A
renowned human right activist, Comdare Amitolu Shitu dazzled the beggars in
Osogbo, capital of Osun State when he invited them to his house to celebrate
his 52nd birthday with him on Wednesday.
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| Comdare Amitolu Shitu with the beggars |
Friends
and associates as well as relatives of the celebrant who had expected a
flamboyant birthday party were surprised to meet the beggars who are
northerners at the Asubiaro residence of the activist.
The
male and female beggars numbering about 250 sat patiently and offered special
prayers for the activist and they also commended him for rescuing them when
they were chased away from the popular Ayetoro junction where they converge
daily to seek alms.
Speaking
in Hausa language, the Chairman of the beggars Suaibu Aruna narrated how
Amitolu Shitu intervened when some officials of the state government chased the
beggars away from Ayetoro as part of the sanitation activities of the
administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Suaibu
whose speech was interpreted in English language by the supervisor of the
beggars, Salisu Audu Danjuma said Amitolu Shitu fought for them and ensured
that they were not forcefully ejected from Ayetoro. He announced that all the
beggars have unanimously agreed to appoint Amitolu as the patron.
Aruna
said “Government officials usually give us problems at Ayetoro where we see
alms on a daily basis. Some people would even extort us by taking our money
under the pretext that they are government officials.”
“When
it became unbearable for us, we ran to Amitolu Shitu and he assured us that he
would fight for us. He took up our matter to the extent that it got the
attention of the governor and since then, the officials were not giving us
problems again. We are happy to rejoice with him here today and that was why we
left Ayetoro to spend our day here”, he added.
Amitolu
used the occasion to raise fund among his friends and associates for the
beggars to share after the event so that they would not go home empty pocket
after eating the food provided for them.
While
speaking, Amitolu said he decided to celebrate his birthday with the beggars
because they are the best set of people, saying that God has His reason for
making them what they are and that they need support and encouragement so as
not to be dejected.
Amitolu
said he would not hesitate to fight for them and defend their rights if anyone
attempt to harass or cheat them. He tasked the beggars on cleanliness and
personal hygiene and promised to design an environmental sanitation exercise in
which he would join them to ensure that the environment where they are seeking
alms neat always.
The activist accepted to the patron of the beggars and
distributed cash to them after feting them.
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