- Family, friends launch The Wuraade Adekoya Foundation
Children should exhibit love and care for one another and their environment. This forms the objective of ‘The Wuraade Adekoya Foundation’, a new foundation to immortalise the memory of Wuraade Adekoya who would have been 21 on June 12.
The late Wuraade put out a small fire from spreading. The fire emanated from burning vegetable oil, and the smoke eventually led to her death because it was in an enclosed kitchen.
As part of activities to mark her 21st birthday, albeit posthumously, family members and friends of the late Wuraade from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), as well as staffers of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA), visited the Triple Passion Home Initiative in Magodo, Lagos, to extend hands of charity to children with special needs.
The team also visited the Makoko community where Wuraade’s mother, Mrs. Bisola Branco-Adekoya, Head, Public Affairs Directorate of LSHA, shared fond memories of her daughter.
The team, clad in branded white tops, again staged a walk in Bariga community where she grew up to notify them of her death.
According to the deceased’s mother, launching the foundation was to fulfil her promise to celebrate Wuraade’s birthday, though she didn’t know it would be posthumously.
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She said: “Wuraade was industrious, full of love and compassion to all that met her. This posthumous celebration was made possible by support from the Lagos State House of Assembly, contributions from family, friends and her colleagues from the Mass Communication Department of UNILAG.
“We intend to keep this relationship Wuraade’s memory because she was involved in charity. We also gave out her costly medications to those who cannot afford it. Wuraade would often contribute money with her friends to support indigent children in Makoko, and so this foundation is for people going through trauma, people who are in need.”
Wuraade’s father, Michael, said the turnout exemplified the celebration of his daughter in the most memorable way. He urged the children to covet love and care.
One of the founders of Triple Passion Home, Mrs. Adedoja Omikorede, a specialist child-care giver, said the purpose of Wuraade’s death is fulfilled in the number of help that can go round to the less able ones.
“There is ability in disability; we are all created for a purpose, so that people like you can show us compassion. Wuraade’s death has a purpose, part of which is being fulfilled here today,” Mrs. Omikorede said.
The team also visited the Trauma and Burn Centre in Gbagada, where Wuraade was hospitalised after the accident, and patients were presented with gifts.