After the elections hiatus, Aralola Olumuyiwa aka Ara has returned to continue her Eko Inspire Me by Ara project in Oshodi.
The team hit Terminal 3 at Oshodi to organise a sports, music and dance talents competition among the street urchins.
At the end of the table tennis tourney, Lekan Akeju, Diamond Oluwaseun, Azeez Akinade, Fawaz Tijani, Oudus Quazim and Kehinde Wahab emerged winners of the phase. There would be another phase which would culminate in a grand finale and an overall winner would emerge. Subsequently, 19-year old Seun Diamond from Delta State, who trained as a cobbler but became homeless due to circumstances and his quest for a better life won the music (rap) contest.
Talking more about the project, Ara said: “This is exactly where it started across the road 11 years ago where the project was conceived. We had to slow down due to the elections. Now that the election is over, we are back doing what I am called to do and my passion as well. We realised that as we started this work, it is not something that we can solve within the twinkle of an eye because everyday, every hour, these youths troop into Lagos.”
“It is not a Nigerian issue alone, it is a global issue. Homelessness is a global issue and for every social problem, there is an economic solution. What we are trying to do at Eko Inspire Me by Ara is to support the government in eradicating or eliminating if possible or reducing at the worst, the number of homeless youths or street urchins or area boys and girls, as we like to call them. It is heartbreaking for me as a mother because I see as young as 12 years old among them who came in from outside of the state.
“It will also shock you to know that approximately 95 percent of them are not from Lagos. They are from Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Anambra, Imo and they all came into Lagos for the greener pasture. Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who we are always thankful to for his support, has mentioned that he does not have the capacity as Mr. Governor to stop anybody from coming in but I am hoping that in the nearest future there might be a policy or constitution that can at least address this issue.”