The Arole Oduduwa & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has called on Nigerians especially Yoruba descendants to show genuine concern for humanity by assisting the poor and other vulnerable members of the society.
Ooni Ogunwusi made the call on Monday while receiving a joint delegation of Jack-Rich Special Support Initiative, Belema Oil J.V & BELEMA Aid & Foundation led by the wife of founder of the groups, Mrs. Elizabeth Jack Rich on a courtesy visit to the ancient palace.
Ooni, the Co-Chairman of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria(NCTRN) lauded the Jack Rich family for helping countless individuals through their Jack-Rich Special Support Initiative, BELEMAOIL as well as BELEMA Aid & Foundation, describing Mr Tein TS Jack Rich as a down to earth detribalized Nigerian philanthropist.
“My dear daughter, Your husband is a detribalized Nigerian philanthropist who has led these wonderful organizations to do several projects in the South south, South East and in the Northern parts of Nigeria. I want you to also make the southwest your next destination for philanthropic projects.
“Am so happy to have you and your team here. We all must be concerned about the well being of our neighbours, let us emulate the kind gesture of the lovely Jack Rich’s family whose investment in human development and capacity building are so incredibly massive.
“They have executed several projects towards making the world a better place for all and they are still working on many others. They appreciate nature, they value culture and I am so happy to host the wife who is a daughter of Oduduwa from Ondo state.”
Ooni noted.
Earlier in her speech, Mrs Jack Rich expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Ooni, describing the African foremost monarch as her respected father.
“Kabiyesi, you are my father by virtue of your position as the the head of the land of Oduduwa. You are also the father of my husband because he is married to your daughter.
“This is my first visit to Yorubaland apart from Lagos since I was born. Jack Rich is bringing projects to Yorubaland and we are starting from Ile-Ife because this is the source and ancestral home for all of us in Yorubaland.
“I am so overwhelmed with what I have seen here today and I want to say that I am proud as a Yoruba daughter. His Majesty has really done a lot for the entire continent of Africa through the promotion of the prestigious Yoruba culture and through his youth development programs. I am so proud to identify with him., my husband loves him so much and the entire family of Belema Oil JV, Jack Rich Special Support Initiative and BELEMA Aid Foundation ably led by my husband are so happy to be his children.” She said.
The Jewish father and Yoruba mother born Mrs Jack Rich also in her speech mentioned selfless service, poverty alleviation passion and human capital investment as a great meeting point between Ooni Ogunwusi and the Jack Rick family.
“Kabiyesi, we love you in our family, My husband and I value you so much, the Nigerian youths have so much confidence in you. My husband too is coming here very soon to see how best to work with you in all of your programs because both of you have one thing in common. Selfless service to humanity is the the thing and that’s your major meeting point”. She added.
Some of the social performance & National development projects executed by Belema Oil JV in collaboration with the Jack-Rich special support initiative and Belema Aid Foundation are; the provision of potable water for rural communities in Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Sokoto and Gombe states.
In infrastructural development, the Jack-Rich initiative renovated and even constructed roads with drainage system in Bauchi and Rivers states as well as the construction of several flats for students, Nigerians Army and Hospitals among others.
In human development and capacity building, this unique Nigerians award scholarship annually for undergraduates and graduates across all field of study, engages in the training and retraining of interested persons to acquire entrepreneurial skills.
For instance, 384 students across Rivers State benefited from BELEMAOIL JV Scholarship in 2018, while a total of 1,100 women were trained in diverse vocational areas in the same year.
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