For Hammed Tajudeen, a community youth leader from Ojomu Royal Communities in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, one does not need to be a political office holder before embarking on poverty alleviation schemes,
Chiamaka Ozulumba reports
“Most people think leadership is about being in charge. Most people think leadership is about having all the answers and being the most intelligent person or the most qualified person in the room. The irony is that it is the complete opposite. Leadership is about empowering others to achieve things they did not think possible. Leadership is about pointing in the direction, articulating a vision of the world that does not yet exist. Then asking help from others to insure that vision happens.” -Simon Sinek
For Hammed Tajudeen, a community youth leader from Ojomu Royal Communities in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, one does not need to be a political office holder before embarking on poverty alleviation schemes or programmes to put smiles on the faces of your community people.
Tajudeen who is popularly known as Hammed Ajiran did not just appear from sky, he has seen the good, the bad and the ugly. According to him, “I was born in Ojomu Royal Communities, My parents were very poor, it was so difficult for us to feed and live. It was so tough for us, so I did many odd jobs to survive. I was once a bus conductor here in Lagos. I hawked on the streets, and I did welding job and other manual labour jobs to survive and support my family.”
As someone who tasted and knew how poverty or hunger can lead to depression, since his breakthrough, he decided to go into poverty alleviation schemes to help reduce poverty in his community and beyond.
Friday, May 21, 2021, was day to be remembered as people of Ojomu Royal Communities and other communities in Eti-Osa Local Government Area were empowered with not less than 25 cars, N15,000,000 cash gift, sewing machines,hair dryers, hair straighteners, ironing tables, pressing irons and other saloon and tailoring equipment.
As an astute lover of quality grassroots education, Tajudeen also carried out outreaches to schools in the Eti-Osa area; where he gifted them with school buses and other educational materials to smooth sail the vision of the leaders of tomorrow.
Speaking during the event, Lagos Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr. Olanrewaju Elegushi, disclosed that empowerment such as this is very key to the society and must be encouraged because people are empowered there will be less crimes, and the the economy will grow.
According to him, “I am overwhelmed by the gesture of Mr. Hammed, what he did today is something that is extraordinary for an individual who is not even a politician to handle, his passion to help people is so huge. The commercial vehicles given out today will advance the goal of the Lagos State government in the transportation sector which the governor, Sanwo-olu is working seriously to improve.”
Pastor Ibukun Akintoye, who is one of the beneficiaries of Hammed Tajudeen empowerment scheme said “I can’t even express my excitement over the gift. This is so great. Mr. Hammed is God sent to us all. He is bringing many out of poverty. Those people that got commercial vehicles will have a good source of income. May God bless him.”
Akintoye, who was lucky to get car at the Hammed empowerment scheme, noted that it was because of the leadership roles he has been playing in the community, not because there is any special thing he has been doing for the philanthropist, adding that there is always a reward for any good deed either by God or man”.
