The Ikale Heritage Development Association, IHDA, of Ondo State, has reiterated its commitment to improving the wellbeing of Ikale people in general with special focus on healthy living.
This is as the group, on Saturday, rendered free medical services to Ikale people resident in Lagos State.
The programme which was held at the Women Development Centre, Agege, Lagos, focused on Blood Pressure, Prostate, Hepatitis, Sugar Level, HIV among others.
Persons in need of surgery over their ailments were referred to the General Hospital for proper medical attention.
Speaking on the programme, the chairman of IHDA, Otunba Sola Olatunji, declared that the group was committed to improve the wellbeing of members especially in the area of health.
He said the programme was also to sensitise them and provide them some essential drugs that would be of help to them all.
He stated further: “Some pharmaceutical companies have helped us to help our people with drugs apart from those we bought on our own.
“We also want to sincerely appreciate the Lagos State government. We invited about one hundred indigenes and we also have drugs that will go round. This is the first of its kind we are having in Lagos by Ikale indigenes in the state.”
The chairman of the group thanked the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his support.
“I want to thank Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who is solidly behind us. We have commissioner and other top government officials in attendance. Our credentials are also on the social media to see what we have done for humanity and our people in general and will would continue to assist them in every way of their lives. Our aim is to care for our people and to remain their voice both home and abroad and make everyone happy with what we are doing,” he said.
He added that what they did was an annual event that lasts throughout the year.
“During COVID-19, we gave palliative to our people; we gave them grant because what we are doing is a generation project; even when we are no more our children can take over from us. It was true that such programme was supposed to start from home. What we are doing is for those in Lagos and our people back home. We have only started in Lagos and I want to assure those at home that we are come and it’s going to be massive,” Olatunji added.
The Special adviser to Lagos State Governor on Sustainable Development Goal and Investment, Mrs. Solape Hammond Agagu, said the event was one of those lined up before the presidential and governorship elections in 2023.
The essence, she said, was to get our people mobilised and get them ready. We don’t just want to bring them to talk to them alone, we want to impact them with many other programmes we have for them.
“We are going to be having entrepreneurship programme for them and bring other benefits to the people of Ikale who reside here in Lagos. As a government we are supporting every ethnic group in the state; once we have the representative of such groups we are going to reach out to them and bring them onboard. Lagos is all about diversity and inclusion, the government feels we are all one. No one is left behind.
“The state government will not leave anybody behind in as long as such groups follow the ideas and agenda of the state government.”
General. Oluyemi Bajowa who was represented by Barrister Mutiu Alimi said the medical outreach could not have come at a better time than now to sensitise the indigenes on what to do to stay healthy.
According to him, health is wealth.
He said it was significant to note that Ikale Heritage Development Association had done well for the wellbeing of its people in Lagos.
He said the health programme should be extended to those at home in Ondo State where health care was said to be at its lowest ebb.
“This event came at a time when COVID-19 had exposed the medical facilities of our country. This would not have come at a better time than now. Once again I want to commend the ground for the laudable medical outreach to take care of the indigenes of Ikale.”
However, the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Wale Ahmed, congratulated the organisers of the medical outreach for a job well done.
He who gives health, gives wealth, he said.
“I pray God to grant each and everyone of us good health. But some of the basic things are sleep and what we eat.
“We should be careful of what we eat and drink. I want to advise that no matter how busy we are we should find time to sleep and do some walk regularly. Those things will work well for us,” he said.
