Ademola Aderemi
Pelumi Kolawole’s hope to live her dreams and enjoy the best in life is about being realised, in an amazing manner.
Pelumi is the 14-year-old girl that urgently required the sum of N2 million for a knee surgery at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.
For over five years, the young girl had been finding it difficult to walk on her feet. Her pathetic story was published in the Lifeline section of Daily Sun on Thursday, August 13, 2020.
The mother, Mrs. Zainab Kolawole, had, in the story, appealed to kind-hearted Nigerians for help, so that the poor girl could be back on her feet. And since then, Nigerians have been assisting the little girl in their own little way. However, recently, the chief executive officer of Ceebee Gold Foundation International, Reverend Bola Olayemi, came to her rescue.
Olayemi, through her United Kingdom-based foundation, raised the sum of N2 million needed for Pelumi’s knee surgery at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi. It was indeed divine help, according to the mother of the teenager.
While narrating her role in the story, Reverend Olayemi said she read Pelumi’s story online and was moved by the spirit to offer assistance by raising the funds through her international online TV programme. She noted that, within a short period, a philanthropist, Mrs. Omobolanle Olatise, otherwise known as Allexes, single-handedly raised the money for the surgery.
Reverend Olayemi said Ceebee Gold Foundation International decided to use the platform to fulfil Pelumi’s dreams because of its desire to impact the life of the poor and the downtrodden in society. She said her foundation had, in the past six years, been responsible for the upkeep of several young and elderly persons in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
“It is our job as a non-governmental organisation to intervene and save the little girl from being lonely and dependent. And, to the glory of God, I decided to use my foundation as a platform to raise the funds for Pelumi’s surgery. I am happy for the little girl, I am happy for the mother and, sincerely, I must appreciate my sister, Mrs. Omobolanle Olatise, (Allexes), for her kind donation, because she raised the little girl’s hope of becoming great in life and she deserves our appreciation.”
She stated that the foundation would see to the success of the surgery and ensure that Pelumi continues her education shortly after.
The donor, Mrs. Omobolanle Olatise, also based in the United Kingdom, expressed joy that God had used her to touch Pelumi’s life positively. She disclosed that the donation was made possible by God.
“I was planning my birthday billed for October 26, and I felt I should assist the teenager in my own little way and also in commemoration of my birthday. I did it in the spirit of love for humanity,” she said.
She noted that Pelumi’s story was pathetic, adding that she was moved by her plight and that of her family.
“You can feel the pain that the little girl has been passing through while trying to be on her feet. It was pathetic,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pelumi’s mother, Mrs. Kolawole, said she was shocked the day the money was transferred to her, stressing that God had used the Daily Sun and this reporter, Ceebee Gold Foundation, Mrs. Omobolanle Olatise, Mr. Samson Oseni and some others to remove her shame and wipe away her tears.
“I am still short of words,” she said. “I think it can only be God. And I appreciate everybody that God has used to keep Pelumi’s hope alive.”