Gift Barry-ObaReal estate practitioner and philanthropist, Amb.(Dr.) Babatunde Adeyemo, has declared that his passion for touching other people’s lives positively is divine mandate.
Adeyemo who is the promoter of Okó Opó Foundation, a non – governmental organisation that caters for the widows and vulnerable persons, said there is the need always to put smiles on the faces of the hopeless and helpless of which the widows constitute a significant proportion, explaining that this informed why he established the foundation.
He spoke at the Marque within the sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State shortly after he was given an ‘Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year for 2023 Award’ in recognition of his philanthropic gestures.
Recall that in one example of his many philanthropic engagements on December 26, 2023, no fewer than 100 widows spread across over 18 communities and two local governments in Ogun State received cash gifts and food items from Adeyemo through the Okó Opó Foundation to make their yuletide a memorable one.
The South-West Legendary Award bestowed the deserving prestigious award at the 6th edition of the programme on the philanthropist, who is also the CEO of Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, a foremost Nigerian real estate firm behind the Pelican Valley Estate Laderin – Abeokuta, Pelican Valley’s Brief Estate, Pelican Ecostay Apartments and Pelican Greenish Acre Farm Estate – located at Kobape corridor of Ogun State.
He noted that having achieved success as a real estate practitioner, it becomes necessary to deploy the success story to rekindle the hope of Nigerian widows and the less privileged.
He said, “We have been practicing this real estate business in the last 14 years with dignity, integrity, due diligence and good ROI for our clients. We also have been doing the business without dispute and without any record of court case. We are determined to sustain the standard and even raise the bar higher.
“So, having been this successful in the real estate business, we believe there is need to touch lives, because that is why we are in this world, that is what we are in this world to do. And that is what motivated me to establish Oko Opo Foundation to rekindle the hope of the widows and the less privileged members of the society.”
He commended the Convener of the award for the prestigious honour bestowed on him in recognition of the significant role the Okó Opó Foundation is playing in the society, recalling that in the last six months, he has garnered no fewer than 50 awards from reputable organisations and groups.
He urged well meaning Nigerians to be part of what Okó Opó Foundation is doing to bring succour to the widows and the downtrodden, assuring that whatever support the foundation receives in furtherance of its objectives, will be judiciously utilised.
The philanthropist also assured of transparency, accountability and effectiveness in the running of the foundation’s activities.
“So, I want to urge all of us to be part of what we are doing because I cannot do it alone and the integrity that has been in real estate, I want to bring it in to the foundation. I have said that we are going to be publishing our statement of account yearly and I’m going to stick to that. I want to urge all of us to be part of what I’m doing,” he concluded.
Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of the occasion, Sen. Lekan Mustapha commended the organisers for their initiative and congratulated the Awardees on their new success, advising them not to relent on good gestures they are known for in the society.
Other Awardees include a federal lawmaker representing Remo-North, Ikenne, Sagamu Federal Constituency, Hon. Adewumi Onanuga, who bagged an ‘Exemplary Woman in Politics Award’; and Fuji living legend, Adewale Ayuba among others.
