The Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation (OOF), on Monday, paid a visit to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Mohammed Musa Bello, where a plaque of appreciation was presented to him.
Igbere TV reports that the OOF visiting delegation led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Olalekan Makinde, were in the minster’s office, in Abuja, on a ‘thank you’ visit.
Our FCTA correspondent, who covered the visit, reports that the OOF leadership is currently in Abuja in continuation of its nationwide distribution of academic materials to schools.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Makinde said the OOF team deemed it fit to pay a visit to the FCT minister whom he said has been very supportive to the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation.
Makinde said: “We are here as a show of respect and appreciation to the honourable minister, and also to establish a proper relationship with the FCT.
“As a Foundation, we plan to carry out a lot of project across the country and the FCT is very important to us,” adding that the Foundation was looking at areas in the capital city that needed support or intervention.
Makinde said the Obasanjo Foundation was already looking at core major areas of focus, which he listed to include Education, Health, Agriculture and Youth Empowerment.
He mentioned that, on Education, the Foundation have begun massive distribution of academic materials to public primary and secondary schools across the FCT.
Responding, the FCT minister, while eulogising Obasanjo, lauded OOF for the laudable gestures, with a promise that his Office will continue to support the Foundation at all time.
Bello pledged to do everything possible, and within his power, to make the academic materials distribution exercise a success in FCT, including granting OOF access to schools.
Speaking further, the minister pledged to support the OOF whenever it intends to intervene in other sector of interest including Health, Agriculture and the area of Youth Empowerment.
He said: “I want to thank the Foundation and by extension, our leader and elder statesman (Olusegun Obasanjo), the founder of this Foundation for this laudable project.
“On behalf of the FCT Administration, we thank you for coming, and not just coming, but also coming with support and donating to our schools,” Mr. Bello added.
Receiving the Obasanjo Foundation visiting team with the minister, were the Permanent Secretary, Chief of Staff, Secretary on Education, and the Director of Academic Planning.
Highpoint of the meeting was the presentation of a plaque and some writing materials to the minister, as a show of appreciation for his support towards the OOF.
Earlier, the Obasanjo Foundation distributed academic materials including exercise books and textbooks to some public primary and secondary schools in the federal capital territory.
In line with its core mandate in the education sector, the OOF, in October, distributed textbooks as well as exercise books to primary school pupils in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Just recently, the Foundation in partnership with the China Consulate announced the donation of over 1,000,000 academic materials to students of public primary and secondary school across the six geo-political zones, which is still on course.
Igbere TV gathered that, while in Abuja, the Obasanjo Foundation will be visiting more public schools to donate academic materials, with a visit to Kano and Bauchi states this week.
The OOF leadership were in Oyo, Imo and Bayelsa States were thousands of textbooks and writing materials where academic materials were distributed to students of public primary and secondary school.
Based on its activities across the country, the OOF, founded by Obasanjo recently emerged as ‘Humanitarian Foundation of the Year’ in the 2020 Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards taking place at Sheraton Hotels, Abuja, December 10.
