THE GREAT TESTIMONY 2015 THE RICHEST SLUM DWELLER Barely nine months after he was rendered homeless when his abode in a slum was set ablaze, and just about four months after he was attacked by hoodlums which almost claimed his life, had an human right activist organized an empowerment program, in which about seventy people were beneficiaries. The empowerment program was organized in order to make soft loans available for those that are involved in petty business. At the end of the program, seventy people were able to go home with twenty thousand naira each. The question that came across the mind of all that were present at the program was that, how could an ordinary slum dweller have been to afford giving an amount worth one and a half million naira to his community members? In his response, the slum dweller, a human right activist, Agbodemu Ishola Musbau said that he did this in order to help the poor masses that have no one to help them. Agbodemu explained that the money he gave to people for the non-interest loan was his long term savings and the money given to him when he lost his house to the fire incident that happened early this year, as most people proposed that he should leave the slum and secure an accommodation in a good environment. He added that the idea of giving out the non-interest loan is based on his ideology of helping the poor like him. ”How will I leave the slum where I grew up when there are many people that need money more than I do.”He buttressed further that he can leave the slum to live in another place but it’s of no essence when people are in dire need of money for their existence. ”I felt that if I can lost my properties that I have acquired for a long time within few minutes, why cant I give the money to people. This was what made me to give a non-interest loan of twenty thousand naira to sixteen people each when the fire incident occurred in April, and now, seventy people have benefited from it.” A good measure has been put in place to ensure that the beneficiaries are able to refund the money as soon as they realize it back. Agbodemu thereby implored the privileged in the society to always help those around them in any way they can. He said an individual is not considered to be wealthy because of the wealth he has acquired but because of the lives he has affected. An individual is considered rich when he is able to impart the lives of others, this mean that Agbodemu, though he is a slum dweller, yet he is rich because he has been able to use what he has to impact the lives of his community members. Agbodemu Ishola Musbau is an icon that someone can learn from. Compile by Oladunjoye Blessing a journalist Omodollarpo shuqroh morenikeji -response I went to Atayese meeting on Sunday evening at apapa road Ebute –metta and I met the president of the forum Dr adeolu explaining to the members that a Slum dweller has donated the sum of two hundred thousand naira (N200, 000) to the forums soft loan purse. Despite my soiled mood caused by a friend, I managed to smile. Just a day before, a family-friend told me that the slum dweller has sacrificed so much in their area in terms of development and helping people to stand on their feet. These got me thinking...I have been to this slum dwellers house, I have met his family and I can say he is not earning much. His house is just a planked house on sea of refuse. His house has been burnt several times. He was once shot when he went to support adekunle residents during the demolition of their houses, isnt it surprising that he wasnt even living there? He was cut in the stomach by area boys sent by royal family to the extent that his intestines were out on display. His offense? He led a struggle that the royal family should stop treating people like commoners on their land after all, the slave trade is over. Many struggles he has championed for the betterment of the people, fight against demolitions of properties without alternative, illegal detention of people, ill-treatment of tenants...to mention few According to my findings, he has donated another one million, four hundred thousand naira for organization that engage in soft loan to establish people. This soft loan doesnt even attract extra charges; it’s absolutely no gain project! The most shocking is, his house is still a plank on refuse, his kids still attend public schools, his clothes are no better. Yet, he contributes to peoples lives at the slightest opportunity given. The first question I asked him was... Where did you get this money you donated? His respond; the money was donated to him by different organizations and individuals when he was rushed to hospital for his stomach treatment. I thought humans have element of selfishness and self-cantered in the blood. Now I guess I was wrong, some people are naturally good people and they would do anything or go any length to help other people. Though, most people would prefer a fairy tale where all things are within their palms but this man would give his last kobo for others to spend because he believes he is a survivor. This slum dweller is one of a kind. Omodollarpo Shuqroh Morenikeji mass communication graduate thanks good people of our great Nigeria and Diaspora friends you are all wonderful Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri Abby Ojo Uri Jones Funmi Cole Amnesty International USA Emmanuel ProstApostle OfThe Way Adeolu Pamela Braide Betty Abah Funke Tega Phillips Yomi Amoo Olola Seun Akioye Eniola AkinkuotuMegan ChapmanAndrew W. Maki Anna Maitland Lilian Ndaa Isaac Zadok Oluwadurhotimi Emmanuel Segun Adio Patience OgboToluwani Darasiwa EniolaKudirat Lawal Adesina Shade Okedele Adebayo Waidi Gbenro Olakunle Sanni Blessing Izobo Abayomi Eric Olugbenga OlusogoAffiong L. AffiongAbiodun Aremu Egalitarian AremuforYouthsAdam Lawrence Yolonda Brown Adeniran BamiseBabatunde O. GbadamosiEngr Martin Onovo Yunusa TankoAyodele AkeleConnor Sheets Gbenga Komolafe Gbenga Richardson Adigun Lateef AdigunFolarin Samson Samson Sampam Salawu Michael Omuya Michael OguntugaNossky Shenossky Unlike • • Share • You, Bolaji Ibrahim Olowo, Bimbo Oshobe, Akande Idris and 32 others like this. • Abdwasiu Adebayo No retreat, no surrender. December 31, 2014 at 6:22pm • Unlike • 1 • Abdwasiu Adebayo may Allah continue to bless u nd ur family December 31, 2014 at 6:24pm • Edited • Unlike • 2 • Falola Olanrewaju Olurotimi Agbodemu, just want u to know that givers never lack. December 31, 2014 at 7:08pm • Unlike • 2 • Olumide Otegbeye Am nt surprise, have know him for almost a decade now and am still working on a book about this noble, courageous, gentle man..... More grace my comrade brother. December 31, 2014 at 7:17pm • Unlike • 4 • Blessing Izobo Weldon December 31, 2014 at 7:30pm • Unlike • 2 • Yolonda Brown This is grand and meaningful. December 31, 2014 at 7:36pm • Unlike • 2 • Funmi Cole That is deep....may God bless you more.. December 31, 2014 at 8:04pm • Unlike • 2 • Adeniran Bamise Daniel The Lord is ur strength, sir! December 31, 2014 at 8:41pm • Unlike • 1 • Olakunle Sanni The man of the people December 31, 2014 at 10:26pm • Unlike • 1 • Abayomi Eric Olugbenga Olusogo a great man...with so much love for the less privileged and those at slum....weldone sir December 31, 2014 at 10:30pm • Unlike • 1 • Shitta Arowolo Adebowale Mr slum, i still smile and will always do wt u, u knw y? Only u knw bst. God is cs u December 31, 2014 at 10:48pm • Unlike • 1 • Connor Sheets Happy New Year, Slumdweller De Great, heres to a prosperous and peaceful 2015 December 31, 2014 at 11:58pm • Unlike • 1 • Engr Martin Onovo Thanks Slumdweller for helping the poor. January 1 at 12:32am • Unlike • 1 • Abiodun Aremu I Salute your Compassion & tenancity in impacting on the lives of d underprivileged in yor immediate socio-economic environment. This, u are doing is a testimony of Love for Humanity, which is missing in d Pentecostal churches (Redeem, Winner, MFM, ...See More January 1 at 7:49am • Unlike • 1 • Slumdweller De Great Agbodemu great and thanks my boss Abiodun Aremu January 1 at 10:42am • Unlike • 2 • Samson Sampam Salawu Ona ti omi n gba wonu agbon...ko seni ti oye...God and d will of d people SHALL get u 2 dat House of Assembly,bi ala(like dream)lo maje fun awon olote...!!! January 1 at 2:25pm • Unlike • 1 • Michael Omuya Only a conscious socialist will think and acted the way he has demonstrated. Agbodemu has shown in his unlimited love for his constituency (the poor masses) some of the fundermental of NCP principles and ideolgies popularly refared to as Abolition o P...See More January 1 at 3:17pm • Edited • Unlike • 3 • Apostle OfThe Way Adeolu Well said,Michael Omuya
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 10:09:42 +0000
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