In the spirit of Christmas season, a renowned philanthropist and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief (Dr.) Peter Taiwo Ogundeji, popularly known as APATA, has distributed essential food items to thousands of beneficiaries across the 110 wards and 10 local government areas of Osun West Senatorial District, as part of his Yuletide outreach.
The distribution, which also extended to selected beneficiaries in other parts of Osun State, saw the sharing of food commodities, including vegetable oil and bags of rice, repackaged into various sizes of 10kg, 25kg and 50kg, to ease the burden of the festive season on families and vulnerable individuals.
Speaking during the exercise, Chief Ogundeji, who is also the Oluomo of Gbotaru, Ido-Osun, said the gesture was inspired by the significance of Christmas, noting that the birth of Jesus Christ symbolises God’s love for humanity, a virtue he said should be emulated by all.
According to him, the outreach forms part of his sustained effort to extend love and support to his people, particularly the downtrodden, stressing that one does not need to have excess before sharing with others.
“Christmas reminds us of love, compassion and sacrifice. We should not wait until we have an abundance before supporting others. Even what we can afford to give can make a difference in someone’s life,” he said.
Chief Ogundeji explained that the annual Yuletide distribution has become a consistent feature of his humanitarian engagements, carried out through the APATA Cares Foundation, which he said would continue as resources permit.
He further urged well-meaning individuals to imbibe the culture of giving and collective responsibility, noting that building a caring and inclusive society requires deliberate efforts beyond government intervention.
“We should not always wait for the government before helping one another. Small acts of kindness, especially during festive periods, can go a long way in strengthening our communities,” he added.
Beyond the seasonal outreach, the APC stalwart highlighted the broader impact of the APATA Cares Foundation for over five years, disclosing that the foundation has supported empowerment initiatives across Osun State through vocational training and small-scale economic support programmes.
Chief Ogundeji revealed that beneficiaries have received training in ICT, fashion designing and other vocational skills, while some indigent individuals have been supported with cash gifts and productive assets such as grinding machines, to enhance their means of livelihood.
According to him, over 200 beneficiaries are currently undergoing vocational training in different fields and are expected to receive further support in the last quarter of 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to promote self-reliance and reduce unemployment.
Reacting to the initiative, some beneficiaries, including Madam Bose Iwaloye and Miss Tinu Ajani, described Chief Ogundeji as a consistent and compassionate giver, noting that the Christmas outreach was not his first humanitarian gesture.
They expressed appreciation for the support and voiced optimism that his emergence in an elective political position would further enable him to expand his humanitarian efforts and impact more lives.
Similarly, APC leaders and stakeholders across the Osun West Senatorial District commended Chief Ogundeji’s consistency in grassroots engagement, describing the initiative as a meaningful complement to broader social welfare and community development efforts in the state.