Ex- Appeal Court justice donates wheelchairs to physically challenged

Former Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Justice Mustapha Akanbi (retd)

The Founder, Ma-Assalam Islamic Foundation and Mustapha Akanbi Foundation, Justice Mustapha Akanbi (retd), has urged all tiers of government, corporate bodies and wealthy individuals to invest more in programmes that will alleviate the sufferings of the physically challenged and elder people in the society.

Akanbi spoke in Ilorin on Sunday when the two foundations donated wheelchairs to some physically challenged people.

He said, “Those of us who can walk on our feet and do things that we want to, we do not know the suffering of the people who cannot walk and other people who are physically challenged.”

He stated that the foundations had carried out a lot of charity work, adding that current effort was also meant to increase advocacy on the plight of and the need to assist vulnerable groups in the society.

Akanbi, who declined to reveal the cost of the wheelchairs, said they were of international standard.

He said, “We had to get at least 15 wheel chairs. We have donated three already to Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin.  Today we donated 11 to physically challenged people.

“I do not want to be publicising our charity and humanitarian gesture so that it will not be misunderstood.  We are making this public to drum support so that more people and organisations will see the compelling need to assist the less privileged and support us.”

Akanbi, who is a former President of the Court of Appeal, said there was no religious bias in the selection of the beneficiaries.  He added that both Christians and Muslims have benefited from the gesture.

“Once you cannot stand on your feet and you come and register, we do not know you, and we do not want to know you. We just want to alleviate your problem,” he said.

Akanbi,  also the founding Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission  appealed to government to set up social security scheme for the aged and other members of the society.

“If there is any form of social security, that will be welcomed. There should be social security scheme.  People are really suffering,” Akanbi said.

One of the beneficiaries, Abdullateef Abdul-Qudus on behalf of other beneficiaries thanked the foundations for the gesture.  He added that the wheel chairs would go a long way in alleviating their plight.  He appealed to government, corporate organisations and wealthy individuals to render more assistance to the vulnerable.