Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The coordinator, Internally Displaced Persons camp, Ohogua, Edo State, Pastor Solomon Folurunsho, has said that he cannot turn off anyone driven by insurgency from his state to his camp for refuge despite the acute lack faced by the inmates.
He said this at the camp while thanking Nigerians for putting smiles on the faces of the inmates during this yuletide season.
Pastor Folorunsho said the recent killings in some parts of the northern states have compelled more persons to flee to his camp and when they come, their quest is just to have a peaceful place to lay their heads and go to school like every other person in the camp and he cannot turn them off.
Folorunsho added that he is willing to partner the government in helping the inmates but it must not leave all the responsibilities to the camp to shoulder.
“I want to appeal to them. you see, these are your children, they are Nigerians, they are world citizens. It is not just my responsibility, it is your responsibility.
“I know as a government, you have a lot on your table but please, I want you to help, help these people.
“You are trying to educate Nigerians, you want to build the nation and then, you have those of us here who are partnering with you.
“Some times, we write letters we don’t get reply, some time we write to different ministries we don’t get support. So, we want government to intervene in the area of health, electricity, water, education, foods.
” Like these young population here, wonderful children, ones they eat, the next thing you see them do, is their books and after that, sports.
“They don’t trouble anybody and they are growing well and next year, I have been telling Nigerians that we will be releasing 15 medical doctors and when those ones come, what is Nigerians going to say?
“The challenges we are having at the moment, in fact, almost every child except few that have scholarships, most of them, 98 percent of them have not paid their school fees.
“So, this is one of the big needs we have here and I am appealing to everyone to please, come and help these children, come and help them pay their fees.
“Some are in the federal universities, states, and private, brilliant children in various fields. They are many here. They just need your loving kind hearts, to stretch your hands and help them to pay their fees and they will come back to serve you well.
“So, government, do your job , help these children and God will bless you more”, Folorunsho said.
The camp coordinator, while looking at the past Christmas celebrations in the camp, said “this Christmas and New Year was better than the past two, three years.
“We had visitors who came to empathize with the children. The children were very happy. During this Christmas and New Year, they were able to eat unlike other times when there was no food at all.
“I remember one of the Christmas, there was no food in the kitchen but this time, God really used Nigerians and there was food to eat and they had time to play. Some groups came to do games, sports and they had fun together.
“I will like to thank everyone who showed up. God bless you all. They did wonderfully well, it was fantastic and I want them to know that God will bless them.
“This New Year is going to be a year of blessing to all of you that contributed”, Folorunsho prayed.