Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, New York
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Chairperson Abike Dabiri-Erewa has described the rescue of a Nigerian man stranded in Trinidad and Tobago by Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, the wife of the Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, as an act of exceptional patriotism.
In a statement through NIDCOM Media Director Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa described the gesture of Mrs Oyetola towards the stranded Nigerian, Mr Benjamin Sesan Ojo, as outstanding.
Dabiri-Erewa, who is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said the patriotism displayed by the wife of the Osun State Governor in helping to repatriate the stranded Nigerian and his six-year-old daughter from Trinidad and Tobago, through her initiative, the Ileri Oluwa Development Initiative, is commendable.
“This is an uncommon kind gesture from you. It is a commendable effort and a wonderful humanitarian gesture which must be emulated by other Nigerians,” she said.
The NIDCOM head, who prayed for the development of Mrs Oyetola’s NGO, called on other well-meaning Nigerians to come to the plight of their fellow nationals in similar distress situations.
Dabiri-Erewa also commended the Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, for evacuating Nigerians back home in the aftermath of xenophobic attacks in South Africa free of charge.
It would be recalled that Benjamin Sesan Ojo, a homeless Nigeria man in Trinidad and Tobago and his six-year-old daughter, had sought help to come back home.
Ojo, who hails from Ilesa in Osun State, has lived in Trinidad and Tobago for 12 years. He is reportedly homeless and has been sick for three years without a job or means of coming back home, having long lost contact with his family.
Mrs Oyetola had heard about the man through a viral video and, being a humanitarian who has been involved in helping homeless and mentally ill people living on the streets, was moved by Ojo’s plight and decided to help.
Ojo, who had lost his wife a year ago, was helpless, stating in a social media viral video that: “I need help to get home. I don’t have work. I need help to survive till I go back to Nigeria. I am a burden to everybody.”
This is Benjamin Sesan Ojo from Ilesha, Osun State. He has been sick in Trinidad and Tobago, lost contacts with his families back home, went to the Nigerian embassy in Trinidad and Tobago but was chased away and called a mad man. He is very sick and needs help to return. pic.twitter.com/GWBOVSdYEN
— Revolutionary Jackson Ude (@jacksonpbn) September 20, 2019
