Obasanjo Launches Foundation In London!

President Obasanjo  who dressed in a white Agbada with a black shoe stated his mission and objectives for the establishment of the foundation during  the world press conference organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation at Grosvenor Hotel London.He said his personal conviction and personal experiences in life strongly motivated him to establish the foundation as a way of giving back to the society.

Obasanjo affirmed that  his foundation shall focus on five major areas namely girl- child education, youth unemployment, preventing non- communicable diseases, food and human security.

“If you educate a girl child,you’re educating a whole family and indeed a nation.Girl-child education discrimination due to cultural, religious and poverty reasons are not good for nation-building,Women produce more than 50 per cent of food consumed but they are prevented from inheriting lands in some cultures.They are also denied access to bank credits and loans.This marginalisation and discrimination must  stop.” Obasanjo stated.

On health aspect.”Health is a huge area of life as we all know health is wealth and health is also part of our living.From my research,we have over 38 million blind people in the world but sadly 90 per cent of them can still get their sight back if all resources are available.This is because they only need to do simple things like eating good diet, exercising regularly and regular medical checks.Some people would just say high blood pressure,diabetes,hyper tension and others are  diseases affecting the rich people only but poor people are also dying from these preventable diseases.”

The former Nigeria President who addressed the conference in conjunction with the Chairperson of the Foundation, Ms. Anne Welsh and Mr. Richard Attias who is a consultant with Romain Grandjean  and also part of the Bill Clinton Initiative in America declared that government of various countries in Africa are doing their possible best to reduce the afore mentioned issues, but further insisted that more still need to be done.

“I am not saying that government or private sectors,other foundations and charity organisations are not doing enough. In spite of all what they are doing, there is still a big gap that must be filled. Human security is not the responsibility of one organisation or government alone,it is for everybody to be security-conscious.” Obasanjo said.

On his past foundations,Obasanjo said that he established African Leadership Forum in his efforts to train many young Africans in the areas of good governance,entrepreneurship,management,community development and empowerment and he also established Olusegun Obasanjo library in Abeokuta to inspire new generation of Nigerians that would embrace education and preservation of our culute.

The Foundation launched on Friday,8th February,2013 attracted more than 2,000 guests across the globe.Head of States from different countries such as Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan; Dr.Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia; John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, President Thomas Yayi Boyi of Benin Republic, among other  dignitaries from Nigeria, including Alhaji Aliko Dangote,Mr Femi Otedola,Chief Jim Ovia,former Cross River state governor,Donald Duke,former Oyo state governor,Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala,first lady,Mrs Patience Jonathan,Chief Sonny Odogwu,Bayelsa State Governor,Mr.Dickson Seriake,Edo state governor,Comrade Adams Oshiomole,Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK,Dr.Dalharu Tafida,deputy High Commissioner to the UK,Ambassador Oluwatoyin Lawal,Dr.Reuben Abati,Mr.Oronto Douglas,Mr.Peter Mandelson MP,Mrs.Oby Ezekwesili,former CBN boss,Charles Soludo,Mr.Bimbo Afolayan,president CANUK,Mr.Femi Okutubo,publisher/CEO Trumpet MediaGroup UK,Mr.Mike Abiola,Publisher/CEO,African Voice magazine UK,Mr.Ken Wiwa Jnr,Mr.Richard Taylor of Damilola Foundation London,Otunba Fashawe,top diplomats from various countries and many more.

The Foundation, which will spread its tentacles across various countries in Africa and other continents, is expected to kick-start its programmes in Malawi or Mali very soon.

Ms.Anne Welsh who is the Chairperson of the foundation expressed gratitude for being appointed to head the new charity organisation and promised to do her best to see to the success of the whole project.

“I  was born in Kaduna northern Nigeria as a sickle-cell anaemia child.I have experienced many health issues in the past.We are ready to work with like minds with progressive ideas to move Olusegun Obasanjo foundation forward.We need your support to excel with all our set-out objectives.” Anne Welsh stated.

At the end of the world press conference,former President Olusegun Obasanjo warmly greeted all the journalists,exchanged banters and later snapped photos with everybody present at the event.The roundtable conference and dinner ceremony later took place afterwards.