Barely two months after the Daniel Ayoola Dare Foundation (DADF) was established, residents of Ogbomoso in Oyo State relished yet another gesture from the foundation. This time, they had their eyes screened during which 1,000 free eyeglasses were given to them in a two-day free health programme. YINKA ADENIRAN reports. .
In February, a historic event took place at Ogbomoso in Oyo State. At a colourful ceremony attended by dignitaries and ordinary folks, Sunday Dare launched a foundation in honour of his late dad, Daniel Ayoola Dare (DAD).
The early beneficiaries of the gesture were the traders who lost their means of livelihood when the popular Akande Market, Ogbomoso, was destroyed by fire few months ago. Dare, through the foundation, donated N25, 000 to each of the traders.
The inauguration, which took place at Dare’s Ogbomoso country home, attracted eminent personalities that included the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi who was represented by the Onjeru of Ijeru, Oba (Dr) Elijah Popoola; community, political and religious leaders as well as officials of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), where Dare is an Executive Commissioner in charge of stakeholders’ management.
At that event, Dare had promised his people that by April, eyes tests would be conducted for between 700 and 1,000 people, even as he said they will be given free eyeglasses.
When the Daniel Ayoola Dare Foundation (DADF) told the people that at least 1,000 free eyeglasses would be distributed to them, barely two months after it was launched, many people had wondered what to expect in view of the short time frame.
But the Foundation got a glimpse of what to expect when it invited 65 people for free eye screening and free eyeglasses to launch the Foundation in February, and about 300 people showed up.
However, with the attendance at the two-day event, which held at the Sabo Baptist Church, Ogbomoso, there is no gainsaying that the people of Ogbomoso had no reason not to believe the organisers, as many people trooped out to be part of the free eye screening programme.
Despite the early morning rain that nearly disrupted the event, the beneficiaries waited patiently to be screened and attended to by the medical personnel.
Organisers of the DAD Foundation revealed that beyond the eye screening and free eyeglasses provided for the beneficiaries, people with referrals for cataract and surgeries will also be treated.
Daniel Ayoola Dare Foundation (DADF) was launched in February by the Executive Commissioner in charge of stakeholders’ management of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Sunday Dare with a three-point focus to touch the people of Ogbomoso, his native town in particular and Oyo State in general.
But for Sunday Dare, who is the initiator of the Foundation, the free eye screening and eyeglasses are not about the cost but about the sacrifice for the poor.
He said: “When you begin to talk about the cost, then, it defeats the sacrifice. Whatever you give somebody that does not cost you something is not worth it. We had to import the glasses, buy cases and make sure the glasses are prescribed because we are also giving out eye medications, eye multivitamins and not just eyeglasses.
“I don’t want to mention the figure involved because the effort is a continuous investment. All we are glad about is that it is also good to give back to the society.”
Although Dare hails from Ogbomoso, his passion through the efforts of the DAD Foundation is obviously beyond the region.
On the second day of the event, elated Dare said: “In order to allow more people across the state benefit from the programme, the Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the state’s Ministry of Health as well as the Minister of Health have all expressed willingness to partner the foundation.
Continuing, he said: “Like they say, charity begins at home. When we are through with the free health outreach in Ogbomoso, by June, we will begin with the one planned for Ibadan.
“Governor Ajimobi has agreed that the state Ministry of Health will partner with us, the Minister of Health has agreed that his ministry will partner with the Foundation. So, in July, we are going to have a bigger one that will include several surgeries of cataract and glaucoma and we will give out eyeglasses also.”
Although the Foundation is beginning with eye treatment, the founder of the organisation said its scope is not limited to eye treatments alone.
“It’s in phases. The DAD Foundation’s mission is in three folds. We have a medical mission, a subsect of that is the eye treatment and, according to the general saying that the eye is the light of the whole body, if you take the eyes away from a man, you have taken away something important to his livelihood.
“The other subsect of the mission is also the surgery. Because we gave glasses, surgery is a procedure which can be a bit complicated. And then eventually, we will now have other surgeries: appendix and the others.
“Also we have the family support programme which will involve giving out food stuffs and some kind of empowerment to the poor. Right now, this is the first stage. It’s going to expand eventually. The foundation is also adopting a couple of secondary schools in Ogbomoso. We are going to fix the schools, the Soun of Ogbomoso has already given us two schools and I would not want to mention them until the schools are ready.
“We are already fixing the schools. But beyond Ogbomoso, we are reaching out to Ibadan. We are reaching out to Oke-Ogun, but this is something that has just started and it is going to grow in quantum with time.”
Although, Dare did say he had no political intention, he added that he would be willing to accede the call to serve should his people deem it fit to call on him to do so, saying, “in a way, some people call me ‘Omowale’. I have been a sojourner for a very long time. My parents moved to the North and lived there for 59 years, I was born in the North and lived there for 30 years, lived in America for another 12 years, lived in Lagos for another five years.
“So, while I am known much within the country, to a large extent, I needed to come back and reconnect to say I am from here and I think, for me, the satisfaction is that I heed a clarion call to say I am here. I am your son and my people have listened, that is my satisfaction. They get to know me from there. If, along the line, they call me to serve, I am experienced and tested, I am ready and I can serve in any capacity.”
A former Secretary to the Oyo State Government and former Chairman, Oyo State Local Government Service Commission, Pa David Ladeji praised Dare, saying such effort would help the poor as it will give them hope to live.
The senior citizen said he was proud that a fellow Ogbomoso indigene would remember people at the grassroots and care for their eyes, which he described as an important part of life.
“I appreciate anybody who thinks of the grassroots, the poor people at the local level. I worked for 18 years at the local government and I served as local government secretary and Director of Personnel before I became the Permanent Secretary in Oyo State and later the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
“So, I appreciate anybody and everybody who thinks about the grassroots. Having worked for 18 years at the grassroots level, one has to praise the person who evolved this programme through which the youth are remembered, the downtrodden and those who have no means of providing eyeglasses for themselves.
“I appreciate it more that an indigene of Ogbomoso, with his moderate means of livelihood, still is committed to alleviate the suffering of the common people; easing their lives and thereby giving them the opportunity to live longer. The donor deserves our support and appreciation.