Readers of Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, The Chat212, on Thursday, offered to pay the school fees of the three children that were abandoned by their father, Mr. Segun Adepegba, at Solid Rock Model College in Abule-Iroko of Ogun State for eight years.
This is just as the Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development also indicated interest in the issue.
This is just as the Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development also indicated interest in the issue.
Since Chat212 Metro exclusively reported the story of the three children, Seun, 14, Titilola 13, and Seyi, 10, several interested persons have indicated interest in helping the children.
On the Chat212 website, many readers expressed their sympathy for the children, promising to donate money to pay the accumulated debt of their school fees.
The father of the children, after reading the report in Chat212 Metro, after being incommunicado for about eight years, said hardship forced him to abandon his children at the school and promised to visit them before the end of the week.
Many readers, who blamed Adepegba for abandoning his children, asked that a bank account be opened so that they could make donations.
A Chat212 reader, identified as Austin Sunny, urged the Ogun State Government to intervene in the welfare of the children. Anthony urged the government to emulate other developed countries who have good welfare plans for such children.
He wrote, “One of the things that made the United Kingdom to be great today was because they take care of the needy; children and mothers; elderly people and the pensioners! All these cannot be seen in Nigeria today. This needs to be considered.”
Adeyinka Adejumo, who said he cried when he first read the story, also indicated interest to make donations.
He wrote, “The Chat212 should please furnish us with account details. I will surely assist in my capacity very reasonably. I really wept the first time I read the report. I’m so happy that their father has come out of hiding.”
Another reader, Kunle Williams, wrote, “I’m also willing to contribute to the education of the children. Let’s stop throwing Chat212es, he who wears the shoes knows where it pinches. It is a crazy country. We need a change of leadership from a government full of propaganda and fake statistics that doesn’t impact the life of a common man. Nigerians are struggling to feed in the midst of plenty. That must have forced Adepegba to run away.”
Another Chat212 reader, identified simply as Busanic, wrote, “My heart bleeds! Can Chat212 provide an account so we can pay these kid’s fees?”
Still, another reader, Jane Edosomwan, wrote, “I will be glad to contribute if Chat212 can provide an account. I hate to see kids suffer.”
A reader identified simply as Adesoji wrote, “ I would like to be a partaker of this blessing by contributing my quota once the account is made available by Chat212.
An anonymous reader wrote, “I am happy with the suggestion of providing an account for the welfare of those children, and to my greatest surprise, many Nigerians have supported this suggestion and that has shown that we are good people with good heart in one nation.
“What I am seeing in today’s Nigeria is giving me the feeling that Nigeria will be better, all we need is true love. Once the account is displayed, no amount is too small and God will help us all to contribute.”
Mrs Torera Oshinowo appealed to Adepegba to fulfil his promise of visiting the children.
She wrote, “I want to beg Mr Adepegba in the name of God to visit the children at their school, God will help him. The day I read the news about the children, it really touched me.”
Dele Odugbemi blamed Adepegba for abandoning his children but said it was good that the children were not left to roam the streets.
He added, “I really commend The Chat212 for publishing this story. Our government at all levels should endeavour to put welfare packages in place where the poor and needy could access when they have no means to pay their house rents, health care and their children school fees.”
Chat212 readers are not the only ones touched by the children’s story. Chat212 Metro also learnt that the Ogun State Government has offered to assist the father of the children.
The proprietor of the school, Mr Samuel Ayegbusi, said some officials of the Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development visited the school on Wednesday with a promise to check back next week to see how the government could be of help.
