Yeyelowu Fatima Oyelude, wife of the Olowu of Kuta Kingdom, has called on affluent Nigerians to complement government efforts by supporting vulnerable members of society through sustained humanitarian interventions.
She made the appeal during the Yeyelowu Fatima Oyelude Foundation’s community outreach programme held at the Olowu of Kuta Palace, where hundreds of residents of Ayiwola community benefited from free medical services, educational materials, food support and business grants.
Oyelude said philanthropy should be driven by compassion rather than the expectation of recognition or reward, noting that individuals with the means to assist others have a responsibility to uplift the less privileged.
“I’ve been doing this for the past ten years. After travelling and returning home, I voluntarily decided to extend kindness to my people. I discussed the project with my husband, simplified it into four phases, and we began gradually. It has been successful.
“My brothers, cousins and family members have supported every step. I am doing this with a pure heart without expecting anything in return. I encourage everyone who has the means to always reach out to the vulnerable,” she said.
The outreach featured free medical consultations, blood pressure and blood sugar screening, eye examinations, and the distribution of prescription eyeglasses to beneficiaries diagnosed with visual impairment. Patients requiring cataract and other eye surgeries were also identified for possible medical intervention.
The foundation also distributed school uniforms, writing materials and school sandals to pupils, food items to elderly residents, gifts to children and cash grants to selected small-scale business owners as part of efforts to improve livelihoods.
Speaking at the event, the Olowu of Kuta, Oba (Dr.) Hameed Adekunle Makama Oyelude (Tegbosun III), CON, urged traditional rulers to initiate community-based interventions capable of improving the welfare of their people within available resources.
Also speaking, Family Physician at the University of Osun Teaching Hospital, Dr. Sheriki Jide, described preventive healthcare outreach as an effective strategy for reducing complications arising from chronic diseases.
He disclosed that several beneficiaries were diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, cataracts and other vision-related conditions during the exercise, and called for similar interventions to be replicated across Nigeria.
