In the Spirit of St. Valentine’s
Adedayo Adejobi writes that residents of Makoko, a suburb of the Lagos mainland, were showered with love by MIC Funeral Homes on Valentine’s Day
February 14th, every year, in most parts of the world, is characterised by an elaborate show of love, from the menfolk to the women and vice-versa. This is the day on which confectioners have limitless footfalls of lovers, at their shops, eager to book for and cart away specially-baked cakes. By the same token, some supermarkets, which are stocked with live roses, are swamped by ogle-eyed shoppers. Indeed, the frenzy of this day is, arguably, comparable to that of Christmas Day in all respects. The day, known as St. Valentine’s Day also has its own peculiar colour: Predominantly red. This accounts for why those who believe in its sanctity, will, literally, paint the town red, by being clad in that unmistakable crimson colour.
Indeed, from Lagos to Los Angeles, it is not surprising to see even children in nursery and primary schools wearing their school uniforms, with a touch of red. Such is the unifying magic of St. Valentine’s Day. Although there are a few dissenting voices who claim that the day is alien to our culture and so ought to be ignored, but, these nay-sayers seem to be in the minority as the lure of St. Valentine’s Day, in these parts, and I dare say other parts of the developed world, would appear to be on the ascendancy.
But, while lovers, in the city-centre, concerned themselves with the exchange of gifts, greeting cards – well worded with amorous and endearing messages - and visits to notable quick service restaurants and allied places of fun and excitement, to share love, MIC Funeral Homes decided to do something different. It reached out in love to the needy in downtown Makoko, a suburb of the Lagos mainland, where the majority of residents not only live in abject poverty and squalor but may not have had a whiff of St. Valentine’s Day, through an event with the self-explanatory theme: ‘Reaching out in Love’.
According to the spokesperson of MIC Funeral Homes, the facilitators of Reaching out in Love, Pastor Debola Okusanya : “The event was conceived, first of all, as a way of keeping the legacies of our late founder, Mr. Tunji Okusanya alive. Because in his lifetime, if there was anything he cherished greatly, it was giving to the needy and downtrodden. Are we going to talk about the scholarships he gave to indigent students or his habitual kind gesture to anyone in need who approached him for help? In addition, MIC Funeral Homes chose St. Valentine’s Day as a day on which love is expressed, in concrete terms, for reaching out in love, to the needy. Indeed, we expect to sustain this initiative as an annual event.”
Reaching out in Love which, in form and function, elected to put smiles on the faces of the old and young in Makoko, began with a courtesy visit, by the organising team to the Baale (traditional head) of Apollo, Makoko, Alhaji Ibrahim Aladetan. The elated Baale was so effusive in his gratitude to the MIC team for choosing his domain as its first port of call for its Reaching out in Love initiative. His words, “MIC Funeral Homes has demonstrated that it is not merely interested in making money from the society, it has also done well to give back. This kind gesture of singling out areas like Makoko, where we have a high population of the needy and less-privileged in Lagos State, is very much welcome. I thank your team from the bottom of my heart.”
Also on hand to provide robust musical entertainment to the people of Makoko at the Reaching out in Love event was the MIC 15-piece band. From one well-known gospel song to another, the band titillated the residents of Makoko no end.
The event, which sole purpose was to distribute mainly household gifts – which will be of immense use to all the recipients
The event was conceived, first of all, as a way of keeping the legacies of our late founder, Mr. Tunji Okusanya alive. Because in his lifetime, if there was anything he cherished greatly, it was giving to the needy and downtrodden… MIC Funeral Homes chose St.Valentine’s Day as a day on which love is expressed, in concrete terms, for reaching out in love, to the needy
- had everyone present going home each with a goodie bag containing insecticide bednets, detergents, granulated sugar, salt, tinned milk and food packs of rice and chicken.
There was also free medical check-up by a six-man medical team. Indeed, all the elders and young ones in Makoko were very glad to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime gesture. After a gigantic cake branded Reaching out in Love was cut by the Chef de Mission of the MIC team, Pastor Debola Okusanya, flanked by her staff and some residents of Makoko, the cake was shared to all present. Indeed, from the delighted looks on the faces of every resident lucky to be at the event, it needed no telling that the gifts had come at the right time.
Soon, it was dancing time, for the Makoko residents and the MIC band lived up to its billing, yet again, by dishing out countless danceable tunes which saw the head of the MIC team, leading the charge, by hitting the dance floor while she was joined by her host community. Indeed, the people were so overjoyed that one of them, a petty trader, who simply wanted to be identified as Julie, ecstatically, noted “Chai, this one sef pass Valentine enjoyment o. No be small thing.”
With its Reaching out in Love, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative, MIC Funeral Homes would seem to have begun a worthy tradition of not only keeping alive the legacies of its founder, but more importantly, seeking out needy communities within the Nigerian society and putting smiles on their faces, at an opportune time. It is, particularly, noteworthy at a time, like this, when the economic recession is taking a serious toll on the downtrodden.