A Foundation is basically an organisation devoted to altruistic values; which by the nature of things, invariably involves Charity and modelling ideals for society. It positions itself as an influence of good and dispenser of moral attitude and standards. The first few lines of the Wikipedia defines a Foundation as " A charitable organization[1] or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being ..." . Whatever your point of viewing it, a Foundation would always remain a social influence. Influence is superlatively important in society, and must enlist our earnest curiosity, attention and vigilance.
Influence plus Power are the mystique that make Government so Mighty. Dr Osahon Enabulele Foundation falls under the category of a Private Foundation as opposed to corporate foundation etc. A visit to its website tells us this:
"The Dr. Osahon Enabulele Foundation is a charitable foundation borne out of the critical need to advance progressive social change and societal development, through innovative health and education initiatives, societal empowerment, good governance and leadership excellence."
As you may have noticed, the Foundation has a rather ambitious agenda. Obviously, it has its job cut for it in the Nigeria State. The gnawing need for Progressive Social Change, Good Governance and Leadership Excellence has become an existential emergency. The realities of our daily debacles, maisma and catastrophes have overwhelmed the usual rhetorics and long winding inanities under which our failed leadership had taken refuge in the past. We are now confronted face to face, no holds bar, with them. It is not my intention here to catalog our national and local woes to you. You don't need me to do that, because _if I tell you, na who you go tell?_
But suffice it to say that whenever you hear the Nigerian youth ask the question: " How did we get here? " He is not always being sarcastic. Almost all of the time, he is asking sincerely: bewildered, overwhelmed and confused about how a people could allow themselves to degenerate to such unimaginable limits of degeneracy. He is trying to wrap around his whirling head, the unprecedented irony of how we could have so many large and sprawling State institutions in the country that, not only would not function on their statutory mandates, but also, are seriously working against those very mandates. And, worse still, are receiving accolades and promotions from the so called leaders who preside over our collective patrimony.
It is clear that the leaders conditioned those employees to work against our national institutions, as the guarantee for keeping their jobs. Yes. the youth is dying to know how good, progress and development could be manufactured by the eloquent and glib lies from our leaders, and their brazen, barefaced chicanery and stupendous corruption. So, when the young Nigerian asks, " how did we get here?"
He truly wants to know. He wants to know from us older ones, whether we have in the past experienced the magic of positive growth and development through a perpetually compromised judiciary, Houses of Assembly, lame and toothless opposition political parties and jaw - dropping leadership recruitment processes? He wants to know, because our prolific daily practices are all working at cross purposes with what we taught him in the classroom. He wants to know whether our pastors have always been these lecherous, lying adulterous con men and sorcerers they are today.? They are genuinely wondering, with growing alarm, at whether the Nigerian society has always been this preposterous circus of absurdities and inane deceit? My God, he groans, how did I get here!?
So, you see friends, our national conundrum is not your fictional Netflix or any other escapist device you may have found for yourself. I'm afraid, Nigeria is a very realistic disaster that defy those flippant rhetorics and debilitating cliches from the pretenders in power. There are no press button solutions to them either. Our problems require MEN indeed! Hardcore thinking, compelling strategies, unusual tactics and unconventional approaches etc. It is not a job for the boys, nor for those jobbers. Our governments at every level have failed to use the influence and power instrumentality available to them to effect any, and I repeat, any social change, provided any hint of leadership, nor sought excellence, by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, for all intents and purposes, they have zealously done the very opposite, and very copiously! We must stop pretending, people. Nigeria needs help! Evidentially, it will now amount to foolishness to continue to pretend that our current leadership at all strata in this country can help us. We will continue to ask people to give what they don't have. It's been a joke and the joke is on us!
Nigeria must now look beyond them into our pool of prolific human resources to seek
for help and find it. We must do what the Apostles advised the multitude in Acts Chapter Six to do, when there was an immediate important need for service to that Church community. They said to the multitude: " Look among you for men of good report and proven track record that we may appoint over this business"... Nigerians, this is a wake up call for all of us. Look among your immediate and farther society for MEN that can help us today! Nigeria needs help!
It is in review of the foregoing, that it is an exciting and remarkable news that Dr Osahon Enabulele has now chosen to expand the excelling composite of himself into an institution of influence; capable of engineering social change, good governance, leadership excellence, development and positive growth through the Dr Osahon Enabulele Foundation. A private Foundation is invariably an extension of the individual and individuals can only give of what they are and have. Dr Osahon Enabulele's antecedents from his natal to today are a well displayed mix of unimpeachable integrity, unmitigated cognitive proliferation, inexorable commitment to ideals, drive, role modelling, and every fine detail of civility: a proper _Omoluabi_, to borrow from the Yoruba mythology. His hard work ethics, dizzying career achievements, and other excellencies
would need a separate voluminous article to present. *Career wise, he is a Chief Consultant Family Physician, who eventually* ended up as the President of the World Medical Association, (WMA), after he *had* served *as President* of the *Commonwealth* Medical Association (CMA).
*For the records, Dr Osahon Enabulele is the very first Nigerian and West African Physician to ever be elected and inaugurated President of World Medical Association (2022-2023), since the WMA was founded in 1947.*
*Again, he is the very first Nigerian physician to be elected President of CMA (2019-2022) with superintendence over National Medical Associations in the 56 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.*
A role model, highly *respected and respectable* family man, he is happily married to *Prof (Dr) Mrs Joan Enabulele* and both are parents to three *excellent* children.
Those who know Dr Enabulele would all agree without any hint at equivocation that he comes through as a model divinely created to lead the way for men and to show the path for all. His Foundation's website seems to reveal it all. At the website it reads:
"At the Dr. Osahon Enabulele Foundation, we believe that positive and lasting change occurs, when individuals and organizations unite to tackle societal challenges. Our mission is to develop and implement community-driven initiatives, and champion policy reforms that promote social equity though carefully designed programs and strategic partnerships.
*OUR VALUES*
Humaneness, Selfless Services, Innovation, Excellence, Integrity, Accountability, and Partnerships
*OUR VISION*
An empowered citizenry with equitable access to quality health care, education, and other societal opportunities.
*OUR MISSION*
To empower citizens, particularly vulnerable groups, through promotion of initiatives for human capital development, good governance and leadership excellence.
I don't think it could be more comprehensive in content, nor better stated. Neither have I seen a more focused and cohesive agenda between Vision, Mission and Core Values. Obviously, this is another well thought through agenda; very typical of the meticulous Doctor!
We need to rally such islands of hope among us. At the risk of sounding sycophantic, I say it with all sense of honour to my conscience, that we in Edo State are fortunate and blessed to have Dr Osahon
Enabulele volunteer to step into the agenda of his Foundation. We direly need him and all the positive traits, respect influence and accustomed leadership
he can muster now to begin this work of redemption for our country. The task is certainly onerous. So we must welcome him with open hearts and ensure we support his every intention with all that is required to begin the *ethical governance* and social revolution we so need in Nigeria today.
Chris Ojeikere is the Media Coordinator, Dr. Osahon Enabulele Foundation
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