GROUP DECRIES PLIGHT OF LESS PRIVILEGED NIGERIANS

The Akujobi Memorial Foundation has expressed concern over the plight of the less privileged class and urged Nigerians to rise up to the challenge of providing them comfort and love through meaningful assistance.

The Lagos-based foundation is disturbed by the growing number of less privileged people across the country without hope of having three-square meals in the near future.

In a chat with Daily Sun, a member of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, Mrs Chinwe Akujobi blamed the current situation on the government and the society. She said the culture of greed, selfishness and lack of true love for others had permeated fabrics of the society.

She believed that the government had not shown enough commitment to the plight of the less privileged members of the society. 'If the government at the national, state and local levels considers the interest of the less privileged an issue priority, it would invest in them adequately. The same applies to the society, the wealthy individuals and families would invest in them and they will begin to have a sense of belonging.'

Akujobi said how to assist the needy members of the society should not be difficult for any willing Nigerian or organization. 'This is because there are several categories of less privileged people. Some are children who need education, some are adults who do not have means of livelihood, others are parents who cannot afford hospital bills and therefore become vulnerable due to prolonged illness resulting from lack of proper health care and indeed, it is quite a long list of categories.'

Akujobi wants the government and the society to realize that 'even the less privileged ones will also be useful to the society if only they are adequately provided for. And this is one of the major consideration that encouraged us to establish the Akujobi Memorial Foundation.'

She said the foundation wasdeeply committed to its objective of highlighting the plight of the less privileged ones and alleviating their condition of living in a manner that will enable them contribute to the development and growth of the country.' The Foundation was founded in 2005 in memory of her son, Daniel Ogechi Akujobi who died in 2005 following a ghastly motor accident on his way back to school.

Born in 1992, Daniel was the only son of his parents. Since the Foundation was established, it has implemented several philanthropic projects which included: education and health care programmes.