74-year-old retiree provides N600m home for aged persons in Ogun

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‎NIGERIA: CHERRY news has come the way of aged persons in Ogun State with the construction of a building to take care of them.

The N600 million building is to ensure that aged persons are prevented from isolation and that they would be given conform till the last breath, the initiator, Abimbola Johnson said.

The 74-year-old Johnson explained that the structure, which will be under her Non-Governmental Organisation, Gloryland Trust International, is sitting on seven and half hectares of land in Agodo village in Obafemi-Owode Local Government.

She said at a press conference over the weekend that the first phase of the programme would be commissioned on Tuesday.

While conducting journalists round the home named Gloryland Seniors Community, the initiator further explained that aged persons whose children are far away from them would be given comfort and provided recreational facilities to keep them active.

The building, GatewayMail observed, has, among others, various detached apartments, equipped with beddings, lightings, potable water, electronic gadgets, clinic and provision for resident staffers.

Johnson was accompanied during the facilities tour by members of the Board of Trustees – Muyiwa Osho, Dele Kotun, Femi Oyetayo and David Esuola.

“Gloryland Seniors Community is a dream envisioned by Gloryland members to contribute our quota in ensuring adequate care to our senior citizens at old age who have in their various capacities and at their early days served this nation’s faithfully and diligently either in the public sector or through their private vocations,” Johnson said.

According to her, the vision for the initiative began when “we got more emboldened to ensure this project, through my personal and accidental encounter years back, seeing an elderly victim of mob violence.”

She stressed: “Myself and some concerned and committed Nigerians selflessly, some years ago, commenced this journey and to the glory of God, the reward of our services is evident by the physical structures that have been completed in the first phase of this project.”

Johnson, who is the chairperson of the home, pointed out that the project was a testimony to many years of hard work, sacrifices, dedication and generosity of the stakeholders and supporters.

According to her, the commissioning of the first phase of the scheme would hold on Tuesday, November 8 and would be commissioned by the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

She, however, urged well-meaning Nigerians to contribute to the fund towards the second phase of the project.

“As you can see we are ready to provide care, comfort and recreation for any interested elderly Nigerian irrespective of age and gender,” she said, adding: “We are hopeful and with your support that we shall move on to the second phase.”

Johnson also said that the second phase of the building would consist of large hostel accommodation, recreational facilities, health centre, shopping and lifestyle enhancement centres.

She stressed: “Our commitment is to uplift the standard of living by providing the enabling environment for our elderly and senior citizens in a way that they can live through the last days in happiness‎.”

The chairperson also said: “We are set to commission variety of gardens, a fitness centre, serene prayer centres, supermarket, laundry, a library, poultry farm, recreational and entertainment arenas, staff/administrative quarters, swimming pools and a host of other facilities.” (November 6, 2016)