Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos, Wasiu Adesina, has distributed 2000 food packs to vulnerable households and urged Muslims to imbibe the spirit of giving.
Adesina distributed the packs during the eighth edition of the annual Ramadan Lecture organised by the Iradatulahi Islamic Society of Nigeria (IRADAT), Ikorodu, at the local government secretariat.
The lecture had the theme: “Believe in the doctrine of Allah”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the food packs contained rice and garri.
Beneficiaries were selected across the wards and from different groups like artisans, market women and youths.
According to the chairman, the idea is to alleviate the suffering and cushion the effect of petrol subsidy removal on Ikorodu residents, especially those who were fasting.
“This is the eighth Ramadan Lecture in Ikorodu Local Government, we give all glory to Almighty Allah.
“This is a platform where sermons and teachings of Islam will be a lesson to all.
“This time, we have taken additional step to distribute food packs to not only the vulnerable but also other members of the public,” he said.
The chairman reeled out some of his achievements in his second term in office, including distribution of 3kg gas cylinder to 1,000 residents and construction of boreholes in all the wards in Ikorodu Central.
He also mentioned the construction of drainage systems, distribution of exercise books to pupils in all the primary schools, construction perimeter fencing, as well as computer units for training teachers and students at Salvation Army Primary School.
Earlier, Imam Shakirudeen Orilobamise, Missioner of IRADAT, appealed to Muslim faithful to give alms to the poor and vulnerable in the society to alleviate suffering and eradicate poverty.
Orilobamise also urged those who were fasting to desist from anything evil but be submissive, pray and follow the principles of Islam, so God can show mercy on Nigeria.
He prayed for God’s guidance on the council boss for a successful tenure and appealed to beneficiaries to make use of the lessons learnt at the lecture.
“My prayer is for God to lead the chairman in his policies to successfully steer the affairs of council. I want to appeal to our Muslim faithful not to go back to their sins because the essence of fasting is for forgiveness,” he said.
Also, former Lagos State Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Lanre Balogun, said the council chairman had performed well and lived up to expectation.
He said that the chairman had done so by meeting the needs of the people and projecting the agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also, Alhaji Waheed Animashaun, the LGA party chairman, said the kind gesture was a testament that the chairman was a man of the people.
Chairman, Community Development Committee, Elder Wole Ogunjimi, applauded the chairman and urged him to do more.
Mrs Victoria Kolawole, a beneficiary, called on the chairman to make the distribution of food packs a quarterly affair, so that a lot of people could also benefit.
Others also thanked the council boss for the gesture and warned beneficiaries not to sell the food packs.