AMBASSADOR Prince YOMMY ESHINLOKU Ogungbe: With My Savings, I Invest In People, Promote Better Living Conditions
For Eminent Ambassador Prince Yommy Eshinlokun Ogungbe, assisting humanity is a fundamental aspect of his existence. This admirable quality is a significant part of the legacy left by his late father. Prior to establishing the Imole Eko Foundation, he had been engaged in charitable activities for over twenty years. He began by aiding individuals on the streets, covering the costs for WAEC and GCE examinations, obtaining JAMB forms for eligible Nigerians, providing financial assistance, and settling medical expenses for the elderly.
This was all before he founded the Imole Eko Foundation, which we all are all celebrating today. Although this is the seventh edition of Imole Eko graduation ceremony, I can authoritatively say that many similar graduation ceremonies have taken place without proper documentation, we have pictures and the people who benefited can testify to the happenstances.
Light of Lagos as he is fondly called, emphasised that his efforts are not motivated by political ambitions. Instead, he expresses a genuine desire to see those in the lower class advance to the middle class with the support of his financial contributions. Prince Yommy Ogungbe took a few questions from CREEKVIBES OLUWADAMILARE DANIELS. Enjoy the rest of the story;
How do you feel when you hear about negative comments from individuals whom you have genuinely assisted in overcoming their challenges?
First and foremost, it is essential to reflect on the blessings that God has bestowed upon you. The Bible instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves. I firmly believe that God does not provide opportunities solely for individual benefit; rather, in every situation you find yourself, the individuals surrounding you constitute your primary family. I recall a time when my wife was in labour, which began in the early hours of the morning, precisely at about 2AM, I reached out to my neighbour, who graciously stepped in to assist me; they were indeed my first family, before my immediate and extended family.
Secondly, numerous events transpired. When you seek to assist others, God does not descend to offer help directly; instead, He sends someone to fulfill His purpose. It is important to express gratitude to God for granting you the opportunity to reach the level of helping others.
In terms of my father’s legacy, helping others was his top priority. As a young boy, I observed him extending assistance to many individuals, and I felt compelled to follow in his footsteps. I hold deep admiration for him due to his generous actions. Simultaneously, I have come to understand that it is more beneficial to offer a helping hand to those whom you can assist.
Regarding the Imole Eko students, what challenges do they present?
There are several challenges associated with assisting individuals; there exists a significant amount of mockery, backstabbing, greed, and self-interest. Some particular students aim to gather the empowerment items only to sell them; lavish the money, and then neglect their future ambition.
What is the primary objective of the Imole Eko Foundation?
Our primary objective is to ensure that students envision a more promising future. To accomplish this, we organized a seminar and invited professionals from various institutions to enlighten them on the importance of building upon the teachings of Imole Eko. We emphasized the necessity of utilizing the equipment we are providing to improve their lives and that of others.
Some of these students have parents who have successfully trained them in certain vocational skills; however, they lack the financial capabilities to acquire the essential equipment needed to advance in their chosen fields. For such individuals, our task is to verify their potential, after which we will guide them by issuing our forms, allowing them to participate in our training program.
In today’s world, it is common to see a fifteen-year-old girl clutching an iPhone worth millions of Naira. This amount of money could easily be used to establish a trade. Meanwhile, many boys are preoccupied with engaging in various money rituals in an attempt to live extravagantly.
Is there a mechanised system available to assess the speed at which students are learning and to evaluate the encouragement provided by their parents?
In between their learning window, we have a committee that typically visits their homes or contacts their guarantors to inquire about each student’s progression. As the training tilts towards the end, we will invite them for practical assessments to confirm their learning, and after graduation, we will assist them in establishing their careers with equipment.
In previous instances, some students gained admission to tertiary institutions, utilising the knowledge we imparted to support themselves; they did not rely on their parent hock line and sinker.
Additionally, we have a scholarship program; many students are currently enrolled in universities through our scholarship. I manage all these initiatives independently.
If God has blessed you, extend that blessing to others; we cannot expect the government to do everything. Who constitutes the government? It is essentially you and I. If we continue to support one another, many negative behaviours will diminish in this great nation, and numerous social vices will fade away.
During my upbringing, I never encountered instances of underage individuals using drugs, students engaging in prostitution to survive, street gangs, etc.
What is crucial now is for us, the youth, to reflect on what actions we should take to eliminate these vices.
Once their instructors have finished their training, I will empower them to become their own CEOs and manage their own businesses. We include widows and married women in our programs; we have not limited participation solely to the youth.
If you aspire to build an empire, begin by developing people. With the little savings I have, I ensure that I invest in people, assist humanity, and promote better living conditions; I truly do not have business with what others may say.
Has there been an instance of an individual selling their empowerment equipment?
Indeed, from the 6th edition, I learned that someone sold the sewing machine I purchased for N120,000 for N40,000. This is quite annoying; anyone who does that wants to remain in poverty. However, I refused to let this discourage me, as I believe that God has His own plans. My aspiration is for the lower class to elevate themselves to the middle class, enabling them to support their families and meet their basic needs.
In Europe, not everyone is a millionaire; in fact, the majority belong to the middle class and are thriving.
Training someone and providing them with the equipment, including a certificate, is sufficient for their advancement. We also part with a start-up amount; without the necessary tools, the knowledge you impart becomes meaningless.
What information would you like the public to have regarding the Imole Eko Foundation?
I began this journey long before I established Imole Eko Foundation as a non-governmental organization. I lost my father when I was 16 years old. Attending a boarding school made me not to see him frequently, although he visited my mother often. At the age of 14, I left my mother to live with him, and we spent two years together before his passing.
I lived with my dad in a polygamous home, where I was tasked with numerous chores and errands, which my mother had pre-informed me would be part of my training. Anyone older than I am was considered my senior and had the authority to send me on errands.
During school holidays, I would hawk goods on the streets for my mother, driven by my love for her. Moving into my father’s home presented a new set of challenges. I was in my third year of secondary school when I lost him. I witnessed his legacy.
He has four houses, (story buildings) containing various flats; however, my father never rented them out.
These flats were intended for individuals facing accommodation issues or those without shelter. Many of these individuals were not related to us, yet we referred to them as uncles. It is important to remember that you arrive in this world with nothing and will leave with nothing. If you are a trillionaire, how many of your children would you share these wealth with?
Why don’t you use your wealth to assist others? Instead, one often observes their children lavishly spending money in clubs both in Europe and Nigeria, which seems quite unjust.
Could you provide more details regarding the Imole Eko scholarship?
Like I said earlier, my give away has been going on for many years. I have been assisting young individuals with GCE, WAEC, and JAMB forms, and this has been an annual initiative up to the present time, prior to the emergence of NECO. I would estimate that I began this endeavour for over 20 years ago.
One of the students from Imole Eko Foundation, who excelled as the top student in the Make Over department, is currently thriving. It was from the makeup kit we provided that she was able to rent an apartment for her parents, and she is doing exceptionally well now.
Can we assert that Imole Eko is poised to empower all trainable youth in Lagos State?
No, we have individuals coming in from Kwara, Ibadan, the North, Ekiti, and other regions. It encompasses the entirety of Nigeria.
Can we assert that Imole Eko aims to empower 30% of Nigerian youth within a decade.
Indeed, but our objective is to achieve even more than that. Currently, I am the sole person sponsoring this initiative, but if I can find collaborators, we will be able to accomplish greater heights.
What inspired the name Imole Eko?
Imole Eko does not represent me personally; the inspiration for the name stems from my identity as a Lagosian. When I decided to adopt this name, it was someone who had benefited from my efforts who remarked, “This is light in Lagos State,” which led to the name Imole Eko.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we distributed food items and deposited N10,000 into people’s accounts. We also provided salaries to elderly individuals who are unable to work and earn. Our team visits them to assist with their medical expenses, particularly for those suffering from prostate issues and partial strokes.
Five years ago, one of our students experienced a blockage in her intestine due to a specific food that did not digest. I am not familiar with the medical terminology for this condition, but when I learned about it, I was deeply moved to tears. Although I was not present at the time, I sent one of my staff members to assess the situation and give me a report.
Upon my visit, I found the mother in tears, overwhelmed with the challenge of raising N450,000 for the necessary surgery. I stepped in and covered the costs for her operation. Following that, we provided her with a WAEC form, and I am pleased to say that she is doing well now, thanks to the little I have.
My actions are not motivated by political ambitions; I have asked God to continue guiding me so that I may persist in aiding those in need.
