A Non – Governmental Organization, DAKA Foundation has through its education initiative donated exercise nooks, writing materials and school bags to indigent students in Ibadan through the market women and men for onward transmission to their wards and children.
The programme held in Ibadan on Wednesday was witnessed by the Bada of Ibadanland, Barrister Muyiwa Makinde, former Oyo House of Assembly Member, Alhaji Mohammed Inakoju; former Surveyor General, Alhaji Kamoru Rahim, Ibadan South East Local Government Chairman, Emmanuel Alawode , Prince Asanike Asawale and numerous market women and men.
The founder and Chief Executive Officer of DAKA Foundation, Dr Kazeem Adesina Abidikugu popularly known as KSO said the education initiative units of DAKA Foundation donated the school bags, exercise books and other school materials to Indigent students as a way of assisting them in their education pursuit.
Abidikugu, a Nigerian UK based Psychiatric Consultant, who was represented by the Coordinator, Education Initiative of DAKA Foundation, Mr Abiola Williams said DAKA Foundation for the past Nine years has been helping indigent students through scholarships which he said usually covers the West Africa Secondary Schools Examination fees.
He said DAKA Foundation is determined to help the downtrodden and ensure that indigent students achieve their aim of getting educated.
According to him, “DAKA Foundation is an initiative of Dr Kazeem Adesina Abidikugu popularly known as KSO, who is the founder and CEO. The education initiative is just a department and it has been responsible for free donations of Laptops, text books and so many other school materials over the last Seven years.
“Today we are distributing school bags, exercise books and other writing materials to indigent students in Ibadan land and our focus are the market women because they are the ones saddle with the responsibility of purchasing these school materials for their children.
“DAKA Foundation has been giving out Scholarship to between 20 and 50 students yearly. This was carried out through payment of their WASSCE fees”.
He also said DAKA Foundation has already earmarked N500,000 to offset the WASSCE fees of Indigent students of Ibadan Grammar School this year.
Williams said the gesture will be extended to ten other secondary schools that will be picked randomly next year.
Delivering his welcome address, the father of the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Daka Foundation, Alhaji Tiamiyu Ayoade Abidikugu said his son has taken it upon himself to help the needy.
He said KSO feels the pain of Indigent students and has vowed to help them and ease the burden of their parents.
The guest of honour at the event, Barrister Muyiwa Makinde, who is also the Bada Olubadan of Ibadanland commended KSO for his efforts in assisting others especially the needy, praying to God to continue empowering him to do more.
“I think we need to commend this young man, Dr Abidikugu popularly known as KSO. It is not easy to to be giving out to the society. This young man is doing his best to help the needy in the society and I want all of us to encourage him.
“He has been doing this for almost Nine years now . He has remained resolute to help the society and the society is benefitting from him”, Makinde said.
Also speaking at the programme, former Oyo State House of Assembly Member, Alhaji Mohammed Inakoju said he is well impressed by Dr Abidikugu’s initiative to help the downtrodden through his foundation, the Daka Foundation.
“DAKA Foundation is doing much to ease the pain of the parents during this harsh period and I think its efforts should be appreciated”.
“I also called on other well to do individuals in the society to help the downtrodden. We need to assist each other. Instead of keeping money in banks for years, we can use such money to bring succour to the people. Government alone cannot do everything. Let’s help ourselves especially during this hardship “, he said.
Several women received the school bags, exercise books, biros among other education materials on behalf of their children with many of them praying for more of such gesture to come their way.