Olusola lives on as AREF celebrates Founders Day

Thirty-one years on African Refugees Foundation (AREF), has become a standard of excellence, achievement as guests eulogize late Ambassador Segun Olusola on founders day celebration.

No doubt Olusola was an art connoisseur; a dramatist, master storyteller, a thorough bred diplomat, a writer, and, a broadcaster, but his philanthropist and peacemaking gave him out.

Years on, his legacy lives on and AREF continued to expand with various operations, programmes in touching lives. Penultimate week the foundation rollout drums to celebrate the day in grand style with a lecture on the theme, The Challenges of Poverty.

The roundtable discussion which took place at AREF Headquarters, Ajibulu-Moniya Gallery, Babs Animashaun Estate Surulere, Lagos provide an avenue for participants to brainstorm and proffer solutions to the scourge of poverty ravaging the society.

Anchored by Olaniyi Ayeni, he eulogize Olusola for his humanitarian efforts in ensuring refugees and internally displaced people (IDP), have meaningful life. He noted that there are so many IDPs in the country. “What we have in Nigeria today is multi dimensional poverty, the rate of crime has gone higher and it is attributed to poverty.

“Poverty has been with us for years. It’s time to take the bull by the horn,” he said.

Other top priorities discussed was the need for moral and advocacy efforts to address societal challenges, such as improving parenting capacities and fostering attitudinal shifts for a better society, among many other.

Author and biographer, Bayo Adesoye, disclosed that his meeting with Amb. Olusola changed his life. “He had a vision that outlived him. The vision is what we are carrying on from generation to generation. Though many founders have gone, but AREF is alive today because of Olusola and what he has done.”

AREF Project Executive, Wole Adediran, noted that the number of children in IDP camp is alarming. He reveal that continuous engagement on peace and security will help a lot.

Participants during the roundtable discussion also highlighted the need for data collection in planning and development.