A former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), has called on wealthy Nigerians to embrace philanthropy to reduce the high level of poverty in the country.
He said this in an interview with our correspondent at the Christ Ambassadors’ Fellowship Week 2023 organised by the Christ Miracle Church Mission in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Saturday.
Amosu said, “You will be shocked that a child is denied access to the classroom because of lack of notebooks and all sorts of materials. This is one of the areas we can deplore our resources.
“I want to remind the wealthy in society that no matter how rich you are, always reflect and ask yourself, where did the wealth come from? It’s from God. You need to remember the existence of the needy around you. Whether you are a Christian or Muslim, giving will go a long way to reduce poverty in our society.”
Speaking earlier on the topic, ‘The spiritual and metaphysical benefits of philanthropy’, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Olatunde Olajuyigbe, said helping people was a divine obligation that man must engage in.
He, however, cautioned against wasteful spending, adding that citizens must channel their resources to helping the underprivileged.
Olajuyigbe stated, “You must retrain your selfishness. If you feel affection for other people, you must begin to scale down. What I am saving will do something for somebody else.
“We spend too much on ourselves. We must begin to tame our appetite. If the fear of God is in us, we must begin to say no to certain things.
“Christ made himself a life of no reputation and it has to feature in our lifestyle; it has to feature in our spending.
“We must ensure that our philanthropy is that which is accepted by God. God wants us to do things in a way that is different from the way that the world does it.”
Citing Psalm 68:19, he added, “When God has loaded us with benefit, He expects that such benefit is extended to other people.
“He didn’t just give you the benefit for yourself alone, but to help people. God is counting on us to do His bidding, to fill the gap, to take the burden off people, and to lift people from stress.”
The CAF Chairman, Kunle Filani, in his welcome address, said the event was organised to help people, especially children.
The highlight of the event was the launch of the Christ Ambassadors’ Education Endorsement Fund as well as the presentation of a documentary and award presentation.
Unveiling the project, the CAEEF Chairman, Mr Lekan Abdul, said it was aimed at revolutionising the act of selfless giving by supporting children of the underprivileged.
He added, “Our focus is on the education of smart, intelligent, and purposeful children of the underprivileged members of our fellowship from the primary school to tertiary level.
“With this fund, each child will be sponsored by just one individual at various levels of education
“We will also be providing mentorship and guidance to these future leaders of our society. It must be remembered that quality leadership and guidance have positive effects on young people’s personal growth and development.”
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