Chief (Mrs) Ajike O Ajewole Okenla has just been honoured with an award by Top Society Magazine as the Inspiring Woman of the Year, which was part of the anniversary celebrating the 10th of the Magazine/online publication. She expressed her feelings about being given an award and the challenges in caring for the needy and less privileged.
How do you feel about being honoured with this award?
I bless God; I feel happy that I am privileged to receive the award, I congratulate Top Society Magazine.
If you have just been honoured with a chieftaincy title before you receive this award, what is the title of your new chieftaincy?
My new title is the Asoludero of Onitigbo land.
How do you feel being honoured simultaneously with a chieftaincy title and an Inspiring Woman of the Year award?
“I am fine and feel excited that i am being recognised for my contributions to society.The chieftaincy title was given to me because of my contribution to helping the less privileged. I help the needy, I assist the widows as well, I do feed the less privileged and the physically challenged. I believe I got the chieftaincy title because of my impact on making society a better place for all, and the award was given because of my contributions to making society a better place.
‘‘Soludero simply means making it convenient for people to live as a member of the society.”
What inspired you to embark on helping the less privileged? In Nigeria, only a few people take responsibility for helping the less privileged?
“Though I am not very rich, I know how people feel when they don’t have anything, so I chose to give out of the little I have.”
How do you get finances to take care of all this kind of project, do you get support from somewhere?
”Presently, there is no support. I am still looking forward to getting people who will assist me in making this kind gesture, but I have been on it for almost ten years now.”
What has been the experience, because many people would have bombarded you with requests for one thing or the other?
”The challenge has been that when we have largesse to give out and we invite 150 people, we observed that in most cases, those that turned up do outnumber the people we invited.
“You will see some people crying that we should assist them, particularly when we are sharing food items; some will even resort to crying because they are hungry and don’t have food to eat.
“Honestly speaking, it has not been easy; we have to give those we did not make provision for initially another appointment to be able to take care of them.
“At times, you see young children crying because they have to go with food. It has not been easy, but it takes the grace of God.”
Your advice to Nigerians and the government?
“I will advise the government to look through the NGOs and foundations and think of what they can do for the needy, the less privileged and the physically challenged people, and all the less privileged members of the society.
“There are many people outside there crying for what to eat. The government should take it seriously by looking into the plight of the needy.”
