By Lukman Olabiyi
Jextoban Secondary School, Lagos, recently distributed foodstuff and gifts to more than 200 widows and the aged within Agboyi Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State.
The proprietress of the school, Mrs. Adunola Ojo, said the school also extended some of the gifts to the needy in the community. The event also witnessed a session of prayer, praise and thanksgiving to God.
According to her, the distribution was to identify with the widows and the aged in the area, where the school is situated, adding that it was to ensure that they were happy and not left out in the cold.
She said: “It is important for every member of the community within the area we operate to be happy not only during the Yuletide seasons, but always. This is simply just to make people happy, give back to the people as part of our community social responsibility.
“For the widows, they have lost their loved ones; they don’t have husbands to cater for them. So, somebody needs to be there for them and put smiles on their faces.
“As an educational institution that operates within the community, we don’t want to be seen as offering only educational services to the people, we also want to continue to support the people in our community so that that they don’t become menace in the society.
“As for the aged, they have worked and retired, they don’t have any means of livelihoods. They should be able to feel happiness and enjoy their lives. So they should be part of the celebration,” Ojo said.
She reiterated that it was a vision she received from God that such category of people should be taken care of, disclosing that the school has been doing so for years.
One of the beneficiaries, Madam Agnes Oyeniyi, a widow, lauded Ojo and the school for the initiative, saying “I am so grateful for this; it will help put food on my table, particularly for my children.”