Ololade Adeyanju/
A community development group, Iro Progressive Union (IPU), has donated palliative items worth several thousands of naira to Iro-Ekiti, Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
While presenting the items through the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Felix Adeniyi Afolabi, Adeyiba III, on behalf of the President of the group, Chief Stephen Omolale, at the weekend, the Chairman of the Special Covid-19 Palliatives Committee, Deacon Dele Ogunsemoyin, said the fund with which the items were procured was contributed by the sons and daughters of the community both at home and in the Diaspora and some of their friends.
He said IPU, which is the umbrella organisation for all the indigenes of the community, was touched by the disruption of the sources of livelihood of the townsfolk due to the debilitating effects of Covid-19 and “we felt the only way we could help our people is to come together and do something for them, no matter how small.”
The chairman, who was accompanied by the two other members of the committee at the presentation ceremony, including Mr. Wale Obadoye and Mrs. Oluwakemi Daramola, commended those who made the project a reality and pledged that the union would do more to help the people once the resources were made available to it.
While thanking God that no indigene of the community home and in the Diaspora had fallen victim of Covid-19, Ogunsemoyin used the opportunity of the ceremony to advise the people to always take all preventive measures to avoid contracting the virus.
Besides, he told the monarch and the political class in the community to always mount pressure on the state and local governments to provide Iro-Ekiti with all the social amenities befitting its status.
Responding, Oba Afolabi, supported by many of his chiefs, expressed gratitude to IPU for the gesture and prayed for God’s blessings and protection for members of the group at home and in the Diaspora.
He appealed for unity among the indigenes of the community, saying this remained the quickest way to greater development.
The ceremony was witnessed by many people in the community, including religious leaders, who took turns to pray for the donors.
Items donated were bags of rice, beans, Semovita, salt among others.