In the spirit of the Easter celebration and the ongoing Ramadan, the Ogun State government on Sunday continues its palliative distribution across the three senatorial districts of the state to cushion the effect of the current economic challenges on the people.
It was the turn of Christians as the palliative got to many churches, while some mosques also benefited from the gesture, an initiative of Governor Dapo Abiodun, on Friday.
The palliative, which included rice, were shared in churches and mosques in the three senatorial districts on Sunday and Friday.
In Ogun Central Senatorial District, the gift was extended to worshippers at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Ake, SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Isale Ake and the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Ijaiye in Abeokuta South Local Government Area.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke, commended the governor for his kind gesture, noting that the palliative was another means of ameliorating the suffering of the people.
In separate remarks, the shepherd in charge of the Celestial Church, Ven. Superior Joseph Talon, Mr. Abeeden Hammed and Mrs Julianah Adesanya, who were overwhelmed by the palliative gesture, thanked the governor for the gift.
While appreciating the governor for the various interventions, they prayed to God to grant him a successful tenure.
In Ogun East Senatorial District, worshippers at Cathedral Church of St. Paul, C&S, Orisun Emi Alafia, and United Baptist Church all in Sagamu, Sagamu Local Government also benefitted from the palliative.
Speaking after receiving the gift, Mr. Emmanuel Adetunji, Mrs
Adenike Adekoya and Mr. Oludayo Soyemi described Governor Abiodun as a man who cares about the welfare of his citizenry, promising that they would continue to support his government in its determination to take the state to a greater height.
The Bishop of Remo Diocese, Methodist Church Nigeria, The Rt. Rev. Bamidele Ibikunle, described the initiative as a welcome development.
Speaking on Sunday at the Rev. Mellor Methodist church, Agbowa, Sagamu, Bishop Ibikunle noted that the gesture would go a long way in easing the suffering of the people particularly those who are not sure of where the food would come from during the Easter period.
“It is an exciting thing to know that our governor is thinking well of the people and I am happy, especially today, that we are commemorating the Palm Sunday.
“We want to thank the governor in a special way for being mindful of his people because times are hard and this palliative will go a long way to ameriorating people’s suffering particularly people who are not sure of what to eat at Easter can now have something on their table to eat with their families,” Bishop Ibikunle stated.
Also speaking, the Presbyter and Cathedral Administrator, The Very Reverend Jacob Oluwaseyi Ayedola, acknowledged the hardship in the country and appreciated Governor Abiodun for extending the gesture to his church members, calling on government at all levels to do more intervention programmes to bring succour to the people.
An elder in the church, Sir Teju Ogunjimi, described the palliative as a welcome development, especially as the Easter is drawing near.
Other members of the church, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Babatunde and Mr. Olumide Adefisan, as well as Dotun Fikayomi, described the gesture as “unexpected”, saying extending the palliative to the church underscored the fact that the state governor is an impartial administrator who is after the welfare and wellbeing of his people irrespective of religion or social standing.
Churches where the palliatives were distributed on Sunday included St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral Ake, Abeokuta. (Ogun Central), St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral Sagamu (Ogun East), SS Peter & Paul Catholic Cathedral Adatan Abeokuta, (Ogun Central), Catholic Cathedral Ijebu Ode. (Ogun East) RHEMA Cathedral Ota (Ogun West), CAC Oke Segun, Akiniku, Ilaro (Ogun West), C.C.C Molipa Ijebu (Ogun East), C.C.C state HQ, Ijaiye, Abeokuta (Ogun West), Sacred Cherubim & Seraphim Church, Sagamu (Ogun East) and Methodist Cathedral Sagamu.(Ogun East).
Some Islamic faithful across the state also benefitted from the gesture on Friday.
Speaking during the distribution at the Ijebu-Ode Central Mosque,
The Grand Chief Imam, Sheikh Miftaudeen Ayanbadejo, urged the federal government to temporarily open the nation’s borders to allow for the inflow of goods to address the current hardship in the country.
The Grand Chief Imam noted that though giving palliative at this point in time would bring short time relief, opening the borders would make goods available at reasonable cost.
He said: “I thank His Excellency, Governor Abiodun for this palliative because there is hungry in the land and whatever the government can do to bring relief is welcome.
“For me, the best thing to do is for the governors to appeal to the President to open the borders for a short time even if it is for three months to allow things to normalize. Sending palliatives is temporary relief, but opening the borders will make the difference.”
Speaking after receiving his share of the palliative, a top ranking official in the mosque, Isiaka Adebanjo, appreciated the Governor Abiodun for the gesture and appealed for continuous distribution to enable it get to a large percentage of the populace.
Mrs. Aminat Quadri and Lawal Sikiru, who spoke in an interview, lauded the efforts of the Prince Abiodun-led administration in meeting the needs of the people at this trying time, saying the palliative would go a long way in making food available in their respective households.
At the Ilaro Central Mosque Muslims Community, the Chief Imam of the Mosque, Alhaji Tajudeen Adewunmi appreciated Governor Abiodun for his efforts in bringing succour to the people, acknowledging that the gesture will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the people.
“The hardship in the land is too much, and it is telling on the people. You can imagine a situation where people can no longer afford three square meals per day. It is only God that can come to our rescue. Thank God that we have a governor who feels the pulse of the people and is ready to meet everybody at the point of their needs,” the Chief Imam said.
Other faithful, including Alhaja Amudalat Kikelomo Akinola, noted that the governor has continued to positively affect the lives of residents by bearing their burden
“Apart from the distribution of food items to residents today, Governor Abiodun is also doing fantastically well in the payment of N10,000 cash awards to indigent learners in public primary and secondary schools across the state.
“He has also commenced the disbursement of N50000 to Ogun State students in public and private higher institutions across the country,” Alhaja Akinola said.