Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has fulfilled his promise to provide a house and a wheelchair for a resident living with disability, Babatunde Oluwadaisi Isiah Chesire, months after the beneficiary appealed for assistance during the state’s 50th anniversary programme.

 

The symbolic handover of the keys to the newly completed house and a wheelchair took place on Monday at Moniya, Akinyele Local Government Area, where officials of the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities (OYPWD) presented the items on behalf of the governor.

 

The Director-General of OYPWD, Ayodele Adekanmbi, who handed over the house, said the gesture reflected the Makinde administration’s commitment to inclusive governance and the welfare of persons with disabilities.

 

According to him, the governor made the promise in January after Chesire sought assistance during the Oyo-at-50 celebration for persons with disabilities held at Omololu Olunloyo Park, Ibadan.

 

Adekanmbi described the donation as the fulfilment of a commitment aimed at restoring dignity and improving the quality of life of the beneficiary.

 

“Today is not simply the presentation of a house and a wheelchair; it is the fulfilment of a promise and proof that compassionate governance is demonstrated through actions that restore dignity and hope,” he said.

 

He urged Chesire to preserve the property as a family legacy, warning against selling it, and assured that the state government would continue to implement programmes to improve the welfare of persons with disabilities.

 

Also speaking, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Disability Matters, Olufemi Timothy, lauded Makinde for sustaining policies that promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.

 

The governor’s aide said many beneficiaries had received employment opportunities, empowerment support and other interventions under the present administration.

 

An emotional Chesire, who has relied on a wheelchair for several years, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise.

 

He recalled that he and his family were previously forced out of their rented apartment in Moniya and described the donation as life-changing.

 

“I never imagined I would become a landlord or own a house of this magnitude,” he said.

 

Chesire also recounted how he was abandoned by his parents during childhood, saying the governor’s intervention had restored his hope and confidence in life.

 

The beneficiary prayed for the governor and described him as the first Oyo State governor to demonstrate such commitment to the welfare of persons with disabilities.