Speeches

The Change-A-Life Programme Organised By Funmi Iyanda

Feb 21, 2009 - It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this occasion organized by Change-A-Life project with the active support of the Lagos State Government. Since its commencement on January 1, 2002, Funmi Iyanda’s change a life project is sounding, to me like change a country project.

Why? Because the project deals with the concrete lives of compatriots regardless of their origin, gender and creed, those among us who face life-threatening poverty that has robbed them of their dignity and prevented them from contributing to national development. The aim of the project which is to empower the beneficiaries financially and give them their voices in society deserves our support. The target group, indigent but brilliant children of school age from single-parent homes is indeed disadvantaged and deserves the helping hand being extended to them through this project. Indeed, its motto: Transforming Lives; one person at a time, sums up the essence of the project. It clearly reminds us of our interconnectedness as brothers and sisters, our collective humanity which we must treat at all times as an end in itself, not as a means to an end.

This benevolence which informs the project has been the reason behind the Lagos State Government full support of the project since it started seven years ago. And why we will continue to support it.

May I therefore, commend Ms Iyanda for her vision and mission, a patriotic zeal which is worthy of emulation and assistance. She has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt a resolve and determination which only a kind, loving heart can show. Evidence that she is well-intentioned abound. Ms Sekinat Ayeyemi, one of the early beneficiaries is the current project coordinator of the project. With six (6) undergraduates in universities, a few others already holders of the National Certificate of Education, NCE, and Ordinary National Diploma, OND and ten (10) parents who have been offered financial support to improve their businesses, the project which started seven years ago with sixty eight (68) recipients is a success story. In all, 150 children and an estimated 3,000 persons have benefitted under the scheme. Many are attending public and private schools, technical and vocational institutions in Lagos.

I am aware that during these seven years, the project has expanded in scope; apart from offering scholarship and family support, it also offers free health care support services to beneficiaries and their parents and mentoring and internship opportunities to the students upon graduation.

At the sixth edition of the programme last year, I directed that fifteen (15) more beneficiaries be included to replace those who have dropped out of the scheme, either because of death or poor grades. The intention is to sustain the original aim of the project, which is to offer financial assistance to indigent but brilliant Nigerian children of school age. With time, its growth into a full life support project, offering various forms of assistance to beneficiaries and their parents in the areas of scholarship, micro- credit, mentoring and internship support and health care has made it a total life –support package.

The scheme needs to consolidate. It needs to be institutionalized and legalized to turn it into a foundation.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, our lives, yours and mine are linked by a patch work of associations, events and circumstances which offer us the chance to affirm our common humanity always. Fortunately the core value of our traditional life supports this sense of communalism, being our brothers keepers.

Ms Iyanda has planted, nurtured and groomed this idea from inception. We can now see the fruits her idea has sprouted in the lives that have been touched. Lives are actually being changed, one at a time.

It is pretty obvious that when we assist our less endowed brothers and sisters to get on in life, we are not only addressing their personal or group pains but also strengthening the chord that binds us together. What would life mean if in the abundance of water, many are thirsty? Of what use are material acquisitions in the midst of abject poverty? Can a country achieve greatness when the fortunes of its youths are left to the vagaries of nature and unfavourable circumstances of life? Can a country achieve political liberty when majority of the people lack economic freedom? How many of us have not felt diminished by images of deprived, hungry children hawking on our streets from sunrise to sundown? These are some of the questions we must ask ourselves often, particularly as leaders in public and corporate organizations in an emerging economy such as ours in which economic development may well mean the difference between grinding poverty and grand comfort.

Lagos State government has chosen to support this project because it fits into our development plans for a mega-city in which everybody will have the opportunity to live by their talents and skills. Many of you here have supported us in this dream in countless number of ways. I cannot thank you enough. As fellow travelers therefore, I wish to once again urge you to add your widow’s mite to this project.

Let us be our brothers and sisters keepers by sowing today in the CHANGE-A-LIFE FOUNDATION, so that we can reap a bright future collectively. We all know the meaning of the law as you give so shall you receive. Let us sow NOW!

I thank you for listening. May God bless you all.

“Eko O ni baje!”

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN.
Governor of Lagos State