The Testaments of A Born – Giver Reflecting on Adetola Ajala’s Humanitarian Touch in a Time Like This ll By Ayantoye Christopher Ayanniyi

It is no longer news that our country is currently in a state of quandary economically, a situation whereby many citizens fight so hard before they can afford to get a meal per day.

While millions have resolved to alms begging as a means for survival, the persons with disabilities consider life a threat in their helpless circumstances, absolutely not knowing who to call on to remember them if there would be a succour at all.

The plight has gotten so bad that even the working class no longer has significant value for what they earn as the bulk loads of responsibilities have forced nearly all of them them to drink from the pot of the impossible due to the high cost of market prices on every consumable.

It is though not as if the government is not doing her bit to cut down the stem of this untold hardship but so far, the efforts have seemingly yielded close to nothing with the way everyone still goes about like walking-corpses in the hands of unending hunger.

Yet, we cannot also rule out the fact that Nigeria is blessed with notable figures of well-to-do individuals, those who out of their wealth can conveniently make others happy, but since giving is a choice, only a very few people consider it a necessity especially when it comes to parting with your sweat for a venture that fetches you almost nothing in return.

But a true born-giver neither expects the word thank you nor a pat in the back for what he does, it is to him like a must to do to task, an obligation that must be gladly embraced.

The above stated ‘giving ideology’ does not only qualify Adetola Ajala to be better than many others, it also exemplifies him among helpers. For a man of his calibre, he does not believe that it is only when you’re known personally that you deserve being favoured, rather he chooses to cut across various borders in order to ensure that within his reach no one is left out.

I will lose count of his humanitarian works if I am to list them out one by one as there is no single day that he fails to put smile on others faces, and this is not because he wants anything in return, it is just a lifestyle he simply cannot do without.

Apart from the Cash support for the aged programme, I have witnessed his endowment funds, youth empowerments, scholarships from primary schools to university level, necessity donations to orphanages, prisons among others.

Early this week, I was honoured to stand in the gap for this amazing personality by taking food items to the Medium Correctional Centre, Kirikiri in Apapa, Lagos State, and merely mentioning his name at the gate threw the officers as well as the inmates into a joyful mood as we put down the food items we brought for donation.

The next morning which was on Tuesday was another eventful occasion at Tender Rocks School, Ikosi-Ketu, Lagos where loads of scholarships were rolled out for kids in various categories.

What beats my imagination was the less privileged category pupils, the Proprietress said the young kids were both about quitting schooling due to their parents inability to afford the school bills, and Adetola Ajala scholarship revived a dying hope with more magnetic force than ever hoped for as he offered to sponsor these pupils till their graduation from school.

The first, second and third overall best students as well as their teachers were also considered for various prizes which evidently would be a motivation for them to put in more effort into their studies.

In not less than two premier Nigerian universities Adetola Ajala has a handful of scholarship beneficiaries most of whom are close to their final year in school, and the most surprising thing is that he does not even know most of these children in person.

I wonder how I precisely should describe a man who with all his blessings will choose not to celebrate his birthdays in a big event hall but rather at the orphanage where only his well wishers are vulnerable children. I remember in April while we were as usual going for his birthday orphanage donations, he said he enjoys spending time around the orphanage because it makes him appreciate God’s love for him, and that it affords him to see more reason he should be a shoulder for the helpless to lean on as long as he can.

I have come to realize that if men of like minds can form a bond, the society or a course for which they are gathered is bound to be great. But when are we going to have more amazing souls like Engineer Adetola Ajala who will willingly contribute meaningfully to the society, reaching out to the hopeless with quality support?

By helping others, we rise more higher!

-Chris Ayantoye