The founder, Aged Heart Care Foundation, the Atayeye of Moba Land, Oloye Esan Ogunleye has advocated for the enactment of laws that would cater for the old persons in the society as it is practiced in civilized countries.
The founder who tasked the three tiers of government to enact relevant laws that would look after the welfare of the Elderly persons in the society, tasking Nigeria Government to emulate civilized countries who aside building homes for the elderly also cater for their needs and health.
Chief Esan Ogunleye who said his observations and experiences about the poor standard of living of the aged prompted him to establish the Non Governmental Organisation in 2008 in Ilupeju Ekiti, Ifeloju Local Council Development Area, to cater for the aged in its environs, adding that one hundred and eighty six elderly persons have benefited from the foundation.
The founder made these disclosures while speaking to journalists at the 15th Anniversary of the Aged Heart Care Foundation in his residence, Ilupeju Ekiti on 27th December, 2023, at ‘ODUN ARUGBO’
The founder who bemoaned the ways the elderly persons are totally neglected in the society for the struggle to make ‘ends meat’ by their relations informed his resolve to look after their well-beings ” My frequent presence at home afforded me the opportunity to observe what the aged are passing through , mostly when their children and relatives left the community for greener pasture.Their aged parents are left at the mercies of relatives who could hardly cater for themselves, let alone the aged parents ”
Shedding light on the services of the NGO, Oloye Esan said he worked with the Board of Trustees of the Foundation to give adequate care to the aged, saying the BOT regularly visit the aged to ascertain their needs and provide medications.” We have Forty five members presently that we are catering for; we pay them monthly stipends, though it may not be enough for their upkeep but it’s a relieve to their families, any of them whose Condition needs medical attention, we take them to hospital for treatment and we foot their bills and conducted regular checks up on them” The founder who reiterated that ageing is a natural phenomenon which occurrence should not be regarded as a disease.
While explaining the composition of membership of the foundation, Chief Esan Ogunleye stated that three oldest persons from each District of thirteen in Ilupeju Ekiti were members while two each from Itapa Ekiti, Ijelu and Osin Ekiti made the total, forty five.
According to the founder “having observed over the years that when people grew up and leave school, gain employment or establish their own businesses, they hardly come back to the community and over time as a result of civilization, people tend to abandon the roots and the older people live more in the rural areas and they are not properly catered for.
“I also realized that government at all levels don’t seem to cater for such old people. But I enjoy coming back home very frequently and I see very old people that grow helpless every year, their health deteriorates, their means of livelihood get depressed also and I know there’s nothing I could do much about it. But I believe if I as an individual would try my bit, perhaps other people would try to emulate.
Since then, we have made it our business to pay stipends to various people starting from Ilupeju-Ekiti with 39 oldest people and by growth, we extended it to the neighbouring towns and villages including including Ijelu, Itapa, and Osin- Ekiti
“We set up the criteria for selecting beneficiaries because we can’t satisfy everybody. We initiated it on the basis of three oldest people in each of the communities and when they live and die, we replace them with the next group that are next in line. We have been very successful in the replacement criteria without rancor. It’s not by election or nomination. If in your family, you are the oldest, there’s nobody who can contest that, it’s not a question of being wealthier or more loved.
“We were delighted at some point down the road when Ekiti State government seemed to have introduced something similar but not exactly what we are doing. We have successfully managed the succession into the beneficiaries list year-in, year-out.
Oloye Esan atused that elderly people are growing daily and poverty level is on the increase, saying that was the reason why the foundation was founded to play its role in taking care of the elderly.
Speaking on the convergence of the elderly for the yearly programme, Chief Esan said at the end of each year, we gather them together. Some of them are eighty, ninety and hundred years old and above . They don’t go out anymore. We try to provide them with an avenue to come out once in a year and they are grateful for that.Majority of them are coming out for the first time this year.
“We sew dresses for them, we go around to their various homes, take their measurements, buy the dresses, pay the tailors, go and deliver it to them. That’s why they appear in the same uniform attire popularly referred to as Aso-Ebi.
We engage musician to give them the music they haven’t heard for a long time. They will dance, feed and provide them with Christmas gifts in a package that contains all types of things including uncooked food, personal hygiene items, soaps, drinks and some other little little things.
Considering the economic quagmire in Nigeria on the masses, the founder said , starting from January 2024, the monthly stipends given to the aged would be increased while promising to erect a befitting building for them where they can socialize, play, and reflect on olden days memories.
While speaking, the chairman Board of Trustees, elder Daramola applauded the founder for the initiative and he narrated their scope of operation which he said made the work easy. He appreciated those that have supported the foundation from inception till date while calling on well meaning Nigerians to support the foundation so as to expand.
The chairman, Ifeloju Local Council Development Area, Ilupeju Ekiti, Comrade Babatunde Ogunmilugba commended the family of Chief Esan Ogunleye for singlehandedly taking care of the elderly people in the LCDA for fifteen years, however tasked him to allow collaboration by well meaning Nigerians for expansion.
Also, the former minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran commended the initiative of Esan Ogunleye, calling on the residents of the LCDA not to take the foundation for granted. Adding that
the programme was a soul lifting which needed to be replicated in Ekiti State and Nigeria.
Among the beneficiaries were Chief Beatrice Abe, Chief Ajiboye and others who said the programme had impacted their lives in no small measures. They prayed God to strengthen the founder and prosper his ways.
High points of the programme were free medical check up for the elders and administration of drugs to them. Also, award were given to eminent personalities that had contributed to the success of the foundation.
Among the awardees were Prof. Tunde Adeniran, The Asiwaju of Ilupeju Ekiti, Arch. Dipo Ajayi, the late Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti, Oba Olaleye Oniyelu and the oldest member of the foundation among others
.Dignitaries at the programme includes; HRM Oba David Sunday Awe Akingbade, the Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti, the Owatapa of Itapa-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Makanjuola Ajaja, the Elejelu of Ijelu, His Royal Majesty, Adetoyinbo Ajayi,captains of industries and some government functionaries among others.
Sunday Ogidiolu was the musician who added glamour to the ‘Odun Arugbo’ while local foods such as roasted plantain with palm oil, bitter cola and others were served for refreshment.