By Rotimi Ojomoyela
Ado-Ekiti — As Ekiti State revels in the festive season, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart and philanthropist, Mr. Jide Akinyemi, has distributed food items and gifts worth several millions of naira to about 5,000 residents across the 16 local government areas of the state.
The distribution was carried out through his non-governmental organisation, the Jide Akinyemi Foundation, at the All Progressives Congress Secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Akinyemi said the outreach was organised to spread joy during the Christmas season and to reaffirm his support for the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
Speaking with journalists, he explained that the foundation’s annual Christmas outreach is aimed at ensuring that vulnerable members of society are able to celebrate the season with dignity. He noted that food items and essential gifts were distributed to beneficiaries drawn from different parts of the state.
The philanthropist, who hails from Ayedun in Ikole Local Government Area, said the Christmas outreach has been sustained for about four years, adding that the foundation remains committed to continuing and expanding the initiative in the coming years.
Addressing speculations that the event was linked to any political ambition, Akinyemi dismissed such claims, stressing that the foundation’s activities are purely humanitarian and supportive of good governance.
He further disclosed plans to expand the foundation’s interventions by 2026 to reach more communities and social groups across Ekiti State.
On his support for the Oyebanji administration, Akinyemi said the government has performed creditably in critical areas such as workers’ welfare, pension payments, social interventions and infrastructure development.
He reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to complementing government efforts, noting that while government may cover a significant portion of citizens’ needs, civil society organisations can help bridge existing gaps for the overall benefit of the people.
“We are here to celebrate Christmas with our people and to ensure that everyone can enjoy the season. Many people struggle to afford food at this time, so providing food items is our way of sharing joy and hope,” he said.
“Across the world, governments cannot do everything alone. That is why foundations and NGOs exist to complement government efforts. Supporting the government does not mean political ambition; it means supporting good governance.
“For the first time in a long while, people across the state are speaking with one voice about governance. Workers are paid, senior citizens receive their pensions and there are visible initiatives that touch the lives of the people. It is only normal to support a government that is doing well,” he added.
Receiving Akinyemi officially into the party, the Ekiti APC Chairman, Barrister Sola Eleshin, commended the philanthropist for supporting residents with relief packages, describing the gesture as a reflection of his commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of the people.
Eleshin said Akinyemi’s decision to join the APC was a welcome development, noting that Ekiti State needs more patriotic citizens to complement government efforts by contributing to the welfare of residents through private and community-based initiatives.
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