Clement Adeyi, Osogbo

Determined to further cement the existing cordiality between the city of Ile – Ife and the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), the authorities of the university has begun sensitisation and distribution of relief materials to Ife community as part of contributions to fight against Coronavirus.

Items distributed by the university included 179 5kg packs and seven and half 50kg bags of gari.

Others included 200 packs of OAU bottled water; one cow, 500 loaves of OAU bread and 200 bottles of 250ml Ifetizer (hand sanitiser).

All the items donated to the Ife community are produced by the university.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, who disclosed this on Friday, said that the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, had confirmed release of the materials to the president of Ife Development Board (IDB), Comrade Lawrence Awowoyin, at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

Ogunbodede commended Ooni for the fatherly role he has always played towards the university as well his contributions in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vice Chancellor added OAU’s gesture was a part of efforts to support government and the Ooni in fighting the pandemic.

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He said that the institution had initially distributed handbills used sensitising the people on how to curtail the spread of the virus.

“We are aware of the fact that the lockdown has denied members of the community the opportunity to go about their normal daily activities, thereby negatively affecting their means of livelihood.

“We, however, take solace in the fact that since the advent of the coronavirus disease in Nigeria and Osun State, there is no single case of COVID-19 in Ile-Ife and its environs,” Ogunbodede said.

“It is our prayer that this no-case situation remains so in the entire Ife community,” he added.

He appealed to Nigerians to stay in their homes and not only observe social distancing but also obey the guidelines released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to contain the menace.

The President of IDB, Comrade Lawrence Awowoyin, commended the OAU management for the gesture.

Awowoyin said that if each privileged individual helped at least one person in providing succour, the lockdown pains of the vulnerable would be mitigated.