Olanipekun’s Health Intervention Draws National Applause as FG, Ooni, S’West Govs Hail Ekiti Maternity Complex Donation

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; governors from the Southwest, and other eminent Nigerians on Tuesday showered praises on renowned legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, over his donation of a state-of-the-art Mother and Child Maternity Complex to the Ekiti State Specialist Hospital, Ikere-Ekiti.

They described the intervention as a major boost to maternal healthcare delivery and a model for national development.

The facility, christened the NewCruse Mother and Child Maternity Complex, was formally commissioned and handed over to the Ekiti State Government amid commendations for what dignitaries described as a rare example of purposeful philanthropy and community-driven nation-building.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Pate, represented by the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Prof. Kolawole Ogundipe, said the project aligned with the federal government’s commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality across the country.

The minister described the maternity complex as a strategic intervention that would expand access to quality antenatal care, safe delivery services, emergency obstetric care, immunisation and comprehensive healthcare for women and children.

He noted that Olanipekun had consistently demonstrated uncommon commitment to education, healthcare and community advancement through the Wole Olanipekun Foundation, urging affluent Nigerians and corporate organisations to complement government efforts by investing in critical healthcare infrastructure.

“This Mother and Child Complex represents a significant contribution to national healthcare objectives. It will improve maternal and child outcomes, reduce avoidable deaths and provide a more dignified environment for patients and healthcare workers,” he stated.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, described the intervention as “philanthropy at its best,” stressing that the project symbolised the kind of citizen-led development revolution Nigeria urgently requires.

According to him, the facility would not only serve Ekiti residents but also strengthen healthcare access across neighbouring states, while commending Governor Biodun Oyebanji for fostering an atmosphere that encourages successful indigenes to invest in their communities.

“This is the revolution Nigeria needs – where citizens take responsibility for development and government acts as an enabler,” Aiyedatiwa said.

Former Osun State governor and ex-National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, who commissioned the facility, described Olanipekun as a patriot whose legacy transcends legal accomplishments and public recognition.

Akande said the senior advocate had consistently channeled his success into impactful investments in churches, schools, libraries and healthcare facilities, noting that the maternity complex would remain “an enduring investment in humanity.”

“This clinic is not merely a building; it is hope for families, dignity for the vulnerable and proof that nation-building can begin from one patriotic citizen,” he added.

Also speaking, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, extolled Olanipekun’s contributions to humanity, describing him as “a specially created blessing to society.”

The monarch called on universities and researchers to document and study the lives of elder statesmen like Olanipekun whose leadership, philanthropy and professional accomplishments continue to inspire younger generations.

In his remarks, Olanipekun said leadership must be measured by sacrifice, service and commitment to societal progress rather than personal gain.

He urged residents and political stakeholders in Ikere-Ekiti to embrace collective responsibility towards community development, expressing concern over declining participation in communal advancement efforts.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, described the legal icon as one of Ekiti’s greatest ambassadors whose philanthropy has touched lives across sectors and communities.

Oyebanji said Olanipekun’s consistent investments in education, healthcare, religious institutions and public infrastructure reflected his deep commitment to humanity and his home state.

“There is hardly any part of Ekiti where you will not see Chief Olanipekun’s footprints. His success has become meaningful because he continues to use it to positively impact lives,” the governor stated.

Meanwhile, Olanipekun also commissioned a newly rebuilt ICT Digital Centre at Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, replacing an earlier facility he donated in 2007 which was partially damaged during the rehabilitation of the Akure–Ikere–Ado Road.

He explained that the upgraded centre was designed to meet global standards and called on old students’ associations nationwide to complement government efforts in reviving public educational institutions.

National President of the Amoye Grammar School Old Students’ Association (AMOSA), Dr. Martins Adeyemo, described the facility as a modern digital hub capable of supporting teaching, learning and e-learning services for about 150 users simultaneously.