A philanthropist, Obatunde Ajao, popularly known as Alan, has fed no fewer than 1,000 people at the December edition of his monthly food bank programme, describing the initiative as a personal social responsibility aimed at supporting the less privileged.
The event was held on Tuesday in Ejigbo, Osun State.
Speaking to InsightMedia correspondent during the outreach, Ajao explained that the food bank, which comes alive at the end of every month, has been running consistently since August 2022, with December marking its grand finale each year.
He noted that the programme was born out of a lifelong desire to give back to the society.
“This is a food bank programme I organise for my people. We do it every month and in December, we do the grand finale,” Ajao said.
“It has been my dream since I was a child to help the community. I know the government cannot do everything, so individuals must also support where they can.”
He noted that the programme usually caters for at least 500 people monthly but was expanded to 1,000 beneficiaries for the December edition, stressing that love for the people has remained his main motivation.
“The economy is hard and people are suffering. If ₦5,000 or ₦10,000 can change someone’s life and I can afford it, why can’t I do it?” he asked.
Ajao clarified that the food distribution is open to all and not limited to any community or group. According to him, beneficiaries come from different towns including Ola, Isudurin and Inisha, with no form of selection involved.
“There is no selection at all. It’s an open programme. Anyone can come. As you can see, it’s a queue. We don’t even know the people,” he said.
He also dismissed speculations linking the initiative to political ambition, stating clearly that he has no interest in politics.
“Politically, don’t expect anything from me. I’m not interested at all,” he added.
Corroborating his remarks, the group’s Public Relations Officer, Moduro Tope, said the initiative is purely humanitarian and has nothing to do with politics. He explained that the programme has grown steadily over the years.
“What we are doing today is what we have been doing for years. It’s a foundation to bless people,” Tope said. He recalled that the outreach started on a small scale, sometimes sharing just one bag of rice, but has now expanded to over 20 or 40 bags per edition.
He added that special attention is given to aged persons, widows, widowers and the needy during distribution. “The aged are our priority because many of them can no longer fend for themselves,” he explained.
One of the beneficiaries at the event Nusiratu Jimoh from Oke Ayan, expressed gratitude for the kind gesture. He also prayed for the organiser, saying, “God will continue to bless him. He gives us rice every month. Nothing evil will befall him.”
Wemimo Beatrice, another beneficiary, described Ajao as a kind and caring man. “I am very happy for him. He listens to people and always does good,” she said.
Community members described the food bank as a consistent and impactful intervention that has brought relief to many households amid prevailing economic challenges.
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