FUNSHO AROGUNDADE
At no point in time should any privileged soul allow others to go hungry. Not to talk of the present era where the whole world is battling a common pandemic that has shut down many businesses and economies. A privileged kid like Jennifer Obayuwana, the daughter of Nigeria’s luxury goods mogul, John Obayuwana, has shown that she would not sit in her comfort zone and watch many die of avoidable hunger. Unlike her silverspoon peers who like to sit behind to remotely monitor activities via their phones, this young entrepreneur, who now runs Polo Luxury, Nigeria’s foremost luxury and lifestyle group founded by her father, has taken a bold step to visit — at the risk of her life — many of Lagos suburbs including Mushin, Ilaje Bariga, Agege, Iju Ajuwon, Makoko, Ishaga, Idi Araba, Ebute Metta, among others, to distribute food relief, palliatives and money to those who need it the most —widows, elderly, the physically and most economically challenged. “No one should go hungry in these times, so I spent my lockdown doing this,” she said. “I started off this journey with orphanages right before the lockdown but I soon realised that there were several communities desperately in need of food. I’m so proud of the team. They were so energised and worked selflessly with a mission to touch as many lives as we could. It was heart wrenching but joyful and this is how we shall spend the rest of our days, by His Grace.”
Spotlight learnt that as part of its multi-level intervention in providing succour for segments of the society affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, Jennifer also joined her socialite dad, Obayuwana, to visit and appreciate the press corps of the Lagos State Government particularly those at the frontlines reporting the pandemic straight from the theatre of war as it breaks and putting themselves in harm’s way.