Get Guardian on GoogleAt a time when rising living costs have left many households struggling to put food on the table, the Bunmi Onakoya Foundation has brought relief to 1,500 residents of Onipanu, Lagos State, through the distribution of food items.
The intervention, held at Majolate Primary School, Awoyoku, Onipanu, was part of activities marking the birthday of the foundation’s founder, Bunmi Onakoya, who said the gesture was her way of giving back to society and easing the burden on vulnerable residents.
The food items distributed included rice, beans, noodles, vegetable oil and spaghetti, among others.
Speaking with The Guardian at the event, Onakoya said she marked her birthday on Thursday, October 29, 2026, by continuing a tradition of charitable giving she had sustained for years.
According to her, the foundation had previously extended similar interventions to residents of Yaba, Magodo and other parts of Lagos, while this year’s edition was designed to reach 1,500 beneficiaries.
“We cannot wait for the government to do everything for us. I decided to support people in my constituency because I believe individuals and organisations also have a responsibility to help those in need.”
“My foundation does this every year. Last year, we focused on elderly people, but this year I decided to extend the intervention to 1,500 people. I am happy to see the large turnout,” she said.
Onakoya traced her passion for giving to her childhood, recalling how an encounter with a plantain seller while she was in Primary Six inspired her to help people in difficult circumstances.
“I noticed a woman selling plantains who had not sold a single one. I felt sorry for her and decided to buy all the plantains, including those that had gone bad. That experience strengthened my desire to help people,” she said.
She urged individuals to cultivate a culture of generosity, stressing that charitable giving should not be left to the government or wealthy individuals alone.
“Everyone should have a heart to give. Giving gives me joy, and I believe others will also find happiness in helping people. I do not joke with humanity, and seeing people smile is my greatest satisfaction,” she added.
She explained that the foundation’s interventions were focused on young people, women and the elderly, insisting that its activities were humanitarian rather than political.
Onakoya said that since the foundation was officially registered in 2021, it had reached thousands of people through educational assistance, food support, youth training and empowerment programmes, as well as healthcare interventions for elderly people.
She said the decision to sustain the food distribution programme was informed by the growing hardship and hunger in communities, adding that she felt compelled to do something to support struggling households.
“We realised that poverty and hunger are everywhere. I asked myself what I could do for my people. Knowing that many people are hungry, I decided to initiate this intervention because we cannot simply wait for the government to do everything,” she said.
