Olayemi, who said she came from Abule in Lafiaji Lagos Island, expressed her joy and appreciation to Chief Okoya over the gesture.
She said: “I came because of my eye problem. They examined me, gave me drugs and eyeglasses. They also gave me takeaway food and N10, 000 transport fare for coming.”
Oladipupo Sunday Dele, from Ikota, Ajah, said he had been unable to urinate for days. He said the problem was treated and he had been getting better. “After doing all of that, Baba Okoya still gave us food and N10,000. Anybody who plans evil against him will carry it with his own head,” he prayed.
Mrs Modinat Hassan said: “So many things happen in Eleganza here, not medical outreach alone. Even if you come to the mosque, he makes sure that worshipers go back happy. But this event of today, I am so surprised because I am seeing it for the first time. And for Baba Okoya that made this happen, may God please accept it from him as act of worship and prolong his life, prolong the life of his wife so that next year, we will witness it in good health and peace.”
