By: Tolulope Oluwole
Sons and Daughters of Ilara-Mokin worldwide, under the umbrella of “Egbe Omo Ilara-Mokin” on Wednesday, put smiles on the faces of recent rainstorm victims in the town by giving them financial support to repair their damaged structures.
At the presentation of relief funds, beneficiaries were given a cheque at the new palace hall, Ilara-Mokin in Ifedore Local Government area of Ondo State.
Speaking at the occasion, the President of Egbe Omo Ilara-Mokin Worldwide, Mrs Oluwayemisi Olorunsola revealed that the rainstorm really caused a lot of damages and rendered many people homeless and hopeless, hence the decision of the group to support the victims.
She said “As the president of the umbrella body of Mokin Sons and daughters worldwide, I made a call to our people and I said this is the time to rise up and be our brother’s keeper, we cannot afford to see our people in the town, sleeping under the rain or being homeless”.
“I want to use this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to Mokin sons and daughters worldwide and some of our friends who responded to this call from everywhere everyone wanted to participate and they sent in their money and we were able to put some money together to give as a first respite to the people that are affected.
“I want us to know that it’s not just about the money, it’s about the love, the unity, the support, the rallying together of Mokin sons and daughters, so that we can give hope to those that are hopeless and it’s about the joy that this has put back into the society.
“This is what community is all about, this is what togetherness is all about, this is what the Nation, state and community should be all about, for us to come together to be our brother’s keeper, for us to love one another and be united and I am proud to say that Ilara-Mokin has demonstrated that not to this community alone, but to the world at large,” Olorunsola said.
According to the President, beneficiaries got financial support ranging from fifty thousand naira (50,000) to one hundred thousand naira(100,000) depends on the level of damage on their property as there are people with major damages while some are minor.
“We have identified the causes and to forestall such in the future, we are going to start the campaign of planting trees and after today’s program, the second phase which is starting by this weekend is for us to rechannel our water ways for water to flow freely, so that there won’t be flood,” the President said.
Also speaking, the Alara of Ilara-Mokin, Oba Abiodun Aderemi Adefehinti, FCA, who appreciated his subjects who made the contributions, stated that the issue of rainstorm happened on the 10th of March and more than 180 houses including churches and schools were affected.
The Monarch added that the state government through the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and a Commissioner, Hon Rasaq Obe, as well as other prominent personalities had visited the community and they all saw the level of damage.
Oba Adefehinti said, “We believe that most of them that have been affected should have some succor from the community and the government as a whole.
“We believe that we have to do something on our own, we have appealed to our sons and daughters in the community and outside and they have come out brilliantly to support us and this is why we are calling those people who are badly affected to come around and whatever little we can make to give them some sort of assistant to relieve them of the heavy burden they are carrying at the moment,” he said.
Oba Adefehinti stressed that Egbe Omo Ilara-Mokin which is an umbrella organization and is basically for the development of the community and they started this as far as 1979.
He also added that “Both National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, haven’t reached out to the community, only the Deputy Governor who representer the state government came around and from what he said, something would be done soon.”
Mr Ayodeji Ajayi, one of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of others expressed gratitude to Egbe Omo Ilara-Mokin for the huge gesture of them.
He added that the relief will go a very long way for them. He also promised to use the money for what they were given for.
