The Abosede Tomori Foundation (ATF) made a debut in Lagos on Saturday with its flagship health outreach programme and cash grants for the unemployed, small, and micro businesses.
Speaking during the launching of the foundation in Ejigbo, Oshodi-Isolo constituency II, its Chairman and Special Assistant to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development on Media, Segun Tomori revealed that ATF was conceptualized to immortalize his late mother, Abosede Adebisi Tomori, and honour her legacy of generosity by providing succor to the less privileged and lifting the downtrodden.
“I lost her when I was still finding my feet, when I couldn’t repay her unparalleled kindness and love, when I couldn’t give her the life she deserves. So, I made a solemn vow to do what I could to ensure that her name never fades, to ensure it is etched in our hearts, in the hearts of the downtrodden, not only in this constituency, but across the length and breadth of the country,” Tomori asserted.
According to him, “Our mission at ATF is to honour her legacy of generosity by transforming lives and building communities for the emancipation of the less privileged. It is our vision to shape communities, where dignity of lives matter, ensuring support, not struggle, defines the human experience.”
The intervention areas of the foundation is encapsulated in five thematic areas including health outreach to the less privileged; Skill development and scholarship targeting disadvantaged Youth; Schools Intervention Programme (SIP) to assist indigent children access basic education; Food packs support for disadvantaged families and cash grants to boost Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).
The foundation kick-started its interventions with a health outreach programme that provided free medical care for about 250 residents of Oshodi-Isolo constituency II comprising Ejigbo and Isolo LCDAs while owners of 50 micro and small businesses received cash grants of N50,000 each. Additionally, over 130 bags of 5kg rice were distributed to indigent beneficiaries.
“This is only the beginning – we intend to scale up these interventions and extend it beyond this constituency to other parts of Lagos state and across the length and breadth of the country,” Tomori added
Delivering the keynote address, chairman of the occasion, and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, ably represented by his Special Adviser, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan applauded Tomori on the laudable initiative, noting his unwavering dedication as a public servant and expressing confidence that the same passion would drive the success of the foundation.
Describing the intervention areas of the foundation as brilliant, compassionate and timely, the minister urged Nigerians to emulate Tomori by finding ways to support people in their communities, stressing that such grassroots interventions complement government efforts as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
In his goodwill message, Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Muhammed Bulama lauded Tomori for launching the foundation at a young age, describing him as a “rare breed with great potential.”
He emphasised that the initiative aligns with FRCN’s motto of “Uplifting the people and Uniting the Nation”, assuring the foundation of the unalloyed support of the corporation to ensure it impacts more communities across the country.
Dignitaries that graced the occasion include Minister of Solid Minerals Development represented by Special Adviser, Kehinde Bamigbetan; Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Muhammed Bulama; Representative of DG of National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Lagos State Director of the agency, Mustafa Adedeji Tukur; Executive Secretary/CEO, Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), Hajia Fatima Umaru Shinkafi ably represented by Mr. Bola Atanda; Deputy Managing Director of Rapidlink Resources, Samson Enema, political and community leaders of Ejigbo and Isolo LCDAs, market association leaders, amongst others.
