Sola Popoola
Prominent Nigerians have commended a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun for his numerous philanthropic gestures , particularly in donating a state- of- art hospital facility to his country home,Ikere- Ekiti .
Leading the commendations, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Adenitan Ogunwusi described the donation as “a landmark contribution to national development,” noting that investments in healthcare remain critical to improving citizens’ welfare.
The facility, known as the NewCruse Mother and Child Maternity Complex, was officially commissioned on Tuesday and handed over to the Ekiti State Government.
Oba Ogunwusi extolled Olanipekun’s contributions to humanity and national development, describing the senior advocate as a specially created blessing to humanity.
He said there was a need for Nigerian universities and scholars to undertake extensive research on elder statesmen like Olanipekun whose lives exemplify leadership, professionalism and philanthropy.
The foremost monarch emphasized that such initiatives complement government efforts in addressing gaps in the health sector.
Similarly, the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa
praised the donor’s foresight, stating that the facility would not only provide medical services but also create employment opportunities and boost community development.
He therefore urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the gesture.
The governor described the project as ‘philanthropy at its best’, saying the NewCruse Mother and Child Complex represented the revolution Nigeria needs.
The Ondo governor praised Olanipekun and his family for the remarkable intervention in healthcare delivery, adding that the project would have a lasting impact beyond Ekiti State.
“This is philanthropy at its best, practical, targeted and life-saving. It is the revolution that we need in Nigeria; not the revolution of slogans and armchair criticisms, but the revolution of responsibility, where the lawyer builds clinics, the trader funds schools, the engineer fixes roads and the government becomes the enabler, not the sole actor.
“There is no gainsaying that while this facility will greatly serve Ekiti State, its benefits transcend state boundaries. Healthy communities mean stronger families, a more productive workforce and greater regional stability,” he added.
In his address ,the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Southwest Governors and other prominent Nigerians have showered encomium on renowned legal icon, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN for donating an ultramodern Mother and Child Maternity Complex to the State Specialist Hospital, Ikere-Ekiti, describing the gesture as a landmark contribution to healthcare delivery and nation-building.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister described the project as a symbol of compassion, patriotism and shared responsibility towards the wellbeing of Nigerians, especially women and children.
Pate, represented by the Chief Medical Director of Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Professor Kolawole Ogundipe, said the donation aligned with the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen maternal and child healthcare across the country.
According to him, the facility represents a significant contribution to the Federal Government’s objectives of reducing maternal and child mortality and improving access to quality healthcare services.
He commended Olanipekun for an extraordinary gesture of philanthropy, noting that the senior lawyer had consistently invested in education, healthcare and community development through the Wole Olanipekun Foundation.
Pate also called on wealthy Nigerians, corporate organisations and development partners to emulate the gesture by supporting healthcare infrastructure, medical equipment procurement and community health initiatives.
“Chief Olanipekun remains a philanthropist who bestride the Nigerian space as he has endowed numerous scholarships, donated many educational and health facilities as well as instituted empowerment initiatives and various acts of community development through the Wole Olanipekun Foundation. This latest donation is in furtherance of what Chief Olanipekun has come to be known for.